Dr. Timothy Ryan Donahue, MD

Dr. Timothy Donahue is a highly recommended surgeon specializing in pancreatic disease. I was extremely satisfied with the Whipple procedure he performed on my husband at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center at UCLA. One of the qualities that truly impressed me was Dr. Donahue's ability to communicate complex medical information in a clear and understandable manner. He took the time to sit down with us and discuss the procedure, risks, and potential outcomes in a way that we could easily grasp. This level of care and attention to detail is rare and greatly appreciated. Beyond his excellent surgical skills, Dr. Donahue demonstrated exceptional empathy and compassion for my husband's well-being. He genuinely cared about his recovery and was always available to answer our questions and address our concerns. The entire team at UCLA, including Dr. Donahue's staff, provided top-notch care and support throughout my husband's treatment. They were attentive to his needs, responsive to any… setbacks, and quick to take action when necessary. I am particularly grateful for the extra time and attention he received in the hospital, which ensured that his post-surgery complications were promptly addressed. In summary, I would highly recommend Dr. Timothy Donahue to anyone seeking a skilled and compassionate surgeon for pancreatic disease. His expertise, empathy, and commitment to patient care make him an outstanding choice. Our family has nicknamed him Dr. Hollywood due to his calm & caring demeanor.

Fantastic! Fabulous! Best pancreatic surgeon in the world and lovely, absolutely lovely as well! I feel so grateful for his magnificent care.

After interviewing and seeking opinions about my situation from multiple surgeons, Dr. Donahue was the obvious fit. His knowledge, skill and bedside manner made me feel confident in moving forward with surgery. I was told by other surgeons that I should expect to lose 30% of my pancreas including my spleen, but Dr. Donahue saved my spleen, and only removed about 5% of my pancreas in total. I’m incredibly grateful to him and his team, and would recommend him 1000x over.

DR. DONAHUE SAVED MY HUSBAND’S LIFE!!! After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 57, my husband thought his life was over. This man who never cried broke down in tears thinking he would never live to see his grandchildren. A well-meaning surgeon at the top-rated hospital we were at said he could remove the tumor and professed to be an expert. We allowed him to do the surgery, but then after 3 hours in the operating room, he told us it would take "Rambo" to get the tumor off of his vein and he had to stop the procedure. Rather than give up, we tried to find other surgeons from Mayo Clinic, Anderson in Texas, and other renowned clinics. We were very disappointed until we met with Dr. Donahue at UCLA. We immediately felt the world of difference with this brilliant surgeon. There was zero bragging (even though he has every right to!) but just a genius of a surgeon. Dr. Donahue ordered the proper CT scan with contrast which our previous surgeon never obtained and… determined that chemotherapy was recommended before surgery due to the tumor’s location in proximity to the vein. We had complete faith in this doctor who does approximately 3 of these surgeries a week. Then the day of the surgery came and after a few hours, Dr. Donahue walked into the waiting room. I was in shock because I thought there’s no way he could have done a vascular resection of the vein, remove the tumor, and complete a complicated Whipple surgery in three hours. He explained to me that he removed the tumor without having to resect the vein, and that my husband did remarkably well and was recovering in the post surgical ward, as no ICU was needed. I almost fainted after hearing this miraculous news! My husband felt so good, he was ready to leave the hospital in 3 days, but due to protocol he had to stay a few more days. Truly, this man turned our lives from the lowest point of despair to the greatest bliss imaginable!! WE LOVE YOU DR. DONAHUE!!!!!!!

Excellent interaction. Competent, thoughtful, sympathetic, answered all my questions. Received excellent care. Had great surgical outcome.

I chose UCLA Medical Center because of their vast experience with the difficult surgery I was facing, their low complication rate and the large team of support. Dr Donahue in particular reassured me immediately, addressing my concerns, clearly detailing what would happen during the surgery and most of all, ensuring me that the surgical and nursing team would be immediately available to manage the anticipated pain associated with this difficult and complicated surgery. I went into surgery with full confidence in Dr Donahue and the team of surgeons and nurses who cared for me during my recovery. I was overwhelmed and grateful for the experienced nursing staff and their ability to handle any difficulties and the care and compassion they showed me. I would strongly recommend Dr Donahue and his vast suport team!

Dr. Timothy Donahue is, in my opinion, a fantastic surgeon. The only previous surgery I’ve had in my 83 years was eye surgery almost 50 years ago. My memory of that surgery was, a lot of pain! When my doctors decided I had to have a tumor on my pancreas removed I met with Dr. Donahue. He was pleasant and informative about my surgery. I wasn’t concerned about the surgery; I was more concerned about my post-op pain and recovery. Prior to the surgery I received a lot of information from UCLA on what post-op would be like. The information was informative but not terribly reassuring, especially about pain. My four hours plus surgery, I was told went fine. My post-op including five days in hospital was a pleasant revelation. My pain level never went beyond a 3 on the scale. I was and continue to be amazed that my recovery has gone so well and pain minimal. I attribute all of this to Dr. Donahue and his equally amazing team. Recently I had a follow-up meeting with Dr. Donahue. … I’ve concluded that not only is he a very professional, extremely competent and skilled surgeon he is also a really nice guy! Easy to communicate with, personal and I can’t thank him enough for helping me through this experience.

Dr. Donahue is a brilliant surgeon with confidence that I trust. I had a Whipple procedure successfully performed by him. He is humble, patient, and approachable. In my first meeting with him, I know that he is the surgeon I can trust.

Dr. Donahue is a world class surgeon who recently performed a successful complicated 12 hour Whipple surgery on me. Dr. Donahue not only removed the tumor on my pancreatic head but also had to remove and reconstruct a portion of the superior mesenteric vein that the tumor had invaded. Further, portions of my liver had to be removed in two places as the cancer had metastasized to the liver. Both during surgery and recovery afterwards I received first class care both medically and personally. Dr. Donahue is a highly regarded professor at UCLA Medical School who engages in cutting edge research to stay on top of his field. I believe he is one of three or four top pancreatic surgeons in Southern California. He is kind, listens well, and genuinely cares about his patients. I am so lucky to have had him as my surgeon.

Dr. Donahue and all staff affiliated with my recent gall bladder surgery were extremely qualified, professional and comforting. I feel extremely privileged to have had such a talented surgeon care for me.