Andrew I Brill, MD

I had been going to the same doctor for 15 years, before I went to Dr Brill for a second opinion on a «cantaloupe» size fibroid attached to my uterus. After going thru two consultations with Dr. Brill, till I fully understood all my options, I chose Brill and his team immediately to perform the laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy. I was so impressed by his knowledge, confidence, and skill set he used over the thousands of surgeries he has performed. We set the surgery for five days after my decision and it could not have gone any better. Dr. Brill is thorough and meticulous from start to finish. It was such a vast difference from a laparoscopic surgery i had 5 years prior from another doctor. Nothing is overlooked with Dr. Brill in charge from on time appointments, to blood work, to having you completely ready for the operation, to personal patient care at the hospital, to the best most capable operating room surgeon and staff, to a human approach to the operating table (he walks you down, introduces you to surgery staff in room, etc.), to multiple follow-​up calls post operation. When it comes to surgery, this guy is a Super Hero! He is a perfectionist and his results are impeccable. Today I am six weeks post op, with scar that is just over an inch (a cantaloupe size fibroid with the uterus attached removed thru that tiny incision any other doctor would have probably cut me side to side). If you are looking for a surgeon who is going to have a very strategic plan that you fully understand prior to surgery and who you can trust is going to make the best decision under pressure during surgery, and who will follow-​thru flawlessly after surgery, then look no further, than Dr. Brill. I was down for two days after the operation, I was walking 3 – 5 miles on the third day. I was doing yoga and exercising on week 2 and 3, I just went skiing on week 4 and 5, and today i had my six week check up and the scar has all but disappeared (which he says will not even show in a month). I am so grateful, I found Brill and his nurse Anita. From the day I walked into their office for a 2^nd opinion, they made all the difference in my experience and outstanding outcome. I owe it all to Dr. Brill and his crew!

Dr. Brill & his staff are all extremely professional, yet approachable. He is confident, but not cocky. I always felt in good hands, from the time he briefed me on my situation (cyst blocking Fallopian tube) & what the surgery would entail, to the actual surgery & post-​op appointment. The laparoscopic surgical process really is amazing, with large photos to prove it. Recovery went very well; no pain meds beyond some Motrin the first day or so. 20 days later I got my period, and then conceived right away. Just had a healthy baby girl last month.

A caring and professional doctor and a lovely person too. Great team of Nurses working with him. I had been advised by my fertility doctor that I needed a fallopian tube removed. I did not agree as I had been aware of ovulation which lead to a previous conception on that side.
I went to see a surgeon who advised that I remove both of my tubes, just incase!!! I was very upset and then I found Dr. Brill. He took time to listen to me, advised me he would have a thorough look around before he did anything and when I woke from surgery he told me that the tube was not blocked as the fertility doctor had suspected and that he had not had to remove the tube and I was at full fertility. If I had of used the other doctor I’d be sterile now! Dr. Brill was a godsend.

I had a hysterectomy a few weeks ago (due to a very large fibroid wrecking havoc on my insides) and cannot say enough good things about Dr Brill and his team. From the very first moment we met when I came in for an exam to get his opinion as my «second» opinion, I knew he was going to be the one doing my surgery.
Dr. Brill is brilliant at what he does (Pun intended) :Complicated gynecological surgeries laparoscopically. His bedside manner is unparalleled, as well as that of his team, Angela and Anita.
They go over the procedure in great detail. Being a healthcare professional, I appreciated it all the more. They show you what will be done, what to expect and what the recovery will be like.
And speaking of recovery, mine was unbelievable. The day I got discharged, I rested at home. The next day I went on a few short walks in my neighborhood and gradually increased my walking to several miles. But I still took it easy and made sure that I slept and ate really well. I had no pain whatsoever. Didn’t need to take any NSAID’s or pain meds.
Dr Brill and his staff called twice a day, every day the entire week after my surgery making sure that everything was progressing as it should and that I was ok.
Alicia at the front desk is delightful and makes scheduling for pre and post ops a breeze. The office is warm and welcoming yet, very private.
I have no reservations whatsoever recommending Dr. Brill. It was a first rate experience with first rate results. It is how medicine ought to be practiced more often. Professionally yet humanely.

I was referred to Dr Brill after finding a large (and growing) fibroid tumor on my uterus. While my OBGYN suggested a hysterectomy after the ultrasound results, when I went to meet and talk to Dr Brill he asked me what I wanted. I told him I wanted only the fibroid tumor removed if there was no imminent danger or issues with leaving my uterus and cervix in tact. He suggested additional testing (MRI and blood work) to ensure there were no other issues and get comfort with proceeding as I desired.
The entire experience end-​to-​end was one of the best experiences I’ve had with a doctor and their team. Dr. Brill and his team got to know me and made me feel incredibly comfortable with the procedure. He went above and beyond by coming by and talking before surgery, walking me into surgery and the post opp follow-​up was unbelievable. Two calls a day (one from his team and one from Dr Brill) for three days after surgery. I was up in a day walking and back at work a week later. Four weeks I was able to do everything including Pilates, etc. It’s been six weeks and I can barely see the scars.
In this day and age when medicine has become so impersonal, Dr Brill and his team are throwback to the days when people took their time to get to know their patients and had a real relationship. He’s the real deal in all respects and surrounds himself with an equally impressive and caring team.

Dr Brill made my dream come true! I had scar tissue in uterus, after he removed it, I was able to get pregnant with my baby #3 within 6 months! I believe the best review is a success story. Our success story is the healthy 2 month old baby boy I’m holding in my arms right now. We are forever grateful!

I told him I didn’t feel the pain or existence of my ovarian cyst. He spent 10 minutes to physically examine it and I feel the pain every second now. I hate him very much because I went to see other doctors and they all said the physical examination is unnecessary when the ultrasound shows the condition clearly.
He then persuaded me to cut open the uterus to remove some fibroids and even the healthy & normal appendix!!! For God Sake, how could he even think of my innocent appendix ?! He’s an evil to female patient, please take my advice and don’t even bother to call for appointment because only disappointment upon for sure!!!
If you do plan to visit him then keep in mind that he will invite 2 female assistants inside the room when he physically examines you although he sees your painful expression and he would still proceeded nonstoppingly. To us, those experience were torture in modern ethical definition. Let us educate you here on Unilocal,Dr Brill. There’s different kinds of uterine fibroids and most women have them anyway sometimes in our lifespan, not every single of them have to be destroyed if they don’t affect our wellbeing. Of course, according to your money crunching philosophy: more surgeries = more $$$ into your pocket directly! Eww~~~
Dr Vanessa Jacoby at UCSF Comprehensive Fibroid Center is wonderful, I met with her and she said I can have baby anytime even with the unharmful uterine fibroid, NO SURGERY recommendation at all. Not money oriented and with basic medical ethics. A dignity to doctor world.
Dr Linda Giudice at UCSF Center for Reproductive Health also said it’s ok to have baby with the existence of ovarian cyst. My tips to female health with chronic disease of Endometriosis are shop around and talk with experts, not just surgeon! Bear in mind that a long wait to see a specialist is worth the time. Reproductive Endocrinologist is much more important for taking hormonal therapy or choosing infertility treatment.

I was referred to Dr. Brill by Dr. Ricki Pollycove for a hysterectomy due to a very problematic cyst covering one ovary. Dr. Brill and his team were exceptionally professional and walked me through every step of what to expect and what my options were. While most hysterectomies include taking the cervix, I did decide to not have my cervix removed. Fortunately, I did not have any cancer so that decision was not a problem for me. I had Laparoscopic surgery on a Monday and was going about my normal social life by Friday. Yes, you will need a nap here and there and expect tenderness and random small pains in the abdomen but by week two week, I am almost completely recovered and the scars are almost non-​detect.
Dr Brill and his team were thorough in their follow-​up care, easily reachable when I had a question before and after, and I would highly recommend him as a surgeon.

His approach to endo: remove the organs and leave the endo behind. I won’t get into his manners, personality and ethics.

Wow. Just wow. After three years of trying every other alternative to surgery and finally deciding to explore a total hysterectomy, a referral to Dr. Brill is the best thing that could have happened.
Best doctor in the field with a great support team. Really listens and tells you straight up what your alternatives are (both surgical and non-​surgical) and exactly what to expect. Doesn’t push. Just gives you all the information you need to make an informed decision. Once I decided to go ahead with surgery I was very impressed at how extensive the pre-​op testing was from biopsies to blood work and an EKG to make sure I was ready.
Amazed at how well post op has gone. Had the procedure on Monday morning and went home early Monday afternoon. Up and around doing stair climbing on Tuesday. Took a long walk on Wednesday. Started tapering the pain meds and went out to lunch on Thursday.
Staff is really attentive and makes you feel instantly at home. Alicia, Anita, and Angela are right there when you need them. Never took more than 5 minutes to get somebody on the phone if I had a question.
Can’t recommend the CPMC Center for Advanced Surgical Options in Gynecology enough. They know their stuff. And they hug.

Dr Brill changed my life! He and his staff are awesome. After years of suffering and constant disbelief from other medical professionals he was a breath of fresh air. He gave me his surgical recommendation and said he would ultimately perform the surgery I wanted. It was all covered by health insurance which his office organized. Amazing that I walked out of the hospital the same day and semi back to normal the next. Incredible. No regrets except that I should have found him sooner and not suffered for all the years I did,

Sorry for the loooong review but I can’t help it!!! Dr. Brill is a magician. He and his staff Anita, Angela and Alicia make you feel very important and cared for. I saw several doctors for my situation but they are the best.
I saw him in Nov 2012 for fibroids and ovarian cysts. My surgery got postponed a couple of times because my blood count was messed up. Then I had to go to the emergency (where Dr. Bill was not a doc) due to tubo-​ovarian abscess. I was in the hospital (not CPMC) for a week and I had several doctors attending me. Dr. Brill and Anita were very helpful and accessible the whole time. Anita called me twice to check on me when I was in hospital.
After I was back from the hospital Dr. Brill postponed my surgery yet again for a month. He said because I had an abscess drained its better if I wait for the surgery. I have to admit that I was kind of irritated at that point but Oh boy I am so glad I listened to him and chose him as my Doctor. My case was quite complicated, Dr. Brill himself had told me that in a 1 – 10 scale my case was 24. My surgery was finally was done in early 2013 and was a total success. He took out all the fibroids (6 – 7), endometriosis and big cysts on both of my ovaries. I had a dilated fallopian tube where I had an abscess before, he said that was healed and looked normal and didn’t need any alteration, so waiting for surgery was a spot on move.
On the surgery day he walked me to the operation room, introduced everybody (nurse, attending doctors etc) and assured me that I am going to be fine. And he was absolutely right. My recovery was quick and very smooth. I didn’t bleed much after surgery, just a little spotting for a couple of days (may be too much info but I was afraid of this so much) Dr. Brill called me twice after surgery and so did Anita. Anita was my go to person in the whole process. She is warm, comforting, very approachable and a wonderful person. Dr. Brill is great but because of his staff especially Anita, we had absolute zero stress regarding the procedure. I knew she was available to answer any of my smallest and stupidest questions.
I totally recommended Dr. Brill and his staff. They are great people with brilliant professional expertise.
I consulted with quiet a few doctors for my problem and they all suggested open surgery for my case as it was very complicated. Dr. Brill was the only one who was confident about doing it laparoscopically. I live in the South Bay and used to drive 60 miles one way to see him, but that was nothing compared to the result. Dr. Brill’s office was very accommodating especially since I used to come from so far, they combined couple of appointments together for my convenience.
My only complain is CPMC nurses kicked me out of the hospital before I could see Dr. Brill and receive reports of my surgery. He did come to meet me but that time I was not feeling well so he said he will come later but I didn’t get a time to see him. So just don’t tell the CPMC nurses that you are feeling good before seeing Dr. Bill otherwise they will kick you out.

Dr. Brill and his team are fantastic! When I was recommended to have surgery for my Endometriosis and a Fibroid I was terrified. This team walked me through the entire process and I felt completely informed and prepared before the surgery day. The day of the surgery Dr. Brill walked me to the surgery room himself, made sure I was comfortable and treated me like I was the only person in the world he was concerned about. The following days I received many calls from Dr. Brill and his staff checking up on me and answering any questions I had. I felt completely cared for and respected. I would absolutely recommend anyone to him.

I love Dr. Brill and his team, from Alicia, to Anita, to Angela, they make me feel I am in the family.
I had a painful first pregnancy and luckily everything went ok at the end, so before we start trying to have a 2^nd baby, my OB doctor at Kaiser suggested me to have my fibroids removed. Mine didn’t shrink much so they were 5 – 6 cm big and at bad locations. My Kaiser doctor (which I also adore very much) can only do an open operation and will require 4 – 6 weeks of recovery time, so i reached out for help. I got referred to Dr. Brill by a family member who also works at CPMC, and I’m so so glad I asked for referral.
We had an insurance problem to begin with, as I have double insurance and CPMC is under my 2^nd coverage, but Alicia and Dr. Brill spent hours and days to help me to resolve that issue.
When the day came I arrived at CPMC at 2pm.
Hospital staff was very friendly and checked me in,
Angela came to check on me in the waiting room and made sure everything was ok. Then Dr. Brill walked me into the surgery room and asked me what kind of music i like to listen. I was out before I can even worry about anything, or enjoy the music ;-)
When I woke up it was 6pm, and saw my husband’s smily face, and i was told surgery was very successful.
I planned to go home after couple hours, but I was too dizzy to walk, so I requested to stay at the hospital overnight, which I’m glad I did.
First night was not comfortable (no pain just discomfort from general anesthesia), but after few hours of sleep and when i woke up next morning, I was good to walk.
Anita, Angela and Dr. Brill called me few times during first 3 days to check. The most amazing was I didn’t have any pain at all. After the surgery, I took pain killer every few hours as directed for the first night, and I took two pills for next morning, that’s it.
I started doing light exercise after 1^st week, and biked for 10 miles after 1^st month!
It took couple weeks for most stitches to come off naturally, and 4 weeks for stitches around belly button to fall. At week 3, my belly button had tiny blood for few minutes, I called in and Anita told me it was normal.
I used to have heavy periods, now it’s been 3 months after my surgery, my period is no longer as heavy as it used to, wohoo, and I can actually do stuff on my first day!;-)
If anyone is looking to have fibroids removed with a minimally invasive procedure, I would highly recommend Dr. Brill and his team.

Here is how I found Dr. Andrew Brill and his Dream Team at the CPMC’s Center for Advanced Options in Gynecological Surgery.
I seriously needed a good GYN surgeon. Two years prior I had my kidney removed — so medical mishaps were not an option. I had already consulted with two surgeons and one of them told me NO DOCTOR could remove my fibroids with laparoscopic surgery. Unconvinced, I searched the Internet, found Dr. Brill, and knew I was onto something great.
During my first consultation I was hoping I could avoid surgery all together — even though I carried around a palpable bulk in my stomach. However, when I met with Dr. Brill again to review the MRI it was clear, with 14 fibroids, that I needed surgery.
When the day came I arrived at CPMC at 7:30 a.m. and the staff made me comfortable. Dr. Brill then calmed my nerves and my families’. Then I met Anesthesiologist Dr. Heidi Witherall. I was concerned because after my kidney surgery I had unbearable thirst for months. She addressed the concern before I mentioned it. Dr. Brill then put his arm around my shoulder and we walked into the surgery room together. In the operating room, as I was preparing to lay down, he asked me who my favorite singer was and then put Adele on Pandora.
During surgery Dr. Brill discovered that some fibroids had calcified. It took four hours, expert skill, and incredible patience to break down the bone-​like calcifications and pull them through a 2 cm incision. A few hours after surgery I was ready to go home and would have walked to the car myself but hospital policy required a wheelchair.
Two days after surgery I met a good friend for dinner and went to an art gallery. A few days after that I went on a two-​mile walk, met more friends, as if nothing had happened. My only minor setback was when I ate spicy food too soon — something I was warned not to do.
Less than six weeks have passed since the surgery and life is completely back to normal! Better than normal — since two pounds of fibroids have been removed — I have my waste back and much more energy. Dr. Brill and his Dream Team are genius!

Dr. Brill and his staff get an A+. I had a number of procedures done at once. Fibroid and polyp removal, endo treatment. (Dr. Jordan Horowitz treated my bartholin’s cyst during the same surgery.) What worked for me:
1. Organization: Attention to detail was great. All appointments, scheduling, paperwork, coordination, prescriptions, and follow-​up etc. were impeccable.
2. Treatment: Pre, during and post op were well handled. All questions were answered and the entire time I felt as a patient I was in control of what was going on and happening to me. Dr. Brill personally called me twice during the course of my treatment, and his nurses also checked in several times.
After my surgery, I had healed perfectly and the entire procedure was flawless. Granted, I followed Dr. Brill’s instructions to the T, he gave the right direction to make my operation and recovery easy on me. On my last follow up visit with Dr. Brill, the excitement Dr. Brill had for his job well done was proof positive that I picked the right guy with the right team for the job. He is the type of surgeon who gets excited about doing things right, and his staff is on-​board with that program.
In response to a review by Amy T (one star review) she mentions unwanted neck massages by Dr. Brill. She made it sound like he was doing something inappropriate and/​or ill-​timed. He also touched me on the neck/​shoulder when I was in his office. But it was meant to be a normal human connection while he and his nurses were talking to me about a range of things associated with my visit (s). I didn’t find it strange at all. It’s clear his intent is to connect on a human level and reduce stress for patients. Let’s be honest, if you’re seeing Dr. Brill he’s going to be touching a lot more than your shoulder, and potentially being responsible for you in a big way if you choose him to perform surgery. So a hand on the shoulder isn’t a big deal.
Dr. Brill has a personality and we all know not all people mesh with each other, which is fine. However, it’s clear his intent comes from a caring, professional, human place. I really liked that about him and his staff.

Could not have had a better experience! I was initially planning to have the removal of an ovarian cyst and two myomas with my OBGYN of ten years, yet saw Dr. Brill after a friend recommended him and changed my mind.
Very personable, very warm and caring. Took a lot of time to go over every step of plan and explain in detail. His staff was always available, very friendly and supportive. This way of treating patients has gone almost extinct these days.
At Dr. Brill’s office Alicia picks up he phone right away, knows who you are, has your records and answers ready. Most importantly, Dr. Brill is available and takes time to talk to you, check on you in person, answer any questions and throw in a few funny remarks. This is the only way it should be and he is doing it!
Surgery was successful and recovery was quick. Shoulder pain was the only serious pain — I was warned about it but underestimated how bad it can be.
All in all — very very happy all around. Great experience.
Thank you, Dr. Brill and Team!

Great surgeon! Great explanations of what to expect with my surgery, what they would do (complete with pictures, so even I could follow along). GREAT support team. He’s knowledgeable. Funny. Kind. This man made it possible for me to function again. I work in health care– I know a good doctor, and he is one, promise.
My surgery was a year ago (I’ve only just started on this Unilocal thing) after living with multiple, massive fibroids for years– something my OB neglected to mention, despite my yearly complaints of pain and excessive bleeding. By the time I found Dr. Brill, I was nearly anemic from losing so much blood on a daily basis.
From start to finish, my experience was superlative, from the pre-​op meetings with the entire team, to walking into the operating room WITH THE ENTIRE TEAM, to recovery WITH THE ENTIRE TEAM stopping in, to the follow up phone call the next day at home, to the follow up visits at weeks 4 and 8. I have a physically demanding job, and I was unable to return to work after 4 weeks and they basically said «you tell us what you need». These people encourage and support – gasp! – a woman listening to her body and getting what she needs to function well.
An added bonus for me, because I love this stuff, were the several color photographs I got of the inside of my body before, during, and after surgery. Cool beans!
I cannot recommend Dr. Brill highly enough. If you need any sort of gynecologic surgery, please try to see him for an opinion, as he specializes in minimally invasive techniques.

Do you really have to recommend a hysterectomy because a woman tells you she has chronic pelvic pain from fibroids, and endometriosis? No, there are more subtle and sophisticated approaches, Dr Brill. Like going with a Da Vinci laparoscopic surgery so that the problematic tissue may be removed and tiny stitches put in place to allow actual healing of the wounds. A hysterectomy should only be performed in most extreme cases, so that women may keep their natural organs and… be women!
I was completely shocked by this Dr’s solution to endo, in this 21 st century of adavanced medical technology… please do your homework and get SEVERAL opinions from specialists. If you want to know whom i will pick for my surgery, keep an eye on me, as i will report soon.

I called 2 weeks ago on ⁰⁶⁄₀₈ telling the secretary I needed surgery (my doctor is sending me after an ultrasound) and specified that I was in PAIN (7 on the scale of 10). She told me that a nurse would call me to evaluate the symptoms and possibly to get me ahead of the appointments since I was suffering. And for the record I am VERY pain tolerant…
2 weeks later I never received that phone call and I cannot handle the pain anymore (it’s an ⁸⁄₉ now). It tells me the cyst is bigger, and things might have gotten more serious now and that I might now need a cystectomy as opposed to a laparoscopy which is a much more traumatic procedure (underwent it 10 months ago)
I don’t care how good you are, if you cannot see people in pain in a timely manner you will not be my doctor…