Alireza Meighani, MD| Inflammatory Bowel Disease Gastroenterology, Gastroenterology | MedStar Health
About me
Alireza Meighani, MD, always knew he wanted to help people. “I had asthma growing up and saw lots of doctors,” he said. “They helped me a lot with my condition and I knew I eventually wanted to help people the way they helped me.” And now as a gastroenterologist, he’s doing just that.
Dr. Meighani treats all types of gastrointestinal issues but is particularly passionate about helping people with autoimmune diseases and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). “I see a wide range of patients such as ones who are in pain from various GI disorders or patients who can’t swallow food because they have a narrowing in their esophagus. "When I can do things like dilate the esophagus so they can eat normally again or remove a pre-cancerous polyp during a screening colonoscopy, that changes patients’ lives, it motivates me."
Dr. Meighani graduated from medical school at Gulf Medical University in Dubai and completed his residency in internal medicine at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. He stayed at Henry Ford to complete his fellowship in gastroenterology, where he was selected as chief fellow. Now at MedStar Southern Maryland, he says, “I love the patient population here. I’m able to really put my skills to use and help people. It’s very fulfilling.”
Dr. Meighani’s Philosophy of Care:
Dr. Meighani believes that the journey leading up to the procedure is just as important as the procedure itself. “I am very intentional about how I relate to my patients from the very beginning,” he says. That’s why he takes the time to discuss their goals and desired outcomes in both a clear and compassionate manner. These conversations allow him to consider individuals’ unique needs and circumstances when developing their treatment plans. “I always want my patients to get the best care possible, just as I would want for myself.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Abdominal Distention
- Abnormal Bowel Movement
- Abnormal Stool
- Anal Fissure
- Bleeding Hemorrhoids
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Colonoscopy
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Postprandial Diarrhea
- Rectal Pain
- Stomach Pain
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Bloating
- Abdominal Distention
- Abdominal Pain
- Abnormal Amylase Blood Test
- Abnormal Bowel Movement
- Abnormal Liver Function Blood Test
- Abnormal Stool
- Achalasia
- Acute Blood Loss Anemia
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Alcoholic Liver Disease
- Allergic Colitis
- Allergic Esophagitis
- Allergic Gastroenteritis
- Altered Bowel Habits
- Anal Cancer
- Anal Carcinoma In Situ
- Anal Fissure
- Anal Pain
- Anal Polyp
- Anal Spasm
- Anemia
- Anorectal Disease
- Appendiceal Cancer
- Atrophic Gastritis Without Mention Of Hemorrhage
- Autoimmune Enteropathy
- Autoimmune Hepatitis
- Barrett's Esophagus
- Benign Neoplasm Of Colon
- Biliary Tract Disease
- Bleeding Hemorrhoids
- Blood In Stool
- Bowel Dysmotility
- Bright Red Blood Per Rectum
- Celiac Disease
- Choking Sensation
- Cholangitis
- Cholelithiasis
- Cholestasis
- Chronic Abdominal Pain
- Chronic Diarrhea
- Chronic Pancreatitis
- Cirrhosis
- Clostridium Difficile
- Colitis
- Collagenous Colitis
- Colonic Inertia
- Colonic Polyps
- Colonic Volvulus
- Colorectal Malignancy
- Constipation
- Crohn's Disease
- Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome
- Diarrhea
- Digestive Disorders
- Diverticular Disease
- Diverticulitis
- Drug Induced Liver Injury
- Duodenal Ulcer
- Duodenitis
- Dyspepsia
- Dysphagia
- Early Satiety
- Elevated Alkaline Phosphatase Level
- Elevated Lipase
- Eosinophilic Colitis
- Eosinophilic Enteritis
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Eosinophilic Gastritis
- Epigastric Pain
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal Disease
- Esophageal Diverticulum
- Esophageal Mass
- Esophageal Motility Disorders
- Esophageal Spasm
- Esophageal Stricture
- Esophageal Thickening
- Esophageal Ulcer
- Esophageal Varices
- Esophagitis
- Family History Of Colon Cancer
- Family History Of Colon Polyps
- Fatty Liver
- Fecal Impaction
- Fecal Incontinence
- Flatulence
- Focal Nodular Hyperplasia
- Foreign Body (DIGESTIVE SYSTEM)
- Gallbladder Cancer
- Gallbladder Disease
- Gallbladder Polyp
- Gastric Ulcer
- Gastritis
- Gastroenteritis
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Stromal Tumors
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Gastrojejunal Ulcer
- Gastroparesis
- Giardiasis
- Gluten Sensitivity
- Helicobacter Pylori
- Hematemesis
- Hemochromatosis
- Hemorrhage Of Gastrointestinal Tract, Unspecified
- Hemorrhoids
- Hemorrhoids With Complications
- Hepatitis
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatomegaly
- Hiatal Hernia
- Ileitis
- Ileus
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Intestinal Obstruction
- Intractable Vomiting
- Iron Deficiency Anemia
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Ischemic Bowel
- Ischemic Colitis
- Jaundice
- Lactose Intolerance
- Left Upper Quadrant Pain
- Liver Disease
- Liver Mass
- Lymphocytic Colitis
- Lynch Syndrome
- Malabsorption
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Stomach
- Megacolon
- Melena
- Microscopic Colitis
- Motility Disorders
- Nausea
- Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis
- Obstipation
- Obstructive Jaundice
- Odynophagia
- Ogilvie Syndrome
- Pancreatic Cyst
- Pancreatic Insufficiency
- Pancreatic Pseudocyst
- Pancreaticobiliary Disease
- Pancreatitis
- Peptic Ulcer
- Peritonitis
- Persistent Vomiting
- Personal History Of Colonic Polyps
- Peutz Jeghers Syndrome
- Polyposis Syndrome
- Polyps
- Portal Hypertension
- Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy
- Positive Hemoccult Fecal Occult Blood Test
- Postprandial Diarrhea
- Pouchitis
- Primary Biliary Cholangitis
- Proctitis
- Rectal Bleeding
- Rectal Cancer
- Rectal Fistula
- Rectal Hemorrhage
- Rectal Pain
- Rectal Polyp
- Right Lower Quadrant Pain
- Right Upper Quadrant Pain
- Rumination Syndrome
- Scleroderma
- Short Bowel Syndrome
- Small Bowel Disease
- Small Intestine Cancer
- Steatorrhea
- Stomach Cancer
- Stomach Cramps
- Stomach Disorders
- Stomach Pain
- Swallowing Problem
- Toxic Liver Injury
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Ulcerative Proctitis
- Vomiting
- Weight Loss
- Whipple's Disease
- Wilson's Disease
Procedures I perform
- Biologic Therapy For Gastrointestinal Diseases
- Colon Polypectomy
- Colonoscopy
- Colorectal Screening
- Early Detection Of Cancer
- Endoscopic Mucosal Resection Of Large Colon Polyps
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) With Botox Injection
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) With Dilation
- Feeding Tube Management
- Feeding Tube Removal
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Screening
- Gastroscopy
- Ileoscopy
- Peg (PERCUTANEOUS ENDOSCOPIC GASTROSTOMY)
- Proctosigmoidoscopy
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Upper Gi Series
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv/Special Needs Plans
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans/ UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans HMO, POS, PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO, GEHA, Compass Rose)"
- UHC Community Plan of MD
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Medicare Fee for Service
- Kaiser Virginia Premier
- Kaiser PermanenteSelect-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS
- Kaiser MD Medicaid MCO
- Cigna HealthSpring Medicare Advantage
- CFBCBS Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CFBCBS EPO
- Blue Choice Advantage & Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)"
- Aetna Better Health of Maryland
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna HMO
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Innovation Health: POS
- Open HMO
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access (OA)
- POS OA & OA Plus
- Opoen HMO Option
- Aetna Innovations: HMO & EPO Plus
- Network OA
- Open POS II
- PPO and PPO Plus
- Open EPO Plus
- CFBSBC Blue Preferred PPO
- Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Choice Fund PPO
- CIGNA EPO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Tricare Prime
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Tricare for Life (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CFBCBS Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- First Health PPO
- United Student Resources
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CFBCBS BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CFBCBS Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- FIRST HEALTH
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CFBCBS (NCA) Indemnity
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- MedStar Select (MedStar Associates' Plan)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund) Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- CIGNA Indemnity
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship Program: Henry Ford Hospital (2020)
Residency Program: Henry Ford Hospital (2017)
Medical School: Gulf Medical University (2012)
Awards
- Henry Ford Hospital resident research award 2016-2017 Chief fellow in gastroenterology 2019-2020
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Peer Reviewed Journal Manuscripts:
- Meighani A, Alimirah M, Ramesh M, Salgia R. Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Clostridioides Difficile Infection in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease. Int J Hepatol. 2020;2020:1874570.
- Meighani A, Hart BR, Mittal C, Miller N, John A, Ramesh M. Predictors of fecal transplant failure. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016;28(7):826-30.
- Meighani A, Hart BR, Bourgi K, Miller N, John A, Ramesh M. Outcomes of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Clostridium difficile Infection in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Dig Dis Sci. 2017;62(10):2870-2875.
- Meighani A, Jafri SM, Raoufi M, Salgia R. Splenic Artery Embolization for Treatment of Refractory Ascites After Liver Transplantation. ACG Case Rep J. 2016;3(2):136-8.
- Lenhart A, Meighani A, Hassan M, Gordon S. Hepatitis C Virus-Associated Aortitis Caused by Type I Cryoglobulins. ACG Case Rep J. 2017;4:e114.
- Lenhart A, Hassan M, Meighani A, Sadiq O, Siddiqui Y. A Perplexing Case of Abdominal Pain That Led to the Diagnosis of Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome. Case Rep Gastrointest Med. 2017;2017:7636952.
- Mittal C, Miller N, Meighani A, Hart BR, John A, Ramesh M. Fecal microbiota transplant for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection after peripheral autologous stem cell transplant for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2015;50(7):1010.
Peer Reviewed Abstracts:
- Meighani, A., Jarodiya, V., Siddiqui, M. A., Christensen, K., Kutait, A., Katukuri, V., Jafri, S. (2017). Non-Neutrocytic Bacterascites in an Outpatient Setting: Is Antibiotic Treatment Needed? Gastroenterology, 152(5), S1152. doi:10.1016/s0016-5085(17)33864-7
- Alireza Meighani, Kassem Bourgi, Rebecca Bajoka, Muhammad Yaser Alsafadi, Indira Brar:Su1447 The Hepatitis C and HIV Co-Infected Patient: Time to Scale up HCV therapy at a local level. Gastroenterology 04/2016; 150(4):S1102. DOI:10.1016/S0016-5085(16)33724-6
- Meighani, A., Ramesh, M., & Salgia, R. (2016). Successful Outcomes of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease. Hepatology , 64(S1), 811-1050. doi:10.1002/hep.28800
- Meighani A, Hassan M, Lenhart A, and Gordon S. Aortitis in a patient with chronic hepatitis C virus infection Am J Gastroenterol 2016; 111:S870-S871.
- Mona Hassan, Alireza Meighani, Bharat Rao, Rami Aboud, Robert Pompa: Sa1735 Early Versus Late Colonoscopy in Patients Presenting with Diverticular Bleeds: A Single Center Experience. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 83(5), AB280. doi:10.1016/j.gie.2016.03.430
- Victor Aguin, Alireza Meighani, Salwa Hussain, Mazen El Atrache, Mohammad Elbatta, Aymen Bukannan, Syed-Mohammed Jafri, Mostafa Ibrahim. Elevated head of the bed, a novel position for performing colonoscopy: Does it improve the quality of the examination? Am J Gastroenterol 2016; 111:S141.
- Lenhart A, Hassan M, Meighani A, Sadiq O, and Siddiqui Y. A perplexing case of abdominal pain that led to the diagnosis of zollinger-ellison syndrome Am J Gastroenterol 2016; 111:S1056.
- Mittal Chetan, Hart Benjamin, John Ajin, Meighani Alireza, Miller Nichole, Ramesh Mayur: P-108 Fecal Transplant for Recurrent and/or Refractory Clostridium Difficile Infection in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 12/2014; 20 Suppl 1:S72. DOI:10.1097/01.MIB.0000456861.03059.fa
- Chetan Mittal, Ajin John, Benjamin R. Hart, Nichole Miller, Alireza Meighani, Mayur Ramesh: Mo1840 Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Recurrent and/or Refractory Clostridium difficile Infection: A Large Retrospective Study of Failure Rates, Predictors of Failure and Outcomes. Gastroenterology 04/2015; 148(4):S-723-S-724. DOI:10.1016/S0016-5085(15)32469-0
- Hassan, M., Siddiqui, M. A., Jones, D., Shaikh, A., Meighani, A., Shabbir, N., Schairer, J. (2017). A Rare Case of Esophageal Actinomycosis in an Immunocompetent Host. Gastroenterology, 152(5), S888. doi:10.1016/s0016-5085(17)33036-6