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SANTA BARBARA, CA — July 7, 2025—Cottage Health is pleased to announce the opening of the Cottage Surgical Clinics, a new Cottage Medical Group specialty care clinic. Cottage Surgical Clinics is located at 2320 Bath Street, Suite 101 in Santa Barbara. The clinic provides expert care in general surgery, colorectal surgery and bariatric surgery, with a focus on minimally invasive procedures.
The surgical team includes Dr. Farida Bounoua, Dr. David Thoman and Dr. Lexine Yurcho board-certified surgeons with advanced training in laparoscopic, robotic-assisted and other minimally invasive techniques. Together, they bring extensive experience in delivering high-quality, patient-centered surgical care.
Patients at the Cottage Surgical Clinics will receive surgical consultations, pre-operative evaluations and post-operative follow-up care, all coordinated within the Cottage Health system.
Common procedures performed by the surgeons at the clinic include hernia repair, gallbladder removal, colon and rectal surgery, weight-loss procedures and a range of advanced gastrointestinal surgeries.
Meet the surgeons of Cottage Surgical Clinics:
Farida Bounoua, MD, FACS – General and Bariatric Surgery
Dr. Bounoua is board-certified in general surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Algiers in Algeria and the University of Creteil, Paris in France. She completed her general surgery residency and internship at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and went on to complete a fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Bounoua’s clinical expertise includes minimally invasive general, gastrointestinal and bariatric surgery. She is also the only surgeon at Cottage Health performing robotic assisted bariatric surgery. She has authored articles published in respected journals. She is an active member of several professional societies, including the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).
Dr. David Thoman – General and Bariatric Surgery
Dr. Thoman is board-certified in general surgery and a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and completed his general surgery residency at Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center in New Jersey. He went on to complete fellowship training in minimally invasive surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Thoman’s clinical focus includes general, minimally invasive, and bariatric surgery, with expertise in laparoscopic hernia repair, anti-reflux procedures and advanced gastrointestinal operations. Dr. Thoman joined Cottage Health in 2004 and created the Bariatric Surgery program. Prior to that he was a surgeon in the US Navy and started the Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery programs at Naval Medical Center San Diego. He has also previously served as the Associate Director of Surgical Education, Director of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Director of Trauma Surgery at Cottage Health. Dr. Thoman is an innovator in minimally invasive surgery and was among the first surgeons in the country to perform single incision laparoscopic surgery and developed many of the techniques.
Lexine Yurcho, MD – General and Colorectal Surgery
Dr. Yurcho is board-certified in general surgery with fellowship training in colon and rectal surgery. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree summa cum laude from Ross University School of Medicine and completed her general surgery residency and internship at UCSF Fresno. She then completed a colorectal surgery fellowship at Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania. Dr. Yurcho specializes in diseases of the lower intestines and performs a wide range of minimally invasive procedures, including laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgeries. Prior to joining Cottage Health, she provided surgical care in hospital and outpatient settings, with a strong emphasis on patient-centered treatment and advanced colorectal techniques. She is a member of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and a
Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
The clinic is now accepting new patients. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 805-324-9105 or visit cottagehealth.org/surgical-clinics/.
About Cottage Health | CottageHealth.org
Cottage Health is a not-for-profit health system providing advanced medical care on California’s Central Coast. In the past year, its hospitals in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley cared for 20,733 inpatient admissions, 91,649 emergency department visits and 2,005 newborn deliveries. With more than 700 physicians, including specialists typically found only at university medical centers, Cottage offers expert, comprehensive care. As a teaching institution, it trains physicians through residency programs in medical, surgical, pediatric and radiology specialties. Cottage Health is home to the Central Coast’s only Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and an advanced comprehensive stroke center. Its specialty services include Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, the Santa Barbara Neuroscience Institute, Cottage Heart & Vascular Center and Cottage Center for Orthopedics. Beyond its hospitals, Cottage expands care through primary and specialty clinics, urgent care centers and 24/7 provider access via Cottage Virtual Care.
