James O. L’Esperance, MD

A native of Grafton, Mass., James L’Esperance, MD enlisted in the Marines immediately following high school graduation. After four years of service, he was selected to take part in the Marines’ enlisted commissioning program. He was stationed at Boston University and graduated with a BS in Biomedical engineering. He then continued on to the Boston University School of Medicine.

“I did not want to be a surgeon when I entered medical school,” said Dr. L’Esperance. “But as I went through the surgical rotation, I couldn’t imagine doing medicine without being in the operating room. I loved the technical challenges, the team environment in the OR and I loved using my hands. I knew I had to be a surgeon.”

This led to a general surgery internship at the University of Massachusetts followed by a residency in Urology and Transplantation. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Laparoscopy and Endourology at Duke University Medical Center.

“It’s a surgeon’s job to take things out but I found as a urologic surgeon we not only take things out but we put them back together. It was this reconstructive aspect of urologic procedures that was so appealing to me.”

Following his fellowship, Dr. L’Esperance was stationed at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego where he specialized in minimally invasive surgery including laparoscopic and robotic surgery. At the time, robotic surgery was a relatively new technology allowing surgeons to use a magnified vision system to control special instruments able to bend and rotate at angles the human hand can’t reach in traditional laparascopic surgery. Robotic surgery revolutionized many urologic surgeries including those for the prostate, testes and kidneys.

“I was lucky to be training at a facility where I was able to learn robotic surgery techniques just as the technology was being rolled out,” said Dr. L’Esperance. “Robotic surgery has many advantages to the patient including smaller incisions, reduced blood loss and minimal scarring as well as shorter hospital stays, reduced pain and discomfort and a faster return to normal activities.”

Dr. L’Esperance earned a Meritorious Service Medal for his development of the first robotics program in the US Navy. He also held the title of Robotic Surgery Director and Urology Residency Program Director for the Navy. He retired from the military in November 2016 after 31 years of service, 22 in the Navy and nine in the Marines.

Urologic Specialists is pleased to welcome Dr. L’Esperance to their group of 21 urologists serving patients in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. To make an appointment, please contact Urologic Specialists at 1-800-876-5645.