A NEWSLETTER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY

at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Cox Appointed Director of Center for Translational Injury Research

Charles S. Cox Jr., MD, has been appointed director of the Center for Translational Injury Research at McGovern Medical School.

Cox, the George and Cynthia Mitchell Distinguished Chair in Neurosciences and the Glassell Family Distinguished Chair, will focus on expanding trauma research within the center and the Department of Surgery, emphasizing collaborative academic and scholarly activity among the clinical and research-intensive faculty. This will include continued development of technologies that are rapidly deployable and translatable to treat injured patients, as well as participation in The University of Texas System’s newly created Trauma Research and Combat Casualty Care Collaborative.

Cox, professor of pediatric surgery, pediatrics, surgery, and biomedical engineering at McGovern Medical School and a faculty member of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, also will lead efforts to create a trauma innovation program that fosters the development of new therapeutics, including devices, drugs, biologics, techniques, and systems.

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DaVee Elected Chairman of Gastroenterology at Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital

We are thrilled to announce that R. Tomás DaVee, MD, MSCI, FASGE, associate professor in the Department of Surgery, has been elected as the Chairman of the Gastroenterology at Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital. This esteemed position is set to commence this month, where DaVee will take the reins in leading five critical GI groups and collaboratively working with the hospital administration to enhance processes, efficiency, and overall quality within the hospital and the endoscopy lab. With an impressive track record and a commitment to excellence, DaVee is poised to drive positive change, ensuring top-notch patient care.

In preparation for this pivotal role, DaVee recently attended the annual Chartis conference in Florida, where he underwent intensive education on key aspects of healthcare leadership. The conference focused on addressing challenges such as physician burnout, effective leadership strategies, policymaking, and credentialing. Armed with insights gained from this valuable experience, DaVee is well-equipped to spearhead initiatives prioritizing the well-being of healthcare professionals and patients, further elevating the standard of care at MHGH. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to DaVee and look forward to the positive impact of his leadership.

Canfield Earns AUA's Presidential Citation for Urology Excellence

Steven E. Canfield, MD, professor and chief of the Division of Urology in the Department of Surgery, has been selected as one of the recipients of the prestigious Presidential Citation from the American Urological Association (AUA) for 2024. This recognition is a testament to Dr. Canfield's outstanding contributions to the field of urology and his significant efforts in promoting the cause of urology. The Presidential Citations are reserved for individuals who have made a lasting impact on the specialty, and it is a well-deserved honor for Dr. Canfield. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to him for this remarkable achievement.

The AUA's Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, next May will be the platform where Dr. Canfield and other distinguished awardees will be formally recognized for their exemplary work. As we join the American Urological Association in celebrating the accomplishments of physician researchers and educators, we take pride in our own Dr. Canfield being among the honorees. This recognition highlights his individual success and reflects our department's high standards of urologic care. We look forward to applauding Dr. Canfield's achievements at the upcoming ceremony and continue supporting the AUA's mission in advancing urology through education, research, and health policy formulation.

Harris Health Surgery Faculty Appreciation Event

We are thrilled to share the success of Harris Health's recent celebration, where our surgery medical staff enjoyed an evening of food, music, and networking. The highlight of the event was the presentation of the Core Values Awards to exceptional faculty members. Among the recipients were four distinguished individuals from the Department of Surgery: Melina McCarty, MD, Associate Professor in Urology; Stefanos G. Millas, MD, FACS, Associate Professor in General Surgery; Janak Parikh, MD, Staff Physician in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; and Tamara E. Saunders, MD, FACS, Associate Professor in General Surgery. Their dedication and significant contributions have elevated our surgical department and exemplified the core values that define Harris Health's commitment to excellence, compassion, and innovation.

Looking Ahead: A bright future for LBJ and Harris Health

In early November 2023, Harris County voted YES to a $2.5 billion bond proposal, which will allow for the construction of a $1.5 billion 450-bed replacement LBJ Hospital and the expansion of services and capabilities at the LBJ campus. As Dr. Porsa (Harris Health System’s CEO) said, never in its nearly 60 years has Harris Health had a clearer vote of confidence and support from our community, who is trusting us with this generous investment in the future health of our community.

The new LBJ hospital will affect nearly every service line at LBJ. Three cardiac cath labs will mean that STEMIs will no longer need to be transferred out, expanded interventional radiology facilities will mean our patients will have a much shorter wait to get their procedures, the neuro-interventional suite will allow care of stroke patients at LBJ that was not possible before, and the expansion of the number of procedure rooms in the GI lab will mean more efficient screening and interventional GI scheduling.

According to Tien C. Ko, MD, FACS, LBJ’s Chief of Staff and General Surgery Division Director, we are also expecting some impressive growth and service expansion on the surgical side. The number of operating rooms at the new LBJ hospital will double, with 16 ORs scheduled to open on day one and 4 additional ORs shelled for future expansion. There is a 15-bed surgical ICU, which can expand to 30-bed if necessary. We can also expect, along with an increase in the number of ORs, an improvement in the level of surgical care we can provide within them, with plans for a hybrid room and expansion of the robotics program with the addition of a few more surgical robots. It will be a larger surgical department, and from a resident/trainee perspective – there will be opportunities for more case coverage, more surgical ICU experiences, and potentially an expansion of the types of elective surgical services we currently offer at LBJ.



Part of the bond includes $500 million for the complete renovation and repurposing of the current LBJ hospital and the construction of a brand-new hospital, with all the necessary infrastructure and capabilities of a Level 1 trauma center – helipad and all! The projected completion and opening of the new LBJ hospital is during the fourth quarter of 2028, and there has been a lot of physician input and involvement in the design and layout of the facility during the last 2 years. It is a momentous step forward for LBJ and the entire Harris Health System, and we are excited to continue serving the community and providing exceptional surgical care in a new and more robust facility soon.

New Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Clinic Opens in Greater Heights

After years of serving plastic and reconstructive surgery patients in the Texas Medical Center (TMC), UT Physicians is proud to announce the opening of a second location in the Greater Heights.

“We’re trying to broaden our presence in the community,” said Klara Sputova, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery. “A lot of our patients don’t feel comfortable traveling to the TMC. You know, it’s a large area with a lot of hospitals. It can be confusing. Our presence in the Greater Heights, I think will make things easier for patients.”

Sputova, says expanding to this location enhances the comprehensive care for breast cancer patients that already exists at the Greater Heights location.

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Leveraging Quality Improvement to Help Injured Patients Recover

The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma held its Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) Annual Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, from December 1-3, 2023. The theme of the conference, Road to Recovery, was highlighted by personal patient stories and a keynote lecture focused on the challenges of trauma survivors and how healthcare providers can facilitate the recovery process.

Several of the trauma surgery faculty provided insights into the road to recovery. Thaddeus J. Puzio, MD, FACS, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, spoke on “Helping Caregivers Make Decisions in Critically Ill Older Trauma Patients.” Additionally, Lillian S. Kao, MD, FACS, professor and Jack H. Mayfield, MD, Chair in the Department of Surgery, and Michael Wandling, MD, MS, FACS, assistant professor, focused more on improving performance improvement in order to optimally care for injured patients. Kao spoke on the ACS QI Framework as a tool for planning, conducting, and evaluating small-scale QI efforts. Wandling spoke on a panel moderated by Kao on “Overcoming Challenges in Performance Improvement in Trauma.” He discussed “Getting Past a Checkbox Mentality: Effecting Meaningful Change.”

The Southern Surgical Association Annual Meeting

The Southern Surgical Association annual meeting was held from December 3-6, 2023, at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia. Bryan Cotton, MD, MPH, FACS, professor in the Division of Acute Care Surgery, presented on "Empiric Cryoprecipitate Transfusion in Patients with Severe Hemorrhage: Results from the U.S. Experience in the International CRYOSTAT-2 Trial". Michael Van Gent, DO, who is a staff physician in the Division of Acute Care Surgery and trauma surgeon at Brooke Army Medical Center, discussed the research, which is now published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Publications of Note

Valenti AB, Munabi N, Obinero CG, Demetres M, Greives MR, Imahiyerobo TA. "Healthcare Disparities in the Care of Children with Craniosynostosis in the United States: A Systematic Review". Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2023 Dec 21:10556656231222318. doi: 10.1177/10556656231222318. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38128929.

Eisenberg MA, Deboever N, Swisher SG, Vaporciyan AA, Hetz RA, Antonoff MB. Removing Implicit Bias From Cardiothoracic Surgery Resident Recruitment: Changing the Paradigm. J Surg Res. 2023 Dec;292:72-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.07.024. Epub 2023 Aug 16. PMID: 37595516.

Drucker NA, Cox CS Jr. Adult presentation of congenital tracheooesophageal fistula treated as asthma and recurrent respiratory infections. Lancet. 2023 Dec 16;402(10419):2326-2327. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02568-0. PMID: 38103939.

Boyev A, Tzeng CD, Maki H, Arvide EM, Mrema DE, Jain AJ, Haddad A, Lendoire M, Malik N, Odisio BC, Chun YS, Tran Cao HS, Vauthey JN, Newhook TE. Local Therapy Improves Survival for Early Recurrence After Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Dec 27. doi: 10.1245/s10434-023-14806-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38148351.

Dodwad SM, Mueck KM, Kregel HR, Guy-Frank CJ, Isbell KD, Klugh JM, Wade CE, Harvin JA, Kao LS, Wandling MW. Impact of Intra-Operative Shock and Resuscitation on Surgical Site Infections After Trauma Laparotomy. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2024 Jan 3. doi: 10.1089/sur.2023.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38170174.

Van Gent JM, Kaminski CW, Praestholm C, Pivalizza EG, Clements TW, Kao LS, Stanworth S, Brohi K, Cotton BA. Empiric Cryoprecipitate Transfusion in Patients with Severe Hemorrhage: Results from The US Experience in the International Cryostat-2 Trial. J Am Coll Surg. 2023 Dec 26. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000000938. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38146823.

Schriner JB, Triolo F, Gill BS, Cardenas JC, Olson SD, Cox CS Jr. Low molecular weight heparin decreases pro-coagulant activity in clinical MSC products. Cytotherapy. 2023 Dec 20:S1465-3249(23)01124-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2023.11.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38127031.

Dodwad SM, Isbell KD, Mueck KM, Klugh JM, Meyer DE, Wade CE, Kao LS, Harvin JA. Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Severe Abdominal Trauma: A Secondary Analysis of the Damage Control Laparotomy Trial. J Surg Res. 2024 Jan;293:57-63. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.06.042. Epub 2023 Sep 14. PMID: 37716101.

Hatton GE, Brill JB, Tang B, Mueck KM, McCoy CC, Kao LS, Cotton BA. Patients with both traumatic brain injury and hemorrhagic shock benefit from resuscitation with whole blood. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2023 Dec 1;95(6):918-924. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004110. Epub 2023 Jul 24. PMID: 37506356.

Deboever N, Correa AM, Feldman H, Mathur U, Hofstetter WL, Mehran RJ, Rice DC, Roth JA, Sepesi B, Swisher SG, Walsh GL, Vaporciyan AA, Antonoff MB, Rajaram R. Disparities in early-stage lung cancer outcomes at minority-serving hospitals compared with nonminority serving hospitals. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2024 Jan;167(1):329-337.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2023.04.025. Epub 2023 Apr 26. PMID: 37116780.

Ferguson DM, Anderson KT, Avritscher EBC, Arshad SA, Bartz-Kurycki MA, Lally KP, Tsao K. Povidone-iodine intra-abdominal irrigation versus no irrigation in pediatric perforated appendicitis: A secondary economic analysis of a Bayesian randomized controlled trial. Am J Surg. 2024 Jan;227:157-160. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.10.013. Epub 2023 Oct 5. PMID: 37863798.

Deboever N, Eisenberg M, Hofstetter WL, Mehran RJ, Rice DC, Roth J, Sepesi B, Swisher SG, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Antonoff MB, Rajaram R. Financial Toxicity in Patients with Resected Lung Cancer. Ann Surg. 2023 Dec 1;278(6):1038-1044. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005926. Epub 2023 May 30. PMID: 37249193.

Aronne LJ, Sattar N, Horn DB, Bays HE, Wharton S, Lin WY, Ahmad NN, Zhang S, Liao R, Bunck MC, Jouravskaya I, Murphy MA; SURMOUNT-4 Investigators. Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity: The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2024 Jan 2;331(1):38-48. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.24945. PMID: 38078870; PMCID: PMC10714284.

For #NationalTriviaDay, what famous doctor said this?

1st annual resident holiday party

PRSxGenSurg collab to close out 2023

Editorial Team: Dr. Lillian S. Kao, Dr. Casey B. Duncan, Dr. Peter A. Walker, and Dr. Elias A. Chamely

For content submissions, email Sophia.M.Solis@uth.tmc.edu.