A NEWSLETTER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY

at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

May 2025

Faculty Lead First US Procedures Using New Surgical Robot

Congratulations to Erik B. Wilson, MD, FACS, professor, Lynn and Oscar Wyatt Chair in Metabolic Research and director of the Division of Elective Surgery, and Oscar A. Olavarria, MD, MS, assistant professor, on completing the first-ever cases using the new Johnson & Johnson MedTech robot, OTTAVA. Designed for multi-specialty soft tissue procedures, OTTAVA has the potential to support complex surgeries requiring multi-quadrant access. Wilson and Olavarria performed five gastric bypass procedures as part of an initial clinical trial at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center to assess the system’s utility and safety. Data collected from this pilot phase will inform expansion of the trial and support efforts toward broader regulatory approval of the new surgical platform.

Surgeons Attend Leadership and Advocacy Conference

Drs. Stulberg, Kao, and Zakapoulis attended the 2025 American College of Surgeons (ACS) Leadership and Advocacy Conference. Jonah Stulberg, MD, PhD, MPH, FACS, is a South Texas ACS Governor, and Lillian Kao, MD, MS, FACS, is the recent Past Chair of the Board of Governors. Iordanis Zakopoulos, MD, MPH, is a PGY-5 in general surgery; he received an ACS Leadership and Advocacy Resident Travel Award to attend. Leadership topics addressed at the meeting included sustaining lifelong surgeon competency, leading at every level, and the importance of emotional intelligence. Advocacy topics included the changing healthcare landscape, digital transformation, the impact on surgical policy, and advocating for quality in value-based care.

Thosani Recognized Among Top Scholars Worldwide

Congratulations to Nirav C. Thosani, MD, MHA, Professor, and Atilla Ertan, MD, Endowed Chair in Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, on being named a 2024 Highly Ranked Scholar by ScholarGPS. This prestigious recognition places Thosani in the top 0.05% of scholars globally for his research contributions. He is ranked #44 in the world in the specialty of Endoscopy over the past five years—an achievement that highlights his leadership and sustained impact in the field.



We celebrate Dr. Thosani’s commitment to advancing academic medicine through high-impact research and scholarly excellence.

APPI-Cost Trial Launches at LBJ

Cost Assessment of Providone-Iodine Irrigation for Prevention of Intra-abdominal Abscess in Perforated Appendicitis

Patients treated for appendicitis at LBJ General Hospital are now being enrolled in the APPI-Cost Trial, a randomized control trial investigating irrigation with povidone-iodine (PVI, a.k.a. Betadine™) during appendectomy for perforated appendicitis, compared to usual care (no irrigation). The trial is funded by a K12 award granted to principal investigator Dalya M. Ferguson, MD, MS, assistant professor, through the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences at UTHealth Houston, with support from the NIH/NCATS. The trial’s unique primary outcome of cost effectiveness incorporates costs both to the patients and to the healthcare system, and a survey has been developed to assess patient-reported costs, including difficult-to-measure opportunity costs like missed days of work. More details about the trial are available on clinicaltrials.gov. 

Research Day 2025

On Thursday, April 3rd, the Department of Surgery welcomed Ben Zarzaur, MD, MPH, Professor of Surgery and Endowed Chair, Sylvia and Royal Lichtfeldt Burn Center Professorship, Division Chair of Acute Care and Regional General Surgery, University of Wisconsin, who gave an excellent presentation on “Improving Quality of Life after Health Shocks.” In the talk, Zarzaur recounted how a personal life event triggered his interest in recovery after injury and jump-started his successful, career-long research program. His inspiring talk kicked off the annual Research Day, which featured a full day of research presentations across the Department of Surgery and Pediatric Surgery.

The day started with 16 well-presented medical student talks covering basic science research, clinical sciences, extensive database analysis, and video sessions. Their poise and composure reflected the top-notch mentoring they received from their mentors. These were followed by ten excellent health services research presentations by residents in the annual resident research competition. During lunch, residents, students, and faculty could network and engage with staff from various research labs across the Department. Afterward, our residents treated the audience to six outstanding basic science presentations. The auditorium seats were full until the end of the day, a sign of our department’s commitment to research and mentorship.

Congratulations to this year’s Resident Research Day Award recipients:

• Clinical & Health Services Research: Krysta Sutyak, DO
• Basic Science: Jared Covell, MD

Plaques will be presented at the departmental awards ceremony in June.

We thank all of this year’s presenters and mentors for their contributions. A full list of participants and mentors is available online.

Southwestern Surgical Congress 76th Annual Meeting

The 76th Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Surgical Congress (SWSC) was held in beautiful Santa Rosa, California, from April 6–9, 2025. This year’s gathering brought together leading surgeons, researchers, and trainees from across the region for a dynamic program featuring cutting-edge surgical science, hands-on workshops, and insightful discussions on clinical innovation, in the heart of California’s wine country. During the Surgical Practicum session, Laura J. Moore, MD, FACS, Professor and Division Director of General Surgery, presented "REBOA: Concept to Clinical Practice". Moore was also an invited discussant during the scientific sessions. Many faculty and residents represented our department well and contributed to a fantastic meeting! A full list of presentations is listed below.

Podium Presentations

• Pre-Injury Statin Therapy is Associated with Lower Venous Thromboembolism After Traumatic Brain Injury. Kelly Sanders, DO (This session was moderated by our own Lillian Liao, MD)
• The Mortality Benefit of Direct to Operating Room for Trauma. Gabrielle Hatton, MD, MS

Quickshot Presentations

• Is Health Literacy Associated with Knowledge About CPR and Code Status Decision Making in Older Injured Adults?? Mokunfayo Fajemisin, MD
• Stroke After Blunt Cerebral Vascular Injuries: Are the Elderly at Higher Risk? Thaddeus Puzio, MD, MS
• Upper Extremity Vascular Injuries in Pediatric Trauma Patients: They’re Not Just Small Adults! Hannah Dineen, MD

Highlights from the American Surgical Association Annual Meeting

The American Surgical Association (ASA) hosted its 145th annual meeting in San Diego, California, April 24-26, 2025. This prestigious surgical society includes many prominent surgeons from across the United States; selection for paper presentation is highly competitive. McGovern Medical School Departments of Pediatric Surgery and Surgery presented several impactful papers at the meeting. Presenters included Jeanette Joly, MD, a research resident who presented on behalf of the Pediatric Surgery Quality Collaborative (senior author: Kevin Lally, MD, MS); Mary Austin, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatric Surgery (first author: Neha Malik, MD); and Michael Van Gent, MD, staff surgeon in the Division of Acute Care Surgery (senior author: Bryan Cotton, MD, MPH). 

ACS Faculty Speak at the Mattox Vegas Conference

The Mattox Vegas TCCACS^TM  (Trauma, Critical Care, Acute Care Surgery) Conference was again held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in April 2025. Faculty include well-seasoned, senior leaders in trauma surgery, such as Bryan Cotton, MD, MPH, FACS, Professor of Surgery, as well as more junior rising stars such as Thaddeus Puzio, MD, MS, FACS. The conference featured sessions on "How I Do It", debates on controversial topics, and interactive sessions with leaders in the field. Drs. Cotton and Puzio spoke on a range of topics, ranging from the Travis Scott Music Festival mass casualty event to discussing futility with patients' families to surgical resident readiness in the operating room. Dr. Cotton was also on the program committee for the conference.

In addition to the TCCACS Conference, the same group put on a course on Innovation, Simulation, and Technology in Trauma, Critical Care, and Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI) in Las Vegas. Dr. Cotton served as faculty for this conference as well.

Spotlight on International Collaboration

Nirav Thosani, MD, MHA, professor in the Department of Surgery and chief of the Center for Interventional Gastroenterology (iGUT), recently participated in the Focus Conference on Endoscopic Ultrasonography—Canada’s premier annual meeting dedicated to advancing the field of EUS. Held April 4–5 in Montreal, the event brought together leading experts in gastrointestinal endoscopy from around the world.

Thosani served as a moderator for live endoscopy sessions and delivered a presentation on EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for pancreatic cancer. This emerging, minimally invasive technique may offer new therapeutic possibilities for patients with pancreatic tumors. His contributions reflected ongoing innovations in interventional endoscopy and underscored the importance of global collaboration in improving cancer care.

SPOTLIGHT: Lisa Chelette, Divisional Manager, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery

When did you join UTHealth Houston? What brought you here? 

I began my career as an assistant in the Division of Organ Transplant. Fresh out of high school and junior college, I was fortunate to have someone recommend me for this position.

Tell us about your work history here.

While in Organ Transplant, my responsibilities included working for the division director, scheduling travel, making appointments, and other duties. Over the next two years, I gained valuable experience that ranged from basic office tasks to working with the research team. During this time, I worked closely with a transplant urologist, who suggested I transfer to the Division of Urology as a senior support specialist where I coordinated travel arrangements for three faculty and performed basic office tasks. At this point, I had reached the highest position I could attain at UT, without a four-year degree.

When we opened a new clinic, The Urology Continence Center, which was managed by Memorial Hermann, I transferred into the role of front desk manager. While working in the position, I completed my college degree and was promoted to clinic manager. Over the next decade, our division grew, divisional leadership changed, and Dr. Edward McGuire took over as division director. Under his leadership, we continued to expand, and I learned a great deal about clinical operations. I also took on the role of divisional administrator and continued as the clinic manager.

When Dr. McGuire made the decision to return to his home state of Michigan, I believed this would be a good time to transition back to the Medical School full time. I was fortunate enough to have a supportive DMO in Julie Page, who gave me the opportunity to continue in my role as divisional administrator full time. With Julie serving as my mentor, and working with her daily, I learned a great deal about business operations and managed the academic and clinical aspects of the Division of Urology.

What are you most proud of accomplishing?

I am most proud of my part in the rebuilding of our clinic after Tropical Storm Allison, which flooded out clinic with over three feet of water. Working with my team, we found a temporary clinic space and were able to see our patients within two days of the storm. Working closely with department, divisional and hospital leadership, we were able to rebuild our clinic. This time was challenging, but we persevered and were able to take care of our patients throughout.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I enjoy the fact that even though I am not always directly involved in patient care, my role allows me to make a positive impact on our patients lives. 

Why have you stayed?

I have been fortunate enough to begin, and continue, my career at UTHealth in the same department. The Department of Surgery, under the leadership of Dr. Andrassy and Patricia Birkmeyer, is an exceptional place to work. The Division of Urology has been my home for 29 years, and I enjoy working with the faculty, residents, and staff. Working with our Division Director Dr. Steven Canfield in growing our division is rewarding. I feel a strong sense of loyalty to our department and division and am so grateful for the opportunities that have been available to me while working here.

When you are not at work, how do you spend your time?

I love to travel, spend time with my family and my dog, and like to relax with a good book.

To explore more inspiring stories from across our university, visit the Showcase Spotlight — a platform highlighting the people, programs, and initiatives that shape the McGovern Medical School community.

ANNOUNCEMENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

Publications of Note

Ewing-Cobbs L, Cox CS Jr, Clark A, Keenan HT. Trajectory of Post-Traumatic Stress During the First Year after Pediatric Traumatic Brain or Orthopedic Injury. J Neurotrauma. 2025 Apr 22. doi: 10.1089/neu.2024.0578. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40261714.

Green RW, Cotton BA. Neonatal trauma resuscitation: Successful use of low-titer O+ whole blood in a 4-day-old infant with hemorrhagic shock. Transfusion. 2025 May;65 Suppl 1:S181-S184. doi: 10.1111/trf.18233. Epub 2025 Apr 9. PMID: 40200793.

Van Gent JM, Clements TW, Gurney JM, Cotton BA. Where does cryoprecipitate fit into balanced resuscitation? An evaluation of 2,117 hemorrhaging patients using viscoelastic-based resuscitation. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2025 Apr 17. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004643. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40249632.

GRAND ROUNDS

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.