2022 Annual Report

We are delighted to share our accomplishments over the last two years.

As a department, we are committed to our patients and staff who provide this extraordinary care.

To see videos/patient stories from each division click here.

Click to view the 2022 Annual Report Website

July is Craniofacial Awareness Month

To celebrate this awareness month and highlight our team here, below are some examples of the appreciation that our families have expressed along with some patient highlights.

One mom, who has 2 children with cleft lip and palate who are now teenagers, has said how much she appreciates the consistency amongst providers and how much the kids look forward to catching up with the team. Comments like “you’ve gotten so big” and referencing personal details/interests means a lot to them and makes it feel “like a homecoming” each year.

In a prenatal consult, parents expressed that they were exploring different programs to get care. They decided to go with our team because they could sense that our program would really put their child’s best interests and individual needs at the forefront instead of just a “protocol.”

Patient Highlights:

Kayden loves that his mom is a nurse in CHOR and recently chose to dress up as a doctor for his preschool’s career day because they help people.

Frasier’s parents chose to do his newborn photos with a puppy the same age as him who was also born with a cleft lip.

Every year, Leo’s family celebrates his “Smileversary” on the date of his cleft lip repair.

Procedures were completed by Dr. Jennifer Rhodes and the Pediatric Plastic Surgery team

$5M Team Science Grant Earned to Develop Tumor Models of Underrepresented Patient Populations

Massey researchers were recently awarded a $5 million U54 grant from the National Cancer Institute to implement the United for Health Equity - Living PDX Program (U4HELPP). This five-year, multidisciplinary grant-funded program will aim to develop more than 500 new patient-derived cancer models, with a focus on underrepresented populations with breast and pancreatic cancers.

All insights gained from this initiative will be shared with national partnering institutions with the end goal of reducing cancer disparities. Massey researchers Chuck Harrell, Ph.D., and Jose Trevino, M.D., will co-lead the development and implementation of U4HELPP.

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Transplant Surgery Launches Robotic Living Liver Procurement

VCU surgeons with the Hume-Lee Transplant Center are using an innovative, less-invasive robotic liver procurement procedure to expand the pool of eligible living liver donors.

As the number of people registered and waiting for a liver nears 11,000, this represents a critical breakthrough in matching patients needing an organ transplant with healthy livers.

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Division of Bariatric and GI Surgery Hits Milestone

The Division of Bariatric and GI Surgery has hit a case volume milestone while maintaining quality services. The Division's clinical volume went from 62 bariatric + 180 GI/general surgery cases in FY2015 to now 450 bariatric and 1,342 GI/general and endoscopy surgery cases in FY2022 and our regional market share in Bariatric Surgery went from 8% in 2015 to 27% in 2022.

Our Bariatric Program has been recently recertified as Level 1 Adult and Adolescent by ACS/MBSAQIP and we are the only one in Virginia with that accreditation and also a COE for all commercial payers. In addition, our one-year Fellowship has been fully reaccredited as one of the only six programs in the U.S. credentialled as a Fellowship in 'Advanced GI/MIS, Foregut, and Bariatric Surgery'.

Dr. David Turner Featured in Local Media Discussing the W.H.O.'s New Classification of Aspartame as Possibly Carcinogenic

Researcher Dr. David Turner, PhD responded to recent claims that aspartame is possibly carcinogenic by stating that more studies need to be conducted to determine if the artificial sweetener is safe for occasional consumption.

Watch coverage:

WTVR CBS 6: How many diet sodas are too many?

WWBT NBC12: Medical experts discuss W.H.O. aspartame report

Urology Resident Wins Award

LCME Mock Site Visit August 21-23, 2023

There will be an LCME mock visit from August 21-23, in preparation for the real one taking place February 18-24, 2024:

Click Here to See More Details

Gary Bryant II

Financial Reporting

Gary Bryant II has been a resident of Richmond for the past 12 years, having moved from Baltimore, MD. His current role involves providing financial reporting services for the Department of Surgery. He finds the most excitement in working alongside a skilled and dedicated team. His greatest job satisfaction comes from aiding those who work diligently in the Operating Room. Outside of work, he finds enjoyment in biking and hiking with his dogs.

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Department of Surgery | Virginia Commonwealth University | (804) 828-7874 surgweb@vcu.edu