AWARDS

Celebrating Physician Excellence at Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center

Physicians gathered together on March 30, 2023, to celebrate National Doctors’ Day and to celebrate the Physician of the Year nominees. The Partners in Caring Physician of the Year is an achievement that recognizes consistent demonstration of service standards, professionalism, and personification of values (community, compassion, credibility, and courage). The Department of Surgery was proud to have four nominees this year:

• Dr. Amit Agarwal, Colon and Rectal Surgery: “Dr. Agarwal has a full understanding of what the patient has gone through in order to beat the diagnosis they were given. He addresses the fear the patient has with kindness and understanding.”
• Dr. John Bynon, Transplant Surgery: “Dr. Bynon is a great teacher, mentor, and all-around wonderful physician that treats every one of his patients as family. The whole staff values the hard work and dedication Dr. Bynon has contributed to the Transplant program.”
• Dr. John Harvin, Acute Care Surgery: “Dr. Harvin creates a safe and trustworthy environment for our patients and employees on the unit. He has taken on a tremendous amount of responsibility for our burn unit. He has taken a primary role in the recertification of our burn credentials and has represented our unit at the American Burn Association Conference.”
• Dr. David Wainwright, Plastic Surgery: “Dr. Wainwright gives patients hope that their quality of life can be restored by procedures he performs. He is the hero the team needs as they work to provide care for some of the most challenging procedures.”

RESEARCH

Congratulations to Dr. Meyers on Earning a Master's Degree in Clinical Research

Dr. David Meyer, Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Acute Care Surgery, joins the ranks of surgical faculty who have completed their Master’s degree in Clinical Research through the Center for Clinical Research and Evidence-based Medicine. He successfully defended his Master’s Thesis in March entitled: "The effect of surgical stabilization of rib fractures on clinical and patient-centered outcomes." The results of his randomized trial will also be presented at the American Surgical Association in Toronto in April. His work was supported by the KL2 Program through the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences and by the department's Center for Translational Injury Research.

Sage Advice Offered at SAGES Meeting

The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Annual Meeting was held in Montreal, Canada from March 29-April 1, 2023. The program featured updates and innovations in minimally invasive surgical techniques. 

Highlights included talks given by Dr. Erik Wilson, Chief of Elective General Surgery at McGovern Medical School; a video presentation from Dr. Devi Bavishi representing the Texas Hernia Institute; and a talk on a challenging post-bariatric surgery complication by our recently graduated MIST fellow, Dr. Sara Monfared): 

• TIF 2.0 and Beyond-Endoscopic Anti Reflux at its Best (Erik Wilson, MD) 
• Endoscopic Therapy for Weight Recurrence: A Tool for the Surgeon (Erik Wilson, MD) 
• Extended Totally Extraperitoneal Repair of Ventral Hernia and Diastasis Recti from Low Pelvic Port Sites (Devi Bavishi, MD, Thomas W. Clements, MD, and Jonah Stulberg, MD)
• Gastro-Gastric Gastro-Jejunal Fistula: A Bariatric Surgeon’s Nemesis (Sara Monfared, MD) 

Congratulations to our MIST faculty who continue to lead the way in cutting-edge strategies to manage foregut, bariatric, and hernia-related diseases and complications! 

Dr. Erik Wilson provides insights on Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF)

Dr. Sara Monfared, recently graduated MIST fellow, tackles the management of a challenging post-bariatric surgery complication.

Multi-specialty Trauma Physicians Meet in Snowy Canada

The Western Trauma Association (WTA) recently concluded its 52nd annual meeting, which took place in Fairmont Chateau Lake Louis in Alberta, Canada, from March 5-10, 2023. The event was organized by the Chair of the WTA Program Committee, Laura Moore, MD, FACS, a Professor and Chief of Surgical Critical Care at McGovern Medical School. Among the noteworthy presentations were two from McGovern Medical School and the Red Duke Trauma Institute.

• “Time to Rethink Who Needs to Admit the Elderly Fall: An Analysis of a Novel Management Strategy in 1,004 Older Adults,” (Presenter: Heather R. Kregel, MD, MS, and Senior Author: Thaddeus J. Puzio, MD).
• “The Reports of My Death are Greatly Exaggerated: An Evaluation of Futility Cut-Points in Massive Transfusion,” (Presenter: Thomas Clements, MD, FACS, and Senior Author: Bryan A. Cotton, MD, MPH)

The Memorial Hermann Hospital System Red Duke Trauma Institute and McGovern Medical School group at WTA: Drs. James McCarthy (Executive Vice President and Chief Physician Executive Memorial Hermann Health), Heather Kregel (resident), Thaddeus Puzio (Assistant Professor of Surgery), Thomas Clements (Fellow), Laura Moore (Professor), Bryan Cotton (Professor), and Lesley Osborn (Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Director of Life Flight®)

Dr. Thomas Clements, former Trauma Fellow, and current Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Fellow, presents at WTA.

Dr. Heather Kregel, former research resident, and current Methodist general surgery resident presents on the geriatric trauma hospitalist model.

HIGHLIGHTS

Alpha Omega Alpha Honors New Members

Sean Gamble, MD

Gabrielle Hatton, MD

Melissa M. Felinski, DO, FACS

Publications of Note

Ryan Yang; Michael Van Gent, Thomas Clements, Bryan Cotton, Michael Wandling

A rare case of survival after traumatic blunt ventricular rupture, Journal of Surgical Case Reports, Volume 2023, Issue 2, February 2023, rjad059 | DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjad059

Clements, Thomas W. MD, FRCSC; Van Gent, Jan-Michael DO, FACS; Hatton, Gabrielle E. MD; Estrada, Michelle MD; Agarwal, Amit K. MD, FACS; Cotton, Bryan A. MD, FACS. 

Is the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories after bowel anastomosis in trauma safe? Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery ():10.1097/TA.0000000000003872, January 19, 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/TA.0000000000003872

Knowlton LM, Butler WJ, Dumas RP, Bankhead BK, Meizoso JP, Bruns B, Van Gent JM, Kaafarani HMA, Martin MJ, Namias N, Stein DM, Tadlock MD, Martin RS, Staudenmayer KL, Gurney JM

Power of mentorship for civilian and military acute care surgeons: identifying and leveraging opportunities for longitudinal professional development. Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open 2023 Feb 27;8(1):e001049 | DOI: 10.1136/tsaco-2022-001049

Van Gent, Jan-Michael DO, FACS; Clements, Thomas W MD; Lubkin, David T MD; Wade, Charles E PhD; Cardenas, Jessica C PhD; Kao, Lillian S MD, FACS; Cotton, Bryan A MD, FACS. 

Predicting Futility in Severely Injured Patients: Using Arrival Lab Values and Physiology to Support Evidence-Based Resource Stewardship. Journal of the American College of Surgeons ():10.1097/XCS.0000000000000563, January 18, 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000000563

Duncan Steals the Show at Physician Baking Competition

We're thrilled to share the news of Dr. Casey Duncan's recent participation in the Physician Baking Competition held at Memorial Hermann Southeast campus. Amongst a talented group of physician bakers, Dr. Duncan wowed the judges with her delicious chocolate silk pie. The dessert was so popular that it was auctioned off for a whopping $100, the highest amount bid for any item at the event! Congratulations to Dr. Duncan on her culinary success and for representing our team with such talent and enthusiasm.

Inspiring Feats at Ironman 70.3 Texas:

Congratulations to all Participants!

Congratulations to all who participated in the Ironman 70.3 Texas April 2-3 in Galveston, Texas! The Ironman included a 1.2-mile swim in the Bayou, a 56-mile bike ride along the Texas Gulf Coast, and a 13.1-mile run through Moody Gardens.

Drs. Jonah Stulberg and Ethan Taub pre Ironman

Dr. Ethan Taub welcomes Barbara Lamb, a colleague and friend from the Shock Trauma Intensive Care Unit at Memorial Hermann-TMC, across the finish line.

SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

uth_surgery

Look at this all-star trauma team 🤩

uth_surgery

congrats to our new intern class!!! We are so excited for you guys to join us!!

utplastics

We had a blast at Cleft Smiles 5K Family Fun Run!

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

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