A NEWSLETTER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY

at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

April 2024

It's a Match!

We celebrate not only the achievements of our students but also the unwavering support and guidance provided by our esteemed faculty, fellows, residents, and student clerkship leadership. Their dedication and mentorship have inspired and encouraged aspiring surgeons to pursue their dreams with passion and determination. Congratulations to the entire department for cultivating an environment where excellence thrives, and a special welcome to our incoming cohort of Surgical Interns for the term 2024-2025. Your journey with us promises to be filled with growth, learning, and impactful contributions to the field of surgery. Here's to a bright future ahead!

General Surgery: Categorical: Alexandra Boyd (McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston), Carleen Cuevas (University of Arizona College of Medicine), Christopher Dao (McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston), Alexandra Foster (University of South Carolina School of Medicine), Rachel Harris (Uniformed Services University Health Sciences), Steven Liu (Indiana University School of Medicine), Jaime Poncel Torres (University Central de Venezuela Escuela de Medicina), Anna Sabu Kurian (Texas Tech Health Sciences Center School of Medicine), and Jonathan Sweeney (University of North Texas Health Science Center). Categorical: Alexandra Boyd (McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston), Carleen Cuevas (University of Arizona College of Medicine), Christopher Dao (McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston), Alexandra Foster (University of South Carolina School of Medicine), Rachel Harris (Uniformed Services University Health Sciences), Steven Liu (Indiana University School of Medicine), Jaime Poncel Torres (University Central de Venezuela Escuela de Medicina), Anna Sabu Kurian (Texas Tech Health Sciences Center School of Medicine), and Jonathan Sweeney (University of North Texas Health Science Center).

Plastics: Michael Talanker (McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston), and Paul Won (USC Keck School of Medicine).

Urology: Hunter Hasley (Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine), Firaas Khan (University of South Florida), and Rohit Rajendran (University of Queensland Australia).

AWARDS

UTHealth Houston Physicians Successfully Complete Intensive Leadership Development Course

Tailored specifically for physicians within the Harris Health System, the Physician Leadership Development Institute (PLDI) is a transformative five-month course pioneered by Harris Health System leadership in partnership with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and esteemed medical school affiliates: Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.

A diverse cohort of physicians participated in this enriching program, hailing from various specialty backgrounds and spanning different levels of leadership experience or aspirations. The PLDI curriculum covered a broad spectrum of topics vital for effective leadership, including quality improvement, physician well-being, emotional intelligence, and change management.

We are pleased to announce the successful completion and graduation of our esteemed faculty members, Assistant Professor Melissa K. Stewart, MD, FACS, and Associate Professor Stefanos G. Millas, MD, FACS, at the end of 2023. Their dedication to professional growth and leadership excellence is truly commendable. Congratulations to them both!

Moore Graduates with Honors from Harvard Medical School Leadership Program

We're thrilled to announce that Laura J. Moore, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery in the Division of Acute Care Surgery, recently completed the prestigious Harvard Medical School Surgical Leadership Program in Boston, MA. The culmination of this intensive year-long certificate program marks a significant milestone in her professional journey.

The program is tailored for surgeons aspiring to cultivate the essential nontechnical, executive skills crucial for assuming leadership roles within departments, divisions, projects, and institutions. Moore's dedication and commitment throughout the program have not gone unnoticed. At the graduation ceremony held on March 7, 2024, she received special recognition for her outstanding performance in two class projects: one focused on finance, and the other on implementing clinical change.

Moore's accomplishment not only reflects her personal dedication to continuous learning and professional growth but also underscores our department's commitment to excellence in leadership and innovation. Join us in congratulating Dr. Moore on this remarkable achievement and wishing her continued success in her leadership endeavors.

RESEARCH

Medical Students Receive First Prize for the McGovern Medical Student Research Award

The 2024 Spring Senior Research Day was held on March 6, 2024. This poster session celebrates McGovern Medical School Student Research and is open to any fourth-year medical student who has conducted research during their time at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.

We would like to congratulate two of our students working with surgery faculty for being first-place co-winners, Rachel Tindall and Max Skibber!

Rachel Tindall, sponsored by faculty mentors Yanna Cao, MD, MS, Associate Professor, Tien C. Ko, MD, FACS, Professor, and Jack H. Mayfield, MD, Distinguished Professor in Surgery, delivered her presentation on "Fibroblastic Gremlin1 Expression Promotes a Fibrotic Stromal Microenvironment in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma." Reflecting on her research journey, she emphasized the iterative nature of research, noting that negative results serve as valuable guideposts rather than dead ends. She expressed gratitude to Drs. Cao and Ko for their unwavering support and guidance since her inception into their lab team. Tindall will transition to a general surgery residency at the University of Oklahoma.

Max Skibber, mentored by Charles S. Cox Jr., MD, the George and Cynthia Mitchell Distinguished Chair in Neurosciences, and the Glassell Family Distinguished Chair, presented his research on "Mechanotransduction of Therapeutic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, a Next-Generation Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury." Reflecting on his future aspirations, he expressed his commitment to further collaborating with Dr. Cox in advancing treatments for traumatic brain injury while embracing opportunities to acquire new techniques and skills. Additionally, Skibber aims to pay forward the mentorship he received by fostering research opportunities for medical students. He extends his gratitude to Drs. Cox, Gill, and Olson for their invaluable guidance and support throughout the past four years. Skibber will stay at McGovern Medical School for a neurological surgery residency.

Congratulations to both of you and we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!

Max Skibber

Rachel Tindall with Dr. Yanna Cao.

Malik Presents at the Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Meeting

Founded in 1940 (and originally called the James Ewing Society), the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) is the premier organization for surgeons and healthcare providers dedicated to advancing and promoting the science and treatment of cancer. The mission of the SSO is to improve multidisciplinary patient care by advancing the science, education, and practice of cancer surgery worldwide. Their Annual Meeting was held in Atlanta, Georgia, from March 20-23, 2024. Neha Malik, MD, a current T32 research fellow with an interest in surgical oncology who has been working with Christina L. Roland, MD, MS, FACS at MD Anderson Cancer Center, presented her work titled: Timing and Frequency of Surveillance After Resection of Extremity and Trunk Soft-Tissue Sarcoma – Identifying Opportunities for Improvement.

Eisenberg Presents at General Thoracic Surgical Club Annual Meeting

The General Thoracic Surgical Club was founded in 1988 and represents thoracic surgeons worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for procedures throughout the chest and mediastinum by providing the highest quality patient care through education, research, and clinical experience. Their mission is: "To advance and strengthen the general thoracic surgery community through clinically relevant scientific education, networking, and the sharing of best practices among professionals in general thoracic surgery." Their Annual Meeting was held in Palm Springs, California, from March 14-17, 2024. Michael Eisenberg, MD, a general surgery resident on a research sabbatical at MD Anderson Cancer Center, presented his work titled. "Relevance of Lymphadenectomy in Resected Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Multi-institutional Experience."

HIGHLIGHTS

Smiling through a colon cancer journey to inspire others

A stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis completely shocked Michelle Nasser in 2023 as a 46-year-old mom with two young girls. She purposely changed her habits to keep cancer at bay, after her father’s colon cancer diagnosis at age 59.

“I changed my diet to eat well and did ‘everything’ right,” she said. “I was upset and a little bit in disbelief. I’ve taken steps in my life to not be here. I even asked the doctor if he was sure those were my scans.”

Read the full story...

SPOTLIGHT on Willa Wang, MD

Behind the scenes with those who make help make McGovern Medical School great.

Read about Willa Wang, MD | Senior Program Manager - Research (CeTIR)

Publications of Note

Sanders KE, Hatton GE, Mankame AR, Allen AC, Cunningham S, Van Gent JM, Fox EE, Zhang X, Wade CE, Cotton BA, Cardenas JC. Exposure to statin therapy decreases the incidence of venous thromboembolism after trauma. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2024 Mar 25. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004319. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38523132.

Appelbaum RD, Puzio TJ, Bauman Z, Asfaw S, Spencer A, Dumas RP, Kaur K, Cunningham KW, Butler D, Sawhney JS, Gadomski S, Horwood CR, Stuever M, Sapp A, Gandhi R, Freeman J. Handoffs and Transitions of Care: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Practice Management Guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2024 Feb 26. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004285. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38407300.

Brenner M, Zakhary B, Coimbra R, Scalea T, Moore L, Moore E, Cannon J, Spalding C, Ibrahim J, Dennis B. REBOA as an Adjunct to Resuscitation. J Am Coll Surg. 2024 Mar 18. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001078. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38497574.

Brill JB, Mueck KM, Cotton ME, Tang B, Sandoval M, Kao LS, Cotton BA. Impact of COVID status and blood group on complications in patients in hemorrhagic shock. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open. 2024 Mar 22;9(1):e001250. doi: 10.1136/tsaco-2023-001250. PMID: 38529316; PMCID: PMC10961517.

Clements TW, Van Gent JM, Menon N, Roberts A, Sherwood M, Osborn L, Hartwell B, Refuerzo J, Bai Y, Cotton BA. Use of Low-Titer O-Positive Whole Blood in Female Trauma Patients: A Literature Review, Qualitative Multidisciplinary Analysis of Risk/Benefit, and Guidelines for Its Use as a Universal Product in Hemorrhagic Shock. J Am Coll Surg. 2024 Mar 1;238(3):347-357. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000000906. Epub 2023 Nov 6. PMID: 37930900.

Douglas AD 2nd, Puzio TJ, Murphy PB, Kinnaman GB, Meagher AD. Pack the chest: Damage control strategy for management in thoracic trauma. Injury. 2024 Mar 8:111490. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2024.111490. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38523031.

Durbin S, Brito A, Johnson A, Cotton B, Rowell S, Schreiber MA. Association of fibrinolysis phenotype with patient outcomes following traumatic brain injury. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2024 Mar 1;96(3):482-486. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004122. Epub 2023 Sep 13. PMID: 37700441; PMCID: PMC10922039.

Lombardo S, McCrum M, Knudson MM, Moore EE, Kornblith L, Brakenridge S, Bruns B, Cipolle MD, Costantini TW, Crookes B, Haut ER, Kerwin AJ, Kiraly LN, Knowlton LM, Martin MJ, McNutt MK, Milia DJ, Mohr A, Rogers F, Scalea T, Sixta S, Spain D, Wade CE, Velmahos GC, Nirula R, Nunez J. Weight-based enoxaparin thromboprophylaxis in young trauma patients: analysis of the CLOTT-1 registry. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open. 2024 Feb 26;9(1):e001230. doi: 10.1136/tsaco-2023-001230. PMID: 38420604; PMCID: PMC10900334.

Mazzei M, Donohue JK, Schreiber M, Rowell S, Guyette FX, Cotton B, Eastridge BJ, Nirula R, Vercruysse GA, O'Keeffe T, Joseph B, Brown JB, Neal MD, Sperry JL. Prehospital tranexamic acid is associated with a survival benefit without an increase in complications: results of two harmonized randomized clinical trials. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2024 Mar 25. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004315. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38523128.

Meizoso JP, Cotton BA, Lawless RA, Kodadek LM, Lynde JM, Russell N, Gaspich J, Maung A, Anderson C, Reynolds JM, Haines KL, Kasotakis G, Freeman JJ. Whole Blood Resuscitation for Injured Patients Requiring Transfusion: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Practice Management Guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2024 Mar 27. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004327. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38531812.

Price MA, Villarreal CL, Moreno AN, Flayter R, Herrera-Escobar JP, Sims CA, Bulger EM; National Trauma Research Action Plan (NTRAP) Regulatory Challenges Panel. (Fox EE). Developing a National Trauma Research Action Plan: Results from the regulatory challenges Delphi survey. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2024 Apr 1;96(4):658-665. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004185. Epub 2023 Nov 30. PMID: 38031274.

Van Gent JM, Clements TW, Cotton BA. Resuscitation and Care in the Trauma Bay. Surg Clin North Am. 2024 Apr;104(2):279-292. doi: 10.1016/j.suc.2023.09.005. Epub 2023 Oct 20. PMID: 38453302.

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. 2024 Apr 1;238(4):636-643. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000000938. Epub 2023 Dec 26. PMID: 38146823.