Department Newsletter "Surgical Notes"
Stay up-to-date on recent news from the department, including faculty accomplishments and updates, surgery research and publications, housestaff accomplishments, and staff introductions.
October 2020
Recent Headlines
Recent Publications
Division of Vascular Surgery
Richmond, VA – October 2020 in press: Michael F. Amendola, MD MEHP FSVS FACS, Daniel H. Newton, MD, co-authors of paper "Anatomic Suitability for Commercially Available Percutaneous Arteriovenous Fistula Creation Systems" appearing in Journal of Vascular Surgery
Welcome New Faculty — October 2020
Welcome to the following new faculty:
Paschalia M. (Lina) Mountziaris, MD, PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Dr. Mountziaris is an Assistant Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at VCU Health. She was raised in upstate New York, and graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University. She earned her medical degree, as well as a Ph.D. in Bioengineering, through the Medical Scientist Training Program at Baylor College of Medicine and Rice University. She completed residency at Albany Medical Center, followed by fellowship training in complex reconstruction and microsurgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her clinical interests include complex oncologic and trauma reconstruction, with a focus on microsurgical flaps.
Walker Julliard, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Dr. Julliard received his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He went on to complete his residency at University of Wisconsin and later his fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at UVA. His areas of interest include the surgical treatment of non-cardiac diseases of the chest which includes all diseases of the lungs, the chest wall, the airways, and the esophagus. His research interests include how the immune system adapts based on environmental factors with the ultimate goal of identifying ways to alter the adaptive immune system to better accept lung transplants while still fighting against lung cancers.
Stephen Sharp, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery
Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery
Dr. Sharp joins us from Cleveland Clinic Florida where he served as a staff surgeon. He received his medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and completed his residency at Albany Medical Center. He then joined Cleveland Clinic Florida for his fellowship in colorectal surgery. Dr. Sharp has particular interest in minimally invasive colorectal surgery, colorectal and anal cancer, surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease, colonic diverticular disease, benign anal and rectal conditions, and colonoscopy. His research interests include surgical outcomes research for benign and malignant colorectal conditions as well as colorectal racial disparities research.
Ashley Slaughter, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Acute Care Surgical Services
Dr. Slaughter received her medical degree from the University of Rochester and went on to complete her general surgery residency here at VCU. She completed her fellowship in surgical critical care at Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Slaughter has particular interest in acute care and trauma surgery, injury and violence prevention, as well as community outreach.
Arturo Cardounel, MD, PhD
As
sistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Dr. Cardounel joins us from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center where he completed his cardiothoracic surgery residency. Prior to joining University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Cardounel completed his PhD here at VCU and his MD at the Ohio State University. He is currently pursing basic cardiovascular research that aligns with his clinical interest in heart failure. In this regard, he is building on his expertise in redox signaling to identify novel molecular pathways involved in the pathophysiology of right ventricular dysfunction.
Lauren Nigro, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Dr. Nigro received her medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey's Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She then completed her Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery residency here at VCU and her fellowship in Breast and Microsurgical Reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center. Dr. Nigro's clinical interests include autologous breast reconstruction. Her research interests include improving aesthetic and functional outcomes of implant-based and autologous breast reconstruction.
Mack Drake, DO
Assistant Clinical Professor
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Dr. Drake received his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine. He later completed his internship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, residency at Virginia Tech, and his fellowships in trauma and critical care at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Dr. Drake's research interests include trauma and burn frailty and outcome measures, remote burn care in medically underserved regions, and critical care optimization of potential organ donors.
Jill Peysha, MD
Instructor
Division of Colon & Rectal Surgery
Dr. Peysha received her medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and then completed her residency here at VCU. Dr. Peysha has particular interest in trauma and acute care surgery as well as disorders of the colon and rectum to include rectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. She will jointly support the Divisions of Colorectal Surgery and Acute Care Surgical Services.
Faculty Promotions
Congratulations to the following faculty on their recent promotion and/or tenure:
Rahul J. Anand, MD | Professor
Michael J. Feldman, MD | Professor
Stefan W. Leichtle, MD | Associate Professor
Kandace P. McGuire, MD | Professor
Jennifer L. Rhodes, MD | Professor
(June 2020)
Employee Spotlight
Ebony Hobson
Meet Ebony Hobson, Division Supervisor for Children's Surgery! Ebony has been with Children's Surgery for almost 2 years and absolutely loves her job!
When asked about the most gratifying part of her role she responded, "I could never name just one thing that provides satisfaction about my role but I must say the first one would be the surgeons I interact with. The expectance and the trust that they have for me is sometimes overwhelming in a very heartfelt way. The second would be my manager Kyra Houck. I could not express enough how much I admire her managerial skill set as well as her ability to make things happen. The last thing would be the parents of those little bundles of joy."
As if her job wasn't busy enough, Ebony also works for VCU's ED on the weekends. About her drive to support VCU Health in such incredible ways, she writes, "Helping people is my calling."
Harvey J. Sugerman, MD
It is with profound sadness we announce the passing of Dr. Harvey J. Sugerman
Dr. Sugerman joined VCU in 1978 and was later appointed as the David M. Hume Professor of Surgery. He also served as interim chairman for the Department of Surgery from 1999 to 2001 and division chair for General and Trauma Surgery beginning in 1998. After retiring from VCU, Dr. Sugerman remained acive in the field of bariatric surgery going on to serve as Presiden of the American Society of Bariatric Surgery and founding member and Editor in Chief of SOARD, the most respected and widely read journal solely dedicated to the treatment of obesity.
A true pioneer in Bariatric Surgery, his clinical and academic contributions were central to the establishment and exponential growth of bariatric surgery in the United States and worldwide. Dr. Sugerman was an incredible teacher, researcher, and clinican. Though life threw him many lemons, Dr. Sugerman faced them all with a smile and his notorious sense of humor.
Our most heartfelt prayers and sincerest condolences to Dr. Sugerman's family during this difficult time. — August 2020
Dr. J. Shelton Horsley, III
It is with profound sadness we announce the passing of Dr. J. Shelton Horsley, III
Dr. Horsley was formerly Professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology and served as Associate Director of the Massey Cancer Center as well as Attending Surgeon at the McGuire VA Medical Center. Prior to joining VCU, Dr. Horsley worked at the University of Virginia School of Medicine where he was on the surgical faculty for 11 years. He was a favorite teacher at UVA and VCU, winning many awards at both institutions. He was a leader in surgery, serving as President of the Virginia Surgical Society, the Virginia Division of the American Cancer Society and the Richmond Academy of Medicine, and held leadership roles in the Southern Surgical Society and other organizations.
In the words of Dr. James Neifeld, colleague of Dr. Horsley "(he) was one of the first breast surgeons, a superb teacher, a world class tennis player, and a true gentleman."
Announcement from Dr. Kasirajan
All Hands on Deck: Tackling Covid-19
To each of our team members, I want to thank you for what you do each and every day.
The entire Department of Surgery has stepped up in ways unimaginable to tackle this monster together. We want to especially recognize the following team members for stepping up to lead us through this "all hands on deck" action.
- David Lanning, MD: Interim CMO leading our organization from preparation into surge planning
- Anthony Cassano, MD: Associate CMO leading surgical services preparations
- Tony Herndon, MD: Children's Surgery and resident education planning
- Aimee Grover, MD: Wellness activities with the Health System and the School of Medicine
- Kandace McGuire, MD and Vinay Kumaran, MD: Reviewing testing vs. CT scans for all operative patients
- James Whelan, MD, Kwame Akuomoah-Boateng, DNP, Jill Peysha, MD, & Brian Kaplan, MD: Inpatient staffing leaders
- Laura Boomer, MD, Christin Kim, MD & Paula Ferrada, MD: ICU resource champions
- Levi Procter, MD: OR PPE Taskforce
- Guilherme Campos, MD, Mena Dous, Jeremy Powers, MD, & Erin MacMillan, PA: Outpatient staffing planning leaders
- Sterling Hundley & Amanda Jabri: Incredible work to identify alternate sources of masks to include 3D printing
- Martin Mangino, PhD & Kirsty Dixon, PhD: Generously donated PPE from ORBIT
- Katie Golob & Nikki Meador: Incredible administrative and operational leadership
- Our Associate Administrators and staff: Without you, we would all be lost
Vigneshwar Kasirajan, MD
Chair, Department of Surgery
VCU School of Medicine 21st Annual Faculty Excellence Awards
We are proud to announce the following faculty recognized by VCU School of Medicine for teaching excellence:
Sudha Jayaraman, MD, M.Sc., Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Acute Care Surgical Services and Co-Director, VCU Program for Global Surgery
Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards recognize graduating students and faculty members who demonstrate both clinical excellence and outstanding compassion in the delivery of care and who show respect for patients, their families, and healthcare colleagues.
This year’s award recognizes Sudha Jayaraman, MD, M.Sc, Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Acute Care Surgical Services, and Co-Director, VCU Program for Global Surgery. “Dr. Jayaraman is known both for her kindness and compassion for individual students, colleagues, and patients, and for her dedication to improving health around the globe.”
Dr. Jayaraman joined VCU in 2013 after completing fellowships in acute care surgery, surgery and public health, and surgical critical care at Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Women’s Hospital. A longtime contributor to the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study, and co-author of more than a dozen papers the group has published in The Lancet and JAMA, she is in demand as a lecturer locally, nationally, and around the world. Most recently, she and colleague Tilahun Adera, PhD, MPH, MA were awarded a VETAR Value and Efficiency Teaching and Research Award from VCU Vision by Design to study evaluation and trauma care using a multi-institutional trauma registry in Rwanda. Dr. Jayaraman also served as a 2019 VCU Faculty Scholar at Oxford University’s Harris Manchester College Summer Research Institute.
VCU medical student Megan Wojick, M’21 describes “. . . from the very first meeting with Dr. Jayaraman, the enthusiasm she has toward teaching students was palpable. Even with very little research experience, she welcomed me as a mentee and provided an abundance of opportunities from which to choose. Through my work with her, I was allowed to pursue my interest in global health by spending eight weeks in Rwanda helping to further her research. She has always been extremely approachable and accessible. She is the type of surgeon I hope to emulate one day with her compassion toward patient care. She has provided numerous opportunities to help me succeed, and I would be where I am today without her help.”
“’Dr. Jayaraman was instrumental in helping one of our medical students in a time of crisis,’ recalls Chris Woleben, MD, Associate Dean for Student Affairs and advisor for our local chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. The student was injured while completing a summer research project overseas. Dr. Jayaraman made sure the student received expert medical care on site, while thousands of miles away from home, also maintaining communication with the student’s family. ‘Dr. Jayaraman personally arranged a special critical care medical transport for the student, chest tube and all, and greeted the student upon arrival in Richmond.’” / update: July 2020 Dr. Jayaraman accepts position at University of Utah
photo credit: Thomas Kojcsich
(Content sourced from VCU School of Medicine “21st Annual Faculty Excellence Awards Program" 2019)
Vigneshwar Kasirajan, MD, Stuart McGuire Professor and Chair, VCU Department of Surgery
“A clinician is someone who always puts the best interests of the patient and the family first. They should be steadfast in this, regardless of external pressures to perhaps do something to the contrary. They should be compassionate and kind. A distinguished clinician should be wise, should be abreast of potential new innovations that offer the patient a better quality or longer life . . . They should not be afraid of making a decision, even when that decision is emotionally difficult. They should be an example to their colleagues of what they should aspire to. They should be nurturing to their junior colleagues and paramedical staff. They should be a beacon of kindness and wisdom. Vigneshwar Kasirajan is someone who exemplifies all of these traits.” Richard Cooke, M.D., Medical Director Cardiac Transplantation, VCU Medical Center, describes why Vigneshwar Kasirajan, M.D., Stuart McGuire Professor and Chair of the VCU Department of Surgery is being recognized with the MCVP Distinguished Physician Award.
Arriving at VCU in 2000 as an Assistant Professor, Dr. Kasirajan was promoted to Associate Professor in 2004, and Professor in 2008. Taking on increasingly important leadership roles he became Chair of the Department of Surgery in 2014, continuing his clinical focus of management of advanced heart failure with total artificial heart, clinical trials with mechanical left ventricular assist devices, treatment of atrial fibrillation with minimally invasive surgery, and histological changes in human atria after catheter ablation and surgery.
According to Martin J. Mangino, PhD, Professor of Surgery, Emergency Medicine, and Physiology and Biophysics, and Associate Chair of Surgery Research, describes Dr. Kasirajan this way: “Through his leadership, infrastructure, grant funding, scientist recruitment, and research outcomes have increased geometrically. New patents and advancements directed at patient care moving from translational studies through FDA trials is now the rule rather than the exception. Our department is on course to be within the top 10 research divisions in the US in 5 years. This is only possible through Dr. Kasirajan’s leadership and dedication to his department and patient.”
Dr. Kasirajan’s advocacy for extremely complex patients who have been turned away elsewhere and his collaborative and warm interpersonal manner with colleagues, patients, and families have earned him broad admiration. “Dr. Kasirajan is the type of physician anyone would want for their loved ones. Listening to hi patients with compassion; hearing their goals, concerns, and barriers to treatment to come up with the best approach for every individual patient has been one of the many aspects of being a distinguished physician that I have been learning from him,” observes Armita Kabirpour, VCU SOM Class of 2020.
Anthony D. Cassano, M.D., MSHA, Associate Professor of Surgery, and Chair, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, share the ultimate compliment. “From a clinical perspective, if I needed heart surgery he would be the one to do it. He is seen as the go-to-guy who always goes the extra mile for the patient. You can call him any time day or night and he is there to help you.”
Explains Charlotte “Cha” Roberts, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, VCU Pauley Heart Center, “. . . He is always compassionate and holistic. These skills clearly set him apart from many of his peers. We can and do learn from his example every day.” Vigneshwar Kasirajan Academic Bio
photo credit: Thomas Kojcsich
(Content sourced from VCU School of Medicine “21st Annual Faculty Excellence Awards Program" 2019)
Paula A. Ferrada, MD, Professor of Surgery, Division of Acute Care Surgical Services, and Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
"Those who nominated Paula Ferrada, MD describe her as an amazing mentor, teacher, and role model. One former Fellow notes, 'Dr. Ferrada is a proven leader in the surgical world and an outstanding clinician. Her merits alone would make any surgeon happy to be her fellow. . . the great lessons I have learned from Dr. Ferrada have come by observing how she interacts with her patients, colleagues, and team. Dr. Ferrada not only leads by example but is dedicated to the concept that the team succeeds when all members strive to reach the highest standards by helping each other. . . an exceptional clinical and training environment.'"
Having joined VCU in 2010, Dr. Ferrada has served as both Medical Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (STICU) at VCU Medical Center and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program Director since 2015. She received her medical degree from the Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia and completed a surgical residency at Harvard University's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Ferrada completed a fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at the University of Pittsburgh, and a fellowship in Acute Care Surgery at the University of Maryland. She is a national instructor in ultrasound with the American College of Surgeons and is Chair of Education and Research for the Panamerican Trauma Society.
Dr. Ferrada is an accomplished teacher and has been awarded the Irby-James Teaching Award and the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award by the School of Medicine in 2016.
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program
(Content sourced from VCU School of Medicine “21st Annual Faculty Excellence Awards Program" 2019)
Rahul J. Anand, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Acute Care Surgical Services, and Program Director General Surgery Residency
"Dr. Anand has served as the General Surgery Program Director since 2015 and is an outstanding advocate for the program and his residents. Described as a great educator, surgeon, and mentor, Dr. Anand cares deeply about the residents, their well-being, and professional success. Under his leadership, he re-vitalized the curriculum, revamped educational programming, and created a Chief Resident for Education position. As a result of the many changes, there has been outstanding improvement in the program's Board pass rate and performance on the annual ACGME resident survey.
Dr. Anand is nationally renowned for his efforts as a surgery program director and this past year he was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Association of Program Directors in Surgery and was honored as an Associate Member in the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators in the American College of Surgeons.”
Nominated for attributes such as being “a great teacher, role model, and good friend,” one nomination letter described “Throughout my residency, he has been supportive of my endeavors and has provided constructive criticism that has helped me mature as a physician . . . Dr. Anand is an excellent surgeon who not only has great technical skills, but also articulates his decision-making in a way that has helped set the foundation of how I proceed in the OR.”
The appreciation that the medical students have for Dr. Anand can be witnessed by the fact that he has been a VCU School of Medicine Honorary Hooder at graduation in both 2016 and 2018 — not many other clinicians at VCU have had this honor twice.
General Surgery Residency Program
(Content sourced from VCU School of Medicine “21st Annual Faculty Excellence Awards Program" 2019)
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