The UAB Department of Surgery is proud to spotlight the exceptional research accomplishments of our faculty, trainees and research staff. This past quarter, members of the department have continued to drive innovation across the surgical sciences, contributing to high-impact publications in fields ranging from endocrine surgery to surgical education to advanced outcomes research.

These achievements reflect the department’s commitment to academic excellence and collaborative inquiry. 

The department has seen an increasing number of trainee-led publications. These works not only exemplify rigorous scholarship but also demonstrate the next generation’s readiness to shape the future of surgery.

“Our department continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in surgical research,” said Herbert Chen, M.D.,Fay Fletcher Kerner Endowed Chair of Surgery. “I commend our investigators and collaborators for their dedication to advancing knowledge and improving care for surgical patients.”

Featured work recently published by the UAB Department of Surgery includes: 

1. Reducing no-show visits and disparities in access: The impact of telemedicine
   Published inJournal of Telemedicine and Telecareby Christina C. Shao, M.D., Mohammed H. Katta, M.D., Benjamin P. Smith, M.D., Benjamin A. Jones, M.D., Lauren T. Gleason, M.D., Abdullah Abbas, M.D., Nikhil Wadhwani, M.D., Elizabeth L. Wallace, M.D., Michael J. Mugavero, M.D., and Daniel I. Chu, M.D.
2. Bibliometric review of journal articles on pancreatic cancer: Insights into productivity and impact
   Published inAnnals of Pancreatic Cancerby Chen Wu, Ph.D., Julia Kasmirski, M.D., Ritu Roy, Ph.D., Zhixing Song, M.D., Quince D. Gibson, M.D., Herbert Chen, M.D.,  Bart Rose, M.D., and Andrea Gillis, M.D.
3. Lung-Resident SARS-CoV-2 peptide-specific immune responses in perfused 3D human lung explant models
   Published inFrontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnologyby Katherine F. Goliwas, Ph.D., Andrew M. Wood, Ph.D., Chelsea S. Simmons, Ph.D., Rizwan Khan, Ph.D., Salman A. Khan, Ph.D., Yuxin Wang, Ph.D., Rajeev Ramachandran, Ph.D., Jordan L. Berry, M.D., Mohammad Athar, Ph.D., Jay A. Mobley, Ph.D., Young-In Kim, Ph.D., Victor J. Thannickal, M.D., Kevin S. Harrod, Ph.D., James   Donahue, M.D., and Jessy S. Deshane, Ph.D.
4. Risk of cardiovascular complications in thyrotoxicosis: Thyroidectomy versus nonoperative management
   Published inJournal of Surgical Researchby Zhixing Song, M.D., Niranjna Swaminathan, M.D., Julia Kasmirski, M.D., Sanjana Balachandra, M.D., Chen Wu, M.D., Andrea Gillis, M.D., Jessica Fazendin, M.D., Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., and Herbert Chen, M.D.
5. Does PGY level equate entrustment level? Variability in faculty entrustment ratings
   Published inJournal of Surgical Educationby Julia Kasmirski, M.D., Martin Paul Jones, M.D., Niranjna Swaminathan, M.D., Zhixing Song, M.D., M. Chandler McLeod, M.D., Karen Brasel, M.D., George Sarosi, M.D., Britney Corey, M.D., and Brenessa Lindeman, M.D.
6. A survey of cancer affiliate network hubs in the US: Goals, composition, resources, and evaluation
   Published inCancer Causes & Controlby Madison M. Wahlen, M.D., Mary C. Schroeder, Ph.D., Pamela Y. Bojorquez, M.D., Sarah A. Birken, Ph.D., Jason T. Semprini, Ph.D., Jessica S. Gorzelitz, Ph.D., Aaron T. Seaman, Ph.D., Leila Sadri, M.D., Kristy Broman, M.D., Ingrid M. Lizarraga, M.D., and Mary E. Charlton, Ph.D.
7. How I do it: Avoiding the cognitive trap fundamentals of surgery curriculum
   Published inJournal of Surgical Educationby Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., M. R. Kapadia, M.D., C. Sobol, M.D., and M. L. Schwarze, M.D.
8. Esophageal perforation following explosive injury: A case report
   Published inJournal of Special Operations Medicineby Stevan C. Fairburn, M.D., Emily W. Baird, M.D., Michelle Mangold, M.D., Michael F. Gleason, M.D., MSPH, James M. Donahue, M.D., Ali M. Ahmed, M.D., and John B. Holcomb, M.D.
9. Prevalence of parathyroid multiglandular disease in Asian population
   Published inAmerican Journal of Surgeryby Julia Kasmirski, M.D., Raj Roy, M.D., Zhixing Song, M.D., Christopher Wu, M.D., Sanjana Balachandra, M.D., Marshall Chandler McLeod, M.D., Andrea Gillis, M.D., MSPH, Jessica Fazendin, M.D., Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., MEHP, and Herbert Chen, M.D.
10. Safety of surgery for managing hyperthyroidism in patients with or without preoperative euthyroidism: A systematic review and meta-analysis
    Published inEndocrineby Eddy P. Lincango, M.D., Luis A. Figueroa, M.D., Cristina Arias Cortez, M.D., Doménica Herrera Hernandez, M.D., Emily Rivadeneira Cabezas, M.D., Francisco Rivadeneira Proaño, M.D., Pedro Isaac Torres Balarezo, M.D., Domenica Brito, M.D., Luis Serrano, M.D., Adela Casas-Melley, M.D., Dustin Huynh, M.D., Alvaro Sanabria, M.D., Bradley Johnson, M.D., Benjamin James, M.D., Lilah Morris-Wiseman, M.D., Julie A. Sosa, M.D., Benzon Dy, M.D., Minerva A. Romero Arenas, M.D., Carmen C. Solorzano, M.D., Sophie Dream, M.D., MPH, and Juan P. Brito, M.D.
11. Surgery for normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism is safe and effective
    Published inSurgeryby C. Corbin Frye, M.D., Zhixing Song, M.D., Sanjana Balachandra, M.D., Niranjna Swaminathan, M.D., Andrea Gillis, M.D., MSPH, Jessica Fazendin, M.D., Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., MEHP, and Herbert Chen, M.D.
12. End-of-life care in the austere military environment
    Published inMilitary Medicineby Jason David, M.D., Stevan Fairburn, M.D., Hayden Fogle, M.D., Nicholas Dulin, M.D., and Russell Day, M.D.
13. Re: Development of a fall risk score for older adults incorporating electronic health record and emergency department screening measures
    Published inAcademic Emergency Medicineby Pawan Acharya, Ph.D., Tabitha Garwe, Ph.D., and Zain G. Hashmi, M.D.
14. Moving the needle on health system care delivery: From observation to intervention
    Published inAnnals of Surgeryby Calista Harbaugh, M.D., and Kristy Broman, M.D., MPH.
15. Long-term safety and effectiveness of the TREO stent graft for the endovascular treatment of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms
    Published inJournal of Vascular Surgeryby Matthew J. Eagleton, M.D., Michael C. Stoner, M.D., John Henretta, M.D., Maciej Dryjski, M.D., Jean M. Panneton, M.D., Apostolos Tassiopoulos, M.D., Manish Mehta, M.D., Benjamin Pearce, M.D., and Mel J. Sharafuddin, M.D., for the TREO Investigators.
16. Controlling intraoperative hyperglycemia in the cardiac surgical patient using the computerized electronic insulin dose calculator
    Published inScientific Reportsby Ahmed Zaky, M.D., Zdenek Novak, M.D., Tinsley Roberson, M.D., Brittany Hatter, M.D., David L. Benz, M.D., Vardas Panayotis, M.D., Gary Boutwell, M.D., John Bode, M.D., Hayden Stewart, M.D., Jorge A. Alsip, M.D., and Christy Lemak, Ph.D.
17. Molecular testing in thyroid nodules: How much does it change clinical practice?
    Published inBiomedicinesby Mehmet Kostek, M.D., Niranjna Swaminathan, M.D., Azeem Izhar, M.D., Andrea Gillis, M.D., MSPH, Herbert Chen, M.D., and Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., MEHP.
18. The increasing burden of potentially preventable deaths due to hemorrhage in large urban U.S. counties
    Published inAcademic Emergency Medicineby Pawan Acharya, Ph.D., Russell Griffin, Ph.D., Stacy Drake, Ph.D., Mckinley Williams, M.D., Sheza Hassan, M.D., Junaid Razzak, M.D., Jeffrey Kerby, M.D., Ph.D., John B. Holcomb, M.D., and Zain Hashmi, M.D.
19. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy: A call to study reproductive safety for healthcare workers
    Published inAnnals of Surgical Oncologyby Princy Gupta, M.D., Elizabeth L. Godfrey, M.D., Kurt S. Schultz, M.D., Lumeng J. Yu, M.D., Varun V. Bansal, M.D., Jorge Gomez-Mayorga, M.D., Marianna Papageorge, M.D., Ellie M. Proussaloglou, M.D., David G. Su, M.D., Man Yee Merl, M.D., Erin Ward, M.D., Divya Sood, M.D., Deepa R. Magge, M.D., Maheswari Senthil, M.D., Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., MSCI, Kiran K. Turaga, M.D., and Umut Sarpel, M.D., for the Peritoneal Surface Malignancies (PSM) Consortium Group.
20. Textbook outcomes 2.0 — Using data to inform preoperative surgical discussions
    Published inJAMA Surgeryby Jacquelyn E. Fitzgerald, M.D., Olivia Monton, M.D., and Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., MSCI.
21. Donation after circulatory death heart transplantation in the United States continues to steadily increase but maintains unrealized potential to address the organ shortage
    Published inJournal of Heart and Lung Transplantationby  Cozette Killian, M.D., and Rajamiyer Venkateswaran, M.D., M.B.B.S, M.S.
22. 24-H observation after thyroid and parathyroid surgery for central neck hematomas: Is this really necessary?
    Published inJournal of Surgical Researchby Chandler A. Annesi, M.D., Andrea Gillis, M.D.,MSPH, Jessica M. Fazendin, M.D., Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., MEHP, and Herbert Chen, M.D.
23. Patient regret after gastrointestinal surgery for cancer: A narrative review
    Published inJournal of Surgical Oncologyby Jacqueline E. Fitzgerald, M.D., Pierce Austin, M.D., Olivia Monton, M.D., Avery C. Bechthold, M.D., and Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., MSCI.
24. Wire wrap involving the celiac and superior mesenteric artery portals of the GORE EXCLUDER thoracoabdominal branch endoprosthesis: A multi-center case series
    Published inJournal of Vascular Surgery Cases, Innovations and Techniquesby Grayson S. Pitcher, M.D., Adam W. Beck, M.D., Joedd H. Biggs, M.D., and Doran Mix, M.D.
25. Review of open payments received by department of surgery faculty at a large academic institution
    Published inJournal of Surgical Researchby Azeem Izhar, M.D., Bipul Mainali, M.D., Ramsha Akhund, M.D., Raj Roy, M.D., Andrea Gillis, M.D., MSPH, Brenessa Lindeman, M.D.,MEHP, Jessica M. Fazendin, M.D., and Herbert Chen, M.D.
26. A qualitative study examining caregivers' perspectives on healthcare system barriers and facilitators to foregut cancer care
    Published inJournal of Surgical Researchby Jaspinder Sanghera, M.D., Ioannis Liapis, M.D., Michelle Holland, M.D., Ivan Herbey, M.D., Katie West, M.D., Martin J. Heslin, M.D.,MSHA, Larry Hearld, Ph.D., Krista Mehari, Ph.D., Smita Bhatia, M.D.,MPH, and Annabelle L. Fonseca, M.D., MHS.
27. Pheochromocytoma-induced cardiomyopathy requiring mechanical circulatory support with cardiac recovery following surgical resection
    Published inJACC: Case Reportsby Phillip Grant Garrison, M.D., Lauren East, M.D., Charles Wanna, M.D., Bishow Paudel, M.D., Jose Tallaj, M.D., Samuel McElwee, M.D., Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., and Stephen Clarkson, M.D.
28. Antibody-based Imaging of lymphatic architecture in murine kidneys
    Published inKidney360by Arin L. Melkonian, Ph.D., Gelare Ghajar-Rahimi, Ph.D., Malgorzata M. Kamocka, Ph.D., Tarek M. El-Achkar, M.D., Timmy C. Lee, M.D., James F. George, Ph.D., and Anupam Agarwal, M.D.
29. Clinical trial-related financial considerations from deep south-patients with breast cancer who previously declined trial participation
    Published in Supportive Care in Cancer by Courtney P. Williams, M.D., Nicole Reh, M.D., Mandy Chen, M.D., Nicole Henderson, M.D., Nicole E. Caston, M.D., Gabrielle B. Rocque, M.D., and Lily Gutnik, M.D.