Surgical Director, Kidney/Pancreas Transplant program, Memorial Transplant Institute

I am an abdominal transplant and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) surgeon at Memorial Healthcare System and the surgical director of the Kidney/Pancreas Transplant program at Memorial Transplant Institute. I am an experienced board-certified surgeon specializing in the care of patients with end-stage organ diseases in the kidney, pancreas and liver, as well as the entire transplant process of transplant recipients. As an HPB surgeon, I also treat patients with various surgical and complex conditions related to the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile duct. I am passionate about innovation using minimally invasive robotic surgery in transplantation and treating HPB conditions.

As far I can remember, I have always known I wanted to be a doctor to help others. I also had a passion for the sciences, especially in immunology. I found the complexities of the immune system and its interaction with all aspects of medicine fascinating. From the first time I saw a transplant performed in medical school — and the way it impacted the patient — I knew I wanted to be a transplant surgeon. Transplantation involves the technical challenges of surgery coupled with the management of very sick patients dealing with immunological challenges.

With more than 20 years of surgical and clinical experience in transplantation, I’ve witnessed how a transplant can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life, immediately helping them get off dialysis or insulin. Patients are always very grateful, and we develop long-term relationships as I care for them for the remainder of their lives.

At Memorial, we continue expanding the transplant program to provide the best patient care and outcomes. Memorial performed the first simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant and is the only center in Broward County performing pancreas transplantation, a landmark achievement and testament to our commitment to the community.

In addition to surgery and providing patient care, I am passionate about teaching and research. I have presented my work at transplant societies and published on many different aspects of transplantation. My current research interests include organ procurement and preservation, with emphasis on the prevention of ischemic reperfusion injury and in using normothermic regional perfusion to increase the number and quality of organs for those in need of a transplant.
 

Languages

• Spanish

• Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
• Memorial Regional Hospital