8th Annual Research Day Focused on How We Make Surgery Better | Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University

<div class="subhead">Our Residency Programs Train Physician-Scientists to Both Practice and Advance Surgery</div>

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<div class="caption"><table width="300"><tr><td>Winner of Outstanding Poster Competition (click to enlarge).</td></tr></table></div>
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This year's Research Day program took place last Thursday at Stony Brook University's Charles B. Wang Center, and was another great success, as the event continues to grow, and the quality of the research stays at an incredibly high level.

The morning forum showcased ongoing and completed research projects by way of oral platform presentations, as well as a poster competition by our residents, medical students, and faculty.

"Stony Brook Medicine is committed to making research happen," said <a href="/surgery/people/faculty/dr-mark-a-talamini">Mark A. Talamini, MD</a>, professor and chairman of surgery, and chief of surgical services at Stony Brook Medicine, in his opening remarks at the program.

"Our Research Day celebrates our discoveries. It also demonstrates that as academic surgeons we not only have the job to take care of patients, but to make surgery better. This is what sets us apart."

<div class="callout">Research Day demonstrates how we're making surgery better and what sets us apart.</div>

The program included over 50 posters presenting study abstracts, plus five oral presentations moderated by faculty discussants, and it attracted over a hundred attendees from Stony Brook Medicine and the University community.

The keynote speaker was <a href="http://icahn.mssm.edu/profiles/eric-a-rose" target="_blank">Eric A. Rose, MD</a>, Edmond A. Guggenheim professor and chairman of population health science and policy, associate director for Clinical Outcomes at Mount Sinai Heart, and professor of cardiothoracic surgery, medicine (cardiology), and surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York. Previously, he was professor and chairman of surgery at Columbia University.

A world-renowned surgeon and scientist, Dr. Rose — who made history in 1984 when he performed the first successful pediatric heart transplant — has a long record of leading-edge research. He has authored or co-authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications on topics such as cardiovascular surgery, ventricular assist devices, and cardiac transplantation.

Dr. Rose's talk, "Understanding Translational Research: Insights from Adventures in Interventional Biology," focused on the challenges of bringing problems from the bedside to the laboratory, and returning laboratory advances to the bedside — a process that, as he demonstrated with his own research, can take decades to complete.

He emphasized that it is "incumbent on any clinician and on every surgeon to learn the fundamentals of clinical trials." His talk illustrated how translational research bridges discovery to clinical delivery, and that in moving from problem to solution, it requires the development of an intervention.

He explained: "Classical 'bench to bedside' translational research is responsible for many important advances, but cannot account for many others, which begin with clinical observations. My personal involvement in translational research has ranged from exploration of long-term mechanical circulatory support devices to amelioration of the progression of Alzheimer's disease to the pharmacologic cure of smallpox."

Dr. Rose's experience has taught him that translational research is, in his words, largely opportunistic, inefficient, and frustratingly slow. He concluded: "Understanding of the process and complexity of translational research may help us to do it faster and better."

Commenting on the purpose of Research Day, <a href="/surgery/people/faculty/dr-a-laurie-w-shroyer">A. Laurie W. Shroyer, PhD, MSHA</a>, professor of surgery and vice chair for research, who oversees the event, says: "Research Day shows the commitment of our department to advancing scientific knowledge in order to improve patient care and population health.

"Residents and fellows, as well as junior faculty, utilize their research projects to address important clinical questions that they face each day, fostering their curiosity and building their excitement and enthusiasm for current and future biomedical research.

"By networking at events such as Research Day, they gain new opportunities for collaborative multidisciplinary team projects. Most important, our Research Day lights the pathway for trainees to envision a future career in academics."

<div class="callout">Research Day lights the pathway for trainees to envision a future career in academics.</div>

All categorical residents in our general surgery residency program are required to conduct at least one research project each year, and to present their studies at the Research Day program.

All of our residency programs are committed to training physician-scientists who can both practice and advance surgery in their careers after they graduate from Stony Brook.

Established in 2010, Research Day is an opportunity for our residents as well as our faculty and medical students to present their surgical research. The focus of the program is moving the science of surgery forward.

The Research Day program offers continuing medical education (CME) credit; this activity is designated for a maximum of 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

<div class="subhead">2017 RESEARCH DAY POSTERS</div>
Here are the titles/authors of the posters exhibited at this year's Research Day. Together, they demonstrate the range of research activity within the Department of Surgery, and the impressive productivity of our residents and students:

<ul>

<li>Aberrations in peripheral arterial ultrasound as a marker of underlying cardiac disease | Karim S, Labropoulos N.</li>

<li>Admission of older blunt thoracic trauma patients directly to the intensive care unit improves outcomes | Pyke O, Rubano J, Vosswinkel J McCormack J, Huang E, Jawa R.</li>

<li>Aortioliac anatomic characteristics predisposing to type 1B endoleaks and limb occlusion after EVAR | Tzavellas G, Monastiriotis S, Jaskinski P, Tassiopoulos A.</li>

<li>Assessing the effect of New York State (NYS) legislation on autologous tissue based post-mastectomy reconstruction rates | Gooch J, O'Hea B, Telem D, Yang J, Park J, Bui D, Khan S.</li>

<li>Characterizing epidemiological trends among New York City preterm infants with apnea | Regenbogen E, Zhang S, Yang J, Shroyer AL, Zhu C, DeCristofaro J.</li>

<li>The combined use of prophylactic serum PTH and intraoperative reduction of serum PTH to predict the development of clinically symptomatic hypocalcemia following parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism | Fleury M.</li>

<li>Comparison of etiologies for primary functional fistula failure in newly created arteriovenous fistulae | Nzeribe A, Kokkosis A.</li>

<li>Correlation between pelvic congestion syndrome and body mass index | Jasinski P, Nanavati R, Adrahtas D, Gasparis A, Labropoulos N.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>Coverage of the left subclavian artery in blunt thoracic aortic injury is not necessary to achieve aortic healing in patients with short proximal landing zones | Skripochnik E, Novikov D, Loh S.</li>

<li>Current trends and effectiveness in percutaneous lecystostomy tube utilization | Zhao K, Kim J, Telem D, Yang J, Parikh P.</li>

<li>Delayed thrombophlebitis of the great saphenous vein after endovenous ablation | Garcia R, Gasparis A, Labropoulos N.</li>

<li>Development and utilization of a patient decision aid for management of thyroid nodules | Chao E, Amadi C, Maxwell C, Czerwonka L.</li>

<li>Differences between males and females with intermittent claudication undergoing percutaneous angioplasty in the greater New York Vascular Quality Initiative | Jasinski P, Labropoulos N, Tassiopoulos A, Kokkosis A.</li>

<li>Diverse management of isolated calf deep vein thrombosis in a university hospital | Garcia R, Probeck K, Elitharp D, Gasparis A, Labropoulos N. Finalist in Outstanding Poster Competition.</li>

<li>Do traffic law violators have differing attitudes about their driving behaviors? | Ladowski K, Vosswinkel J, McCormack J, Clouston S, Jawa R.</li>

<li>Elective medical management of three patients with an acute type A aortic dissection: case series and a review of the literature | Rabenstein A, Gioia W, Salhab K.</li>

<li>Endoscopic evaluation of the postoperative bariatric surgery patient | Svestka M, Docimo S.</li>

<li>Evaluation of compliance with recommendations for VTE prophylaxis and the impact of alternate regimens on post-operative bleeding and thrombotic complications following bariatric surgical procedures | Altieri M, Yang J, Hajagos J, Park J, Gasparis A, Konstantinos S, Shroyer AL, Talamini M.</li>

<li>Evolution of type II endoleaks based on different ultrasonographically identified patterns | Monastiriotis S, Lau I, Loh S, Ferretti J, Tassiopoulos A, Labropoulos N.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>Eye-tracking devices: a novel communication method for mechanically ventilated ICU patients | Pasternak D, Garry J, Duffy E, Fitzgerald D, Grant K, Minardi C, Dookram M, Vosswinkel J, Jawa R.</li>

<li>Gastrostomy tube utilization in transoral robotic surgery with neck dissection | Frenkel C, Yang J, Zhans M, Ferrara A, Telem D, Samara G. Finalist in Outstanding Poster Competition.</li>

<li>Hernia-related mesh infection: when does it happen and who gets it? | Groves D, Bates A, Yang J, Zhu C, Spaniolas K, Docimo S, Talamini M, Pryor A. Finalist in Outstanding Poster Competition.</li>

<li>Identifying factors causing suboptimal outcomes of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol on elective colorectal surgical patients: retrospective observational study | Choi H, Denoya P.</li>

<li>The impact of learning curve on robotic rectal cancer surgery on outcomes | Simon J, Abbas SK, Yelika SB, You K, Lee KP, Bergamaschi R.</li>

<li>The impact of PTSD on health outcomes in veterans receiving treatment for prostate cancer | Tchou W, Bevilaqua L, Romeiser J, Agrawal N, Ni X, Laimit T, Shroyer AL.</li>

<li>Increasing common bile duct injury and decreasing utilization of intraoperative cholangiogram and common bile duct exploration over 14 years. An analysis of outcomes in New York State | Altieri M, Yang J, Talamini M, Pryor M.</li>

<li>Increasing efficacy and efficiency in treatment and discharge for patients with uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis | Karim S, Shah A, Schnur J.</li>

<li>Inguinal pain and fullness due to an intravascular leiomyoma in the external iliac vein | Terrana L, Skripochnik E, Labropoulos N, Henretta M, Griffin T, Loh S.</li>

<li>An innovative irrigating wound protector for colorectal surgery | Chantachote C, Yelida S.</li>

<li>Key factors in predicting cephalic vein graft usage in autologous breast reconstruction | Mukit M, Trostler M, Kelly R, Dhillon S, Klein G, Huston T, Gelfand M, Khan S, Bui D.</li>

<li>Latrogenic esophageal perforation in neonates | Hesketh A, Behr C, Soffer S, Hong A, Glick R.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>Mechanical and biological characterization of tissue-engineered blood vessels | Varghese E, Singh G, Liang K, Cordero J, Wiles B, Marmorat C, Rafailovich M, Labropoulos N, Bui D, Khan S, Simon M, Clark R, Dagum A.</li>

<li>Outcomes of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomies depending on 1st assistant training level | Goldberg I, Choi H, Spaniolas K, Pryor A.</li>

<li>Parallel stent graft for hypogastric aneurysm repair with flow preservation of distal pelvic circulation | Spentzouris G, Kelli L, Summers BS, Sikalas N, Labropoulos N, Loh S.</li>

<li>Patterns of reoperation after failed fundoplication: an analysis of 9,462 patients | Obeid N, Altieri M, Yang J, Park J, Price K, Bates A, Pryor A.</li>

<li>Proposed adjunct to an alternative and less invasive approach to surgical therapy for severe C. diff colitis Lee K.</li>

<li>Pulmonary contusions in elderly blunt trauma are infrequently seen on CXR and are highly morbid | Bader A, Morris M, Lewis J, McCormack J, Huang E, Vosswinkel J, Jawa R.</li>

<li>Racial disparities in mitral valve repair vs. mitral valve replacement: a review of the literature and a descriptive analysis of patient data at Stony Brook University Medical Center | Petit-Frere W.</li>

<li>Recurrent carotid stenosis due to thrombus formation | Kim P, Hines G.</li>

<li>Retrospective evaluation of plastic surgery reconstruction in lower extremity trauma | Marquez J, Trostler M, Dagum A, Bui D.</li>

<li>Risk analysis for post-operative complications after immediate tissue expander breast reconstruction (TE-IBR) | Klein G, Landford W, Yang J, Shroyer AL, O'Hea B, Dagum A, Bui D, Khan S.</li>

<li>Risk of death in elderly blunt trauma patients: complications count | Gahlawat V, Chaudhary N, Vosswinkel J, Singer A, Shapiro M, McCormack J, Huang E, Jawa R.</li>

<li>Single center prospective analysis of diaphragmatic function pre- and post-cardiac surgery | Dickler C, Holecek W, Kowal R, Grecu L, Bilfinger T.</li>

<li>Socioeconomic and gender disparities in liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer diagnosis and treatment | Guzman C.</li>

<li>Spatial and temporal characterization as it pertains to deep vein thrombosis | Chandrashekar A, Garry J, Singh G, Labropoulos N, Sikalas N.</li>

<li>Targeting the immune checkpoint pathway produces direct binding, uptake and cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer | Gao M, Turkman N, Choi M, Vacirca J, Sasson A, Kim J.</li>

<li>Transcarotid artery revascularization as a novel method for carotid artery stenosis: a single clinical center's real-world experience | Drakos P, Tassiopoulos A, Kokkosis A.</li>

</ul>

<ul>

<li>Traumatic blunt cardiac rupture | Gioia W, Fahd A.</li>

<li>Trends in pre-hospital cervical spine immobilization and cervical spine injury rates over 6 years at an American College of Surgeons Level 1 Trauma Center | Laskowski R, McCormack J, Jawa R, Chaudhary N.</li>

<li>The use of computed tomography versus clinical acumen in diagnosing appendicitis in the pediatric population — interim report | El-Gohary Y, Gulamhussein T, Lacey R, Scriven R, Shapiro M.</li>

<li>Use of per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in pediatric patients as a primary or rescue therapy for achalasia | Stvropoulos S, Sosulski A, Modayil R, Gurram K, Brathwaite C, Charles C, Boinpally H, Grendell J.</li>

<li><a href="/sites/default/files/klein-poster-bg_1.jpg" class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all">Using digital image speckle correlation to optimize botox injection sites: a prospective crossover trial</a> | Klein G, Verma R, Xu Y, Rafaelovich M, Khan S, Bui D, Dagum A. Winner of Outstanding Poster Competition.
</li>

<li>Utilization of reconstructive procedures following weight loss surgery: a study of 37,806 patients | Altieri, M, Yang J, Park J, Novikov D, Kang L, Konstantinos S, Talamini M, Pryor A.</li>

<li>Venous thromboembolism risk using Caprini scores amongst outpatient aesthetic surgery patients who receive no chemoprophylaxis | Janssen P, Trostler M, Pannucci C, Khan S.</li>

</ul>

<div class="pointer">Next year's Research Day will take place on Thursday, May 31, from 8:00 am to noon, at the Wang Center. For more information, please call 631-444-1820.</div>