Our Site Contributors
Dr. David Earle
Dr. Earle, obtained a BS in zoology from Arizona State University, and subsequently his MD from the University of Arizona in 1990.
He subsequently did his general surgical training in Brooklyn, New York, and fellowship training in Westchester County, NY. After a short stint working in Brooklyn, he was recruited to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA as the Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery. Over the course of the next 16 years, he started and ran a successful minimally invasive surgery fellowship program of his own in addition to overseeing the esophageal physiology lab.
In addition to that, Dr. Earle has been active in research, device development, and clinical care, where approximately 90% of his practice was focused on hernia repair, drawing patients from all over the northeastern US. He has been involved in hundreds of peer reviewed scientific and clinical journal articles, book chapters, scientific meeting presentations, invited lectures, and surgeon courses. His interest in surgical education has taken him to the far reaches of the globe, having experience with volunteer surgical care and education on five continents. He is also involved in a variety of leadership positions in national surgical societies in the United States. His clinical practice emphasizes establishing and aligning the specific goals of the patient in order to provide individualized care. He is currently transitioning to solo private practice in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. His hobbies include mountaineering, mountain biking, skiing and snowboarding, and photography. To learn more about Dr. Earle's practice, visit www.NewEngland-Hernia.com.
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Dr. Steven Goldstein
Dr. Steven Goldstein is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Medical School at the University of Maryland and residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital and Nassau University Hospital on Long Island. He is Board Certified in Surgery, is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Fellow of the American College of Phlebology and a member of the Americas Hernia Society.
Dr. Goldstein is one of the leading hernia surgeons in New York State and is involved in training other surgeons in laparoscopic hernia repair techniques. He is one of the few surgeons in the area qualified to use the DaVinci Robot to assist in complex minimally invasive surgical procedures. Dr. Goldstein performs the VNUS closure procedure in the office, along with sclerotherapy and EVRF ablations of spider and accessory veins.
To read more about Dr. Goldstein and his practice visit www.littlescars.com.
Dr. Sean B. Orenstein
Dr. Sean B. Orenstein completed his undergraduate work at the University of Colorado, but later completed most of his medical and surgical training on the East coast. After earning a Master of Medical Science from MCP Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, PA, he received his medical degree from Albany Medical College. Afterwards, he went on to complete his general surgery residency at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. During this time, he undertook a two-year research fellowship where he focused on the evaluation of hernia mesh materials and hernia repair outcomes.
Dr. Orenstein then completed a fellowship at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, OH, which allowed him to further explore his passion for hernia repair, with specialized training in abdominal wall reconstruction for complex and recurrent abdominal hernias. It was here that he had the opportunity to focus on minimally invasive surgical techniques such as laparoscopic hernia repair.
Dr. Orenstein's research interests include outcomes and improvements for minimally invasive and open hernia repair techniques, evaluation of hernia mesh materials, and further exploration of blending endoscopic and surgical techniques to improve patient care.
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Dr. Levi Procter
Dr. Levi Procter graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Kentucky with a BS in Biology. He completed medical school at the University of Kentucky. He completed his general surgery residency and trauma research fellowship at the University of Kentucky. His Trauma and Surgical Critical Care fellowship was completed at the Ryder Trauma Center, Miami, Florida. He is board certified in General Surgery and Trauma/Critical Care. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the American Hernia Society and the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.
Currently, Dr. Procter works at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va as an assistant professor of surgery in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. He the director of the VCUHealth Hernia Program. He currently performs all types of open abdominal wall reconstructions, complex laparoscopic and robotic DaVinci hernia surgery as well. His areas of interests are abdominal wall reconstructions, tissue healing, optimizing hernia outcomes and teaching.
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Prof. Aali Sheen
Prof Sheen is originally from London, went to Medical School in Scotland (University of Dundee), graduating in 1993 and works in Manchester U.K. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FRCS) and trained in Surgery in London, Leeds, Manchester and Sweden (Mora).
Prof Sheen (aka Herniator) is the most prolific hernia surgeon in the North of England. He is very well accomplished in this field and has published in the use of tissue glue in hernia surgery, chronic groin pain, sportsman's groin and is the lead investigator in various randomised controlled trials in hernia care/surgery.
Prof Sheen redefined the sportsman's groin to 'inguinal disruption' and produced the world's first consensus statement on this unique diagnosis and condition - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2013/10/22/bjsports-2013-092872
Prof Sheen regularly peer reviews for at least 12 leading journals, is the Secretary of the British Hernia Society and resides on a select committee of the European Hernia Society as well as being a member of the Americas Hernia Society.
Prof Sheen undertakes both open and laparoscopic surgery for all hernias in addition to which he undertakes cancer surgery in his practice.
For his research in 2002 Prof Sheen was decorated by both leading American and British Societies.
Websites: www.manchestergeneralsurgery.co.uk www.groinpainclinic.co.uk www.manchesterherniaclinic.com
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Dr. Paul P. Szotek Jr.
Dr. Paul P. Szotek Jr. studied at Indiana University, Bloomington and at the Indiana University School of Medicine. After completing his general surgery residency at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana, he went on to become board certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery. During his residency training, Dr. Szotek was awarded a research fellowship at the Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories at Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Here he performed stem cell research and had the privilege of performing and authoring the first peer reviewed publication identifying and describing ovarian cancer stem cells.
In 2012, Dr. Szotek returned to Indiana University as an active faculty in the Trauma and Acute care surgery program and lead the development of the abdominal wall reconstruction program. He is an active member of the American Hernia Society and is a frequent speaker on the uses of fluorescence angiography in acute care surgery. In February 2014, Dr. Szotek performed the first surgery in Indiana using Google Glass technology to precisely resect an anterior abdominal wall tumor. Since then, as a co-founder of the Wearable Technology in Healthcare (WATCH) Society, he has been developing tele-mentoring applications for wearable technology in training for both students and professionals alike. In the fall of 2015, Dr. Szotek left Indiana University to lead the development of the Indiana Hernia Center. Dr. Szotek is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable doctors in the sphere of hernia diagnosis and repair and is committed to making patient care his top priority.
Dr. Shirin Towfigh
Renowned hernia specialist Dr. Shirin Towfigh is the only surgeon in the Western United States whose work is entirely dedicated to treating all types of abdominal wall hernias and their complications. Her rare focus on using all technologies and surgical modalities available in treating this particular area has made her possibly the nation's single most respected hernia doctor.
Dr. Towfigh's received her Bachelor's degree with College Honors from UCLA and her Medical Doctorate from UC San Diego. She completed her surgical training and research at UCLA in 2002 (ranked "Best in the West" for 24 straight years by US News and World Report), and is board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery. As a respected medical professor, she has trained medical students, residents, and fellows in Minimally Invasive Surgery at the USC Keck School of Medicine, LA County + USC Hospital, and the Norris Cancer Center.
In 2008, Dr. Towfigh was recruited to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as Associate Professor of Surgery, where she developed a surgical skills training program for their surgery residents, ran the medical student education program, and directed the Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship training program. She has won over 20 awards for her skills as an educator and mentor.
To read more about Dr. Towfigh and her practice visit the Beverly Hills Hernia Center.
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