Surgical Director, Living Donor & Pediatric Abdominal Transplant Program

I am a kidney transplant surgeon at Memorial Transplant Institute, Surgical Director of Living Donor Kidney Transplant at Memorial Healthcare System and Surgical Director of the Pediatric Abdominal Transplant Program at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

For nearly two decades I have cared for transplant patients, 16 of those years in South Florida, performing more than 500 laparoscopic living donor surgeries and about 2,000 transplant surgeries.

I have a special interest in children with congenital and inherited diseases which cause kidney failure, and transplant children with end-stage kidney disease who are dependent on dialysis. I also transplant adults with chronic kidney failure and those who are on dialysis. I have expertise in performing both deceased donor and living donor kidney transplants. Living donors are procured safely through minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques, which enable short hospital stays, minimal pain and fast recovery.

I am continuously energized by the magic of a successful organ transplant – when I get to sew in a new organ and see it come to life with immediate function. I am especially passionate about living donor transplants. I am always impressed by donors who give one of their kidneys to a co-worker, friend, family member or even a stranger out of benevolence. Living donation is becoming increasingly necessary to meet the demand for organs in the community and provides superior long-term outcomes for transplant recipients.

I understand the unique challenges chronic kidney disease and diabetes can cause for patients and their families. When working with families, I acknowledge and address their concerns and questions, educate them about the pre-transplant process and wait times, the surgical procedures and options and the long-term post-transplant care.

Memorial has one of the fastest growing transplant programs in the nation and an impressive dedication to providing the best quality of care for its patients. We work as a close-knit, integrated multidisciplinary transplant team of nephrologists, social workers, nurse coordinators, nutritionists and pharmacists to support our patients and their families. This collaborative effort enables us to achieve excellent, long-term outcomes. We are also very successful at fast-tracking a patient from the waitlist to transplant.

In addition to caring for patients, I’m involved in transplant research, policy development, education and mentorship. I speak around the country and world about many facets of kidney and pancreas transplantation and train and mentor residents and students.

It is an honor to continue to make an impact in the community as a transplant surgeon, providing patients with a new lease on life through donation and transplantation.

Languages

• Spanish

• Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
• Memorial Regional Hospital