PRS Global Open Deep Cuts

In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Ash Patel shares how emotional intelligence transforms surgery—improving patient care, teamwork, and decision-making—plus his approach to impactful academic research, balancing personal and professional goals, the power of diversity to drive innovation, surgical techniques including pectoralis and gracilis muscle flaps, career-shaping mentors, and an unexpected claim to fame outside the world of plastic surgery.

Read a recent PRS Global Open article by Dr. Patel and colleagues, "Navigating the Ethical Landmines of ChatGPT: Implications of Intelligent Chatbots in Plastic Surgery Clinical Practice": https://bit.ly/ChatGPT_Ethics_In_PS

Dr. Ash Patel is a Professor in the division of Plastic Surgery at Duke University School of Medicine, and was previously the Chief and Residency Program Director of the Division of Plastic Surgery at Albany Medical College in New York. He completed medical school at the University of Dundee in Glasgow, followed by a general surgery residency at Tufts in Massachusetts, and a plastic surgery fellowship at Vanderbilt in Tennessee. He is a section editor for the journal "Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery." He is the chair of the ASPS Annual meeting in New Orleans in 2025.

Your host, Dr. Puru Nagarkar, is a board-certified plastic and hand surgeon, and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

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In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Snyder-Warwick discussed her recent transition from Wash U to Michigan and how she has handled the switch, the philosophy of time, distance and severity when dealing with nerve injuries, the changes she has made over the years in her facial reanimation and peripheral nerve surgery practices, the relatively new field of corneal neurotization, the importance of personalizing the treatment of facial paralysis to each patient, the usefulness of buccal myomucosal flaps in cleft palate repair, how she involves residents in the management of cleft patients, and where the future of nerve repair and regeneration lies.

Read a classic PRS Global Open abstract by Dr. Snyder-Warwick and her colleagues, Buccal Myomucosal Flap Repair for Velopharyngeal Dysfunction": https://bit.ly/BuccalMyomucosalFlapAbstract

Dr. Alison Snyder-Warwick is a Professor and the Section Head for of Plastic Surgery at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She was previously an Associate professor and Residency Program director at the Washington University in St Louis. She completed medical school, a research fellowship, and a plastic surgery residency at Wash U, followed by a pediatric plastic surgery and pediatric microsurgery fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. She has a practice focused on facial nerve reconstruction, peripheral nerve surgery, and pediatric cleft surgery. She is also a prolific researcher with a basic science lab. Dr. Snyder-Warwick is a senior oral examiner for the American board of Plastic Surgery, past chair of the Plastic Surgery Research Council, past Curriculum Committee chair for the American Council of Educators in Plastic Surgery, and Historian of the American Society for Peripheral Nerve.

Your host, Dr. Puru Nagarkar, is a board-certified plastic and hand surgeon, and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

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In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Galen Perdikis discusses the growth that Vanderbilt's plastic surgery department and residency program have experienced over the last decade, the importance of specialized service lines to achieve the best patient care as well as resident education, the benefits of advanced practice providers in creating institutional memory, how he has built cross-departmental teams at Vanderbilt, what he means by "team-based capitalism" and how this approach has created a strong sense of teamwork in his faculty. He also discusses the pyramid approach to developing surgical skill and the need for active learning to climb that pyramid, the highly structured and formal approach to resident evaluation that Vanderbilt has instituted, his controversial thoughts on competency based residency certification, how to give good feedback, his thoughts on the use of meshes in breast reconstruction, how he has improved his efficiency in DIEP flaps, why he likes exoscopes for microsurgery cases, why dog ears are the bane of his existence, and what exactly a Scouser is.

Read a classic PRS Global Open article by Dr. Perdikis and his colleagues, "Acellular Dermal Matrix Performance Compared with Latissimus Dorsi Myocutaneous Flap in Expander-Based Breast Reconstruction": https://bit.ly/ADMvsLDMF_GOX

Dr. Galen Perdikis is a Professor and the G Patrick Maxwell Endowed Chair of the department of Plastic Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and was previously the Professor and Chair of the Division of Plastic Surgery at the Mayo College of Medicine in Jacksonville Florida. He completed medical school at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He trained in both South Africa and England, he completed a general surgery residency and research fellowship at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha Nebraska. He finished his training with a plastic surgery fellowship at Vanderbilt, where he has now returned for the last 8 years as Chair. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, President-Elect of the Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, a member of the editorial board for the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, and a previous member of the Board of Governors for ASPS PlastyPAC. He is a visiting professor for ASPS this year.

Your host, Dr. Puru Nagarkar, is a board-certified plastic and hand surgeon, and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

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In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. James Chang discusses his path into hand surgery, his approach to various common hand conditions, his version of awake hand surgery, how he helps his residents develop confidence and competence, the importance of building rapport with patients, the change in his career path over time, his involvement in global health, and the influences of his mentors.

Read a classic PRS Global Open article by Dr. Chang and his colleagues, "Modeling the Lifetime Impact of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Training: Implications for Building Capacity in Global Surgery": https://bit.ly/BldgGlobalCapacity_GOX

Dr. James Chang is the Chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Stanford University. He graduated from Yale medical school, and then completed a residency in plastic surgery at Stanford, followed by a hand fellowship at UCLA in Los Angeles. He is the past editor in chief of the yearbook of hand surgery, and an associate editor at multiple journals, including Hand, Microsurgery, the Journal of Hand Surgery, and the Annals of Plastic Surgery. He was the Royal College of Surgeons Foundation traveling fellow, and the 2006 Sterling Bunnell traveling fellow. He has been deeply involved at the American Society for Surgery of the hand, taking on the roles of research director, treasurer, and president. He has also been the vice chair of the Plastic surgery residency review committee, and the secretary and treasurer of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is also the CMO for Resurge International.

Your host, Dr. Puru Nagarkar, is a board-certified plastic and hand surgeon, and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

The views expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of ASPS.

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In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts podcast, Dr. Christopher Attinger discusses how to build a successful wound center, the benefits of including psychiatry in a wound care service, the importance of removing all indurated tissues during a debridement, why placing a skin graft on granulation tissue is actually a bad idea, the benefits of bypass surgery over angioplasty, how to know when Integra has good take, his go-to local flaps for the foot and ankle and why he doesn't like reverse sural flaps. He also discusses the nuances of performing a TMA and a BKA, why he never uses deep sutures in any wound closure, how TMR has been a game changer in his practice, the rating system for medial arterial calcinosis that predicts the risk of complications, and how he has structured the service to maximize resident education.

Read a classic PRS Global Open article by Dr. Attinger and his colleagues, "The Effect of Positive Postdebridement Cultures on Local Muscle Flap Reconstruction of the Lower Extremity": https://bit.ly/DebridementFXLE

Dr. Christopher Attinger is a Professor in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department at Georgetown University Medical Center, and the Director of the Center for Wound Healing at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam, as a lieutenant in the 82nd Airborne and the 101st Airborne divisions, and was honorably discharged with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He received his medical degree from Yale University, and then completed a residency in general surgery and fellowship in vascular surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and a plastic surgery residency and hand surgery fellowship at New York University. After completing his training, he joined the faculty at Georgetown, and has been there ever since. In 2007, Dr. Attinger started an annual limb salvage conference to bring together all the members of the limb salvage community to exchange ideas and innovations.

Your host, Dr. Puru Nagarkar, is a board-certified plastic and hand surgeon, and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

The views expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of ASPS.

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In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts podcast, Dr. Scott Hansen talks about his new role as Chair of Plastic Surgery at UCSF, his experience as a program director, and his leadership approach to resident training. He also shares insights on performing awake hand surgeries, his role as a team hand surgeon for the San Francisco Giants, and the unique considerations when treating hand injuries in professional athletes. Dr. Hansen explores the surprising differences between college women's basketball and Major League Baseball, how his practice of hand surgery has evolved, the field of spinoplastic surgery, and why he finds treating hidradenitis rewarding. He also reflects on the lessons he's learned from Drs. Steve Mathes, Neil Ford Jones, and Prosper Benhaim.

Read a recent PRS Global Open article by Dr. Hansen and his colleagues, "A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of Early Ambulation after Groin Reconstruction with Sartorius Muscle Flaps": https://bit.ly/WalkingAfterGroinRecon

Dr. Scott Hansen is a Professor, Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery, and the Program Director for the Plastic Surgery Residency at the University of California San Francisco. He also serves as the Chief of Hand and Microvascular surgery and the Director of the Microsurgery fellowship. He graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School, and then completed a Plastic Surgery residency and a post-doctoral research fellowship at UCSF followed by a Hand and Microvascular surgery fellowship at UCLA. He joined UCSF as full-time faculty, and recently became the Chief of the Division of plastic surgery there. He is the Hand and Microsurgery section editor for the Annals of Plastic Surgery. He is the team hand surgeon for the San Francisco Giants. He has remained involved in basic science research, with a focus in wound healing, hemangiomas, and limb development.

Your host, Dr. Puru Nagarkar, is a board-certified plastic and hand surgeon, and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

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In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts podcast, Dr. David Song discusses several key topics. He highlights the unique role that plastic surgeons can play as leaders within surgery and the broader medical system. Dr. Song emphasizes that being an excellent clinician with "street cred" is essential for effective leadership. He also talks about how to create and guide change effectively, and the importance of active listening in both surgery and patient care. Additionally, Dr. Song shares insights on preoperative and anesthetic modifications that can improve patient recovery after microsurgery. He explains why he always uses two separate venous systems in a DIEP flap and provides technical details on arterial anastomosis. He also discusses the latissimus immediate fat transfer flap for non-microsurgical autologous breast reconstruction. Finally, Dr. Song reflects on how being right and cultivating durable relationships can sometimes be at odds with each other.

Read a classic PRS Global Open article by Dr. Song and Dr. James Economides, "Latissimus Dorsi and Immediate Fat Transfer (LIFT) for Complete Autologous Breast Reconstruction:" https://bit.ly/LIFT_Breast_Recon_GOX

Dr. David Song is the Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, as well as a Professor and former Chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery, and the former Chief of Surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed residencies in general surgery and plastic surgery as well as a microsurgery fellowship at the University of Chicago, where he stayed on first as a faculty member, and then as the Chief of Plastic Surgery. He moved to Georgetown to become the Chair of Plastic Surgery in 2017, before recently moving into the role of Chief Medical Officer and VP of Medical Affairs. Among his many leadership roles in plastic surgery, he is a former President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, former Chair of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and current chair of the ACGME Plastic Surgery Residency Review Committee.

Your host, Dr. Puru Nagarkar, is a board-certified plastic and hand surgeon, and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

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In this "Giants in Plastic Surgery" episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Mohammad Al-Qattan shares his remarkable journey in plastic and hand surgery. From his early training in Canada as a Saudi national to overcoming the personal challenge of a multiple myeloma diagnosis, Dr. Al-Qattan reflects on the pioneering mentors who shaped his dedication to the craft. He also discusses how he balanced the demands of a high-pressure career with his personal life. This conversation provides a unique insight into the resilience, determination, and commitment that have defined Dr. Al-Qattan's distinguished career and his significant contributions to the field of hand surgery.

Read a recent classic PRS Global Open article by Dr. Al-Qattan and colleagues, "Open Surgical Excision of Dorsal Wrist Ganglia: Puncturing the Dome Reduces Surgery Time": https://bit.ly/WristGangliaAlQattan

Dr. Mohammad Al-Qattan is a distinguished plastic surgeon and one of the foremost experts in hand surgery. After completing his medical education at King Saud University, Dr. Al-Qattan went on to train in plastic surgery at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. During his residency, he received a special gift from his mentor, Professor Stranc, who instilled in him the principle of "Remember your roots." This message, along with the dedication to becoming a "fourth-generation plastic surgeon," has guided Dr. Al-Qattan throughout his esteemed career. His work has combined clinical practice with groundbreaking research, and he has published nearly 500 articles, primarily focused on hand surgery and basic science.

As he reflects on his career, Dr. Al-Qattan's journey has been marked by challenges and triumphs, including overcoming a battle with multiple myeloma. Today, he is regarded as a pioneer in Saudi Arabia's plastic and hand surgery fields, having earned numerous accolades, including an Honorary Fellowship from the American College of Surgeons. His legacy as a teacher, clinician, and researcher continues to inspire future generations of surgeons, as he seeks to pass on his knowledge and passion for combining clinical excellence with scientific inquiry to the next generation of hand surgeons.

Your host, Dr. Vimal Gokani, is a senior Specialty Registrar in plastic surgery in London, England. Your producer & editor, Charlene Kok, is a Year 3 Medical Student in Imperial College London, England, with a keen interest in Plastic Surgery.

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In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts, Dr. Michael Bentz discusses connecting with patients and building trust and rapport, the changes in pediatric plastic surgery over the last few decades, his approach to the syndactyly patient and the use of full thickness skin grafts, the nuances of placing upper and lower extremity splints in kids, teaching and giving feedback to residents, interviewing and selecting applicants for the residency program, what he considers to be a successful resident, and the lessons he learned from his mentors at PIttsburgh and Wisconsin.

Read a classic PRS Global Open article by Dr. Bentz and colleagues, "What Influences a Plastic Surgery Resident to Pursue an Academic Career?": https://bit.ly/PSAcadCareerInfluences_GOX

Dr. Michael Bentz is a Professor of Surgery, Pediatrics, and Neurosurgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, Wisconsin. He recently stepped down as the chief of the Division of Plastic after 24 years and continues to serve as the Vice Chair in the Department of Surgery.

A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Bentz completed medical school and a General Surgery residency at Temple University in Philadelphia, followed by a plastic surgery residency and a microvascular research fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He stayed on at Pitt and became the residency program director, but left for Wisconsin in 1999 and has remained a fixture at the University of Wisconsin for the last 25 years, building a broad reconstructive practice including pediatric hand surgery; cleft lip and palate surgery; and general reconstruction of the chest, abdominal wall, extremity and head and neck in adults and children.

Dr. Bentz has served as Chair of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, as an executive committee member for the Association of Academic Chairmen in Plastic Surgery, and has co-edited the two-volume book, Principles and Practice of Pediatric Plastic Surgery. He received the Honorary Citation Award from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in 2018.

Your host, Dr. Puru Nagarkar, is a board-certified plastic and hand surgeon, and Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

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In this "Giants in Plastic Surgery" episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, A. Lee Dellon discusses his journey through plastic surgery, from his early training at Johns Hopkins to his groundbreaking PhD research on nerve compression. Dr. Dellon discusses how his work in nerve regeneration, particularly in diabetic neuropathy, has shaped modern treatments for chronic pain. Dr. Dellon reflects on the mentors who inspired him, the challenges he's overcome, and his thoughts on the future of nerve compression treatment. This conversation is a deep dive into a career driven by innovation, compassion, and a relentless pursuit of healing.

Read a classic PRS Global Open article by Dr. Dellon and co-authors, "Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy in Leprosy: The Case for Nerve Decompression": https://bit.ly/NDinLeprosy

Dr. A. Lee Dellon is a renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon with an exceptional academic and clinical background. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its School of Medicine, Dr. Dellon completed extensive training, including a plastic surgery residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a hand surgery fellowship at the Raymond M. Curtis Hand Center. He is currently a Professor of Plastic Surgery and Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University and has received a PhD from the University of Utrecht for his groundbreaking research in nerve compression and diabetic neuropathy. Dr. Dellon is board-certified in plastic surgery and holds the Certificate of Added Qualifications in Hand Surgery.

With a research focus on neural regeneration, Dr. Dellon has made significant contributions to the treatment of nerve-related conditions, such as peripheral neuropathy, facial pain, and pelvic pain from pudendal nerve problems. He has received 23 national research awards, authored over 450 peer-reviewed articles, and written seven books, including his latest, Pain Solutions. A founding member of the American Society for Peripheral Nerve and past president of the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery, Dr. Dellon also directs the Dellon Institutes for Peripheral Nerve Surgery in Baltimore and Henderson, Nevada. His work continues to advance the field of nerve surgery and improve the lives of patients suffering from chronic pain.

Your host, Dr. Vimal Gokani, is a senior Specialty Registrar in plastic surgery in London, England. Your producer & editor, Charlene Kok, is a Year 3 Medical Student in Imperial College London, England, with a keen interest in Plastic Surgery.

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