Department of Surgery News and Stories

When Lauren Steward, MD, was 5, her parents presented her with three career options: doctor, lawyer, or engineer.

Rachel Sauer | February 23, 2023

Gallstones are one of the most common problems affecting Americans and are more common the older you get. When gallstones get stuck in the bile ducts, they can cause the gallbladder to back up with bile and become inflamed, often leading to a cholecystectomy, or removal of the organ altogether.

Greg Glasgow | February 14, 2023

Comedian Bob Saget’s death on January 9 was a shock to fans who loved him as Danny Tanner on “Full House” or for his stand-up comedy, and to those who admired and respected him as a colleague.

Rachel Sauer | February 10, 2022

Two general surgery residents at the University of Colorado School of Medicine — Margot DeBot, MD, and TJ Schaid, MD — placed first and second, respectively, in the District 8 regional competition for the 2022 American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma Paper Competition in early December. DeBot and Schaid are both T32 NIH research fellows in the CU Trauma Lab.

Greg Glasgow | December 17, 2021

Over the past five decades, childhood overweight and obesity has transitioned from public health concern to public health crisis. In 1971, 5.2% of U.S. children ages 2 to 19 were experiencing obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a number that increased to 19.3% by 2018.

Rachel Sauer | September 30, 2021

Last month, the University of Colorado Burn Center underwent the American Burn Association (ABA) Survey, a verification process that occurs every three years. The Burn Center has achieved continual verification since its first ABA Survey in 1998, and that trend continues this year. The Burn Center received its verification confirmation on May 19, 2021, to continue through April 2024.  

Valerie Gleaton | June 03, 2021

Fredric Pieracci, MD, MPH/MSPH, an associate professor in the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Surgery, is the senior author on a new paper published in Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases that details the results of a public health initiative to provide affordable bariatric surgery to uninsured Denver County residents.  

Valerie Gleaton | April 28, 2021

Trapped by a fire in her Aurora apartment building, Alina Miller was forced to jump from a fourth-story window to escape the flames. The fall left her with a broken back and a crushed foot.

Department of Surgery | January 09, 2019

Alina Miller jumped from a four-story building to escape a fire. Luckily she lived near the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) Emergency Department, where experienced trauma doctors treated her injuries. With its years-long track record treating trauma patients, UCH in October 2018 earned a Level 1 trauma center designation for its combination of resources, research, and education.

Front Porch | January 01, 2019

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the American College of Surgeons have designated UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital a Level I trauma center, making it one of only five hospitals in the state with the highest capabilities for trauma care.

Department of Surgery | October 12, 2018