CU Anschutz Department of Surgery Top Stories of 2025

With more than 70 stories showcasing the incredible work across the Department of Surgery’s eight divisions, our newsroom in 2025 had something for everyone. Whether it was inspiring patient journeys, groundbreaking research breakthroughs, or explorations of trending health topics, this year brought countless moments to remember. As we close out 2025, we celebrate the top 10 most-viewed stories that defined the year.

Take a look back at our top stories from 2025.

1. What Men Can Learn From Alex Singleton’s Testicular Cancer Diagnosis

Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton was diagnosed with testicular cancer from a random NFL drug test. Nicholas Cost, MD, associate professor of urology in the CU Anschutz Department of Surgery, discusses how testicular cancer is diagnosed and treated.

→ Q&A with Nicholas Cost, MD

2. CU Surgeon Removes Bladder Cancer from Coach Prime

Janet Kukreja, MD, director of urologic oncology and associate professor of urology in the CU Anschutz Department of Surgery, is one of a small group of surgeons in the U.S. who not only perform robotic removal of the entire cancerous bladder - called a radical cystectomy - but also robotic reconstruction of the organ.

→ Pioneering bladder cancer research

3. When Do I Need Thyroid Surgery?

Christopher Raeburn, MD, associate professor of GI, trauma, and endocrine surgery, dives into surgical conditions that can affect the thyroid, like hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer.

→ Thyroid awareness

4. A New Approach to Managing Pain Could Help Reduce Opioid Use After Surgery

One in eight patients without a history of opioid use are still using prescription painkillers 90 days after surgery. Jessica, Rove, MD, associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery, and Daewon Park, PhD, associate professor of bioengineering at CU Denver, developed a chest tube coated with lidocaine to gradually release the numbing treatment over time to create a controlled, seven-day release.

→ Innovation to reduce opioid use

5. Muhammad Aftab, MD, and Neel Butala, MD, Delivering Lifesaving TAVR Heart Valve Procedure at Rocky Mountain Regional VA Eastern Colorado

The life-threatening heart condition aortic stenosis can be treated with a minimally invasive procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), which was recently approved for patients at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center. Muhammad Aftab, MD, associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery, and Neel Butala, MD, assistant professor of cardiology, worked with the VA to make TAVR accessible. 

→ Treatment for arterial stenosis

6. CU Resident Studies Factors That Lead Cancer Patients to Remain for Treatment After Getting a Second Opinion

Many cancer patients seek second opinions, but what drives them to stay with the new provider? Alec McCranie, MD, first-year resident in the CU Anschutz Department of Surgery, examined patient, disease, and treatment factors linked to retention among those pursuing second surgical opinions for breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers.

→ Ways providers can improve patient retention

7. Appendix Cancer Cases on the Rise in People Younger Than 50

The research portfolio at the CU Department of Surgery has expanded with the recent arrival of Jessica C. Cardenas, PhD, a researcher who is studying mechanisms of and therapeutics to prevent thrombotic and inflammatory complications — such as blood clots — in patients with traumatic injuries and acute critical illness.

→ New research on appendix cancer

8. New Device and Surgical Techniques Help CU Surgeons Diagnose and Treat Lymphedema After Breast Cancer Surgery

The CU Anschutz Department of Surgery has introduced the SOZO Digital Health Platform, a cutting-edge tool designed to detect lymphedema. Using bioimpedance technology, it compares the water content in healthy versus affected limbs. The process is simple: Patients stand on the device like a scale, rest their hands on sensor pads, and receive results within seconds.

→ Benefits of the SOZO Digital Health Platform

9. ECMO and a Transplant Quieted the 'Electrical Storm' in Mark Musil's Heart

When Mark Musil was prescribed a new heart medication after a diagnosis of a minor blockage, he thought the worst was behind him. After Musil passed out repeatedly, CU Anschutz Department of Surgery doctors diagnosed him with ventricular tachycardia, or an "electrical storm."

→ Patient story

10. CU Anschutz Research Fellow Takes First-Place Honors for Method of Preventing Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients

Kenneth Meza Monge, MD, a research fellow in The CU Anschutz Department of Surgery, took first place in the New Investigator Competition at the 48th Annual Conference on Shock in Boston. This is the first-ever victory for the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine in this prestigious contest. 

→ A new way to prevent postoperative delirium in elderly patients