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Research Projects in Plastic Surgery

Faculty Research Projects

Cori Agarwal, MD

  • Review article for Adolescent Transgender Surgery (with Dana Johns)
  • Transgender (chest and face) chapter in Neligan book (with Dana Johns)
  • Chest Masculinization Chapter, Atlas of Operative Techniques in GAS. Elsevier, 
  • Evaluation of QOL, mental health, gender dysphoria before and after medical and surgical interventions.
  • Multi-Institutional Transregistry for gender affirming Vaginoplasty- Utah, OHSU, NYU
  • Multi-Institutional study evaluating the value of standardized Peer Support in outcomes in gender affirming bottom surgery (STRIVE)
  • Sperm Preservation Education, Protocols, and Best Practices for TransWomen undergoing hormonal or surgical transition, specific to FDA regulations
  • Mood Disorders in Plastic Surgery Patients (with Cindy Matsen)

Jay Agarwal, MD

  • Peripheral nerve regeneration in lab with rats 
  • DOD study with Wound VAC and percutaneous devices 
  • Bone scaffold- VA funded- need residents for surgeries
  • Gilead grant- database for veterans with COVID and outcomes 

Courtney Crombie, MD

  • IRB bias on interview dates and correlation to rank list submission
  • Fat grafting to the hand – hand Q before and after, one surgeon’s experience 
  • Disposable devise for measuring breast volume on surgical table and clinic, design, patent discussions 
  • Various opportunities update ICD-10 and CPT codes, plastic surgery specific smart phrases, notes and orders at VA
  • Plastic Surgery advocacy paper
  • Body Contouring after massive weight loss
  • Google Trends Surrounding Plastic Surgery 

Barbu Gociman MD, PhD

  • Rabbit/ pig bone study using CT/3-D printing 
  • Basic science project- craniofacial non syndrome early mutation days after conception 
  • Use of Dermaclose in large pediatric wounds
  • Modifications to the Whistle flap procedure for correction of secondary cleft lip deformities Milestones/timeline- abstract written and submitted to Mountain West
  • A simple surgical solution for functional improvement of giant facial vascular malformation with lip involvement
  • Frontofacial reconstruction technique modification with preservation of blood supply to the monobloc segment
  • 2-Stage Premaxillary Setback and Primary Cheiloplasty Using a Custom Stabilizing Oral Splint Allows Safe and Extensive Primary Rhinoplasty
  • Multimodal Management of Facial Keloid with Tissue Expansion, Excision, and Injection of 5-FU and Triamcinolone
  • A simple surgical solution for functional improvement of giant facial vascular malformation with lip involvement
  • Concomitant alveolar and hard palate cleft bone grafting technique
  • Post Nasal Stents in cleft lip repair revisited
  • Molding device for ear molding

Christopher Goodenough, MD, MPH

  • Outcomes of nailbed repair 

Isak Goodwin, MD

  • Anatomical nerve study on glans penis for MTF bottom surgery 
  • The effect of fascial plication on intraabdominal pressure and lower extremity venous flow during abdominoplasty (bladder pressures?)
  • Evaluation of Donor Site Morbidity in Radial Forearm Phalloplasty: Volume, POSAS, Q-DASH
  • Transfeminine Gender Affirming Genital Surgery Revision Techniques
  • Vaginal Preservation in Shaft-Only Phalloplasty: Y-to-V Advancement Technique for Clitoral Hood Redundancy and Reduction Labiaplasty  

Greg Hobson, DO

  • Review of COVID impact on breast reconstruction utilizing NSQIP data  
  • Case series of Fleur de Lis - DIEP autologous breast reconstruction 
  • Database review for revision rates for breast reconstruction, autologous vs implant based  
  • Lower Extremity database creation for outcome evaluation 
  • Review of tissue expander infections and their timing for pre pectoral no ADM reconstructions 
  • Standardization of antibacterial techniques for TE placement and following prospective Infectious outcomes  

Dana Johns, MD

  • Effect of preoperative education for Lefort I ostetomy with halo distraction on post operative pain control and patient/parent satisfaction (with Siddiqi/Gociman/Yamashiro)
  • Prevalence of spontaneous bone formation after hard palate cleft repair 
  • Review article for Adolescent Transgender Surgery (with Cori Agarwal)
  • Post Operative Nasal Stents after primary cleft lip rhinoplasty
  • Another chapter with Dr. Cori Agarwal  

Alvin Kwok, MD, MPH

  • Randomized Feasibility Trial for Mesh in Pre-Pectoral Reconstruction
  • Patient Focused Patient Education Video for Prescription Opioid Drug Use after Surgery (with Dr. Agarwal)
  • Factors associated with free flap thrombosis following breast reconstruction
  • Associations between SIEV and DIEV size and flap superficial dominance (with Dr. Hobson)
  • CMS Medicare- Plastic Surgery Reimbursements over time
  • Multi-institutional Breast Reconstruction Database (with Dr. Agarwal)
  • All Payers Claims Database – Opioid related use (with Dr. Agarwal)
  • MarketScan Database – Evaluating the number of revision surgeries after tissue based and implant based breast reconstruction (with Dr. Agarwal)
  • HCUP Database – Evaluating the number of revision surgeries after tissue based and implant based breast reconstruction (with Dr. Agarwal)
  • NCCPA (National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants) Dabatase – Characteristics of physician assistants in Plastic Surgery (with Dr. Agarwal)
  • Utah All Payer Claims Database (APCD) longitudinal study, high-cost utilizers over time (with Dr. Agarwal)
  • Outcomes of Lower Extremity Reconstruction using Free Flaps using HCUP data

W. Bradford Rockwell, MD

  • Effect of abdominoplasty on gait and posture with Dr. Crombie
  • Pachyonichia 
  • Arteriogram and anatomical comparison of hand blood flow in scleroderma patients. 
  • On line plastic surgery resident teaching curriculum for West Africa
  • PhD level project for hand model, hopefully several papers with this-presented at engineering meeting in November – one article accepted 
  • Comparing Plastic Surgery training in US and Ghana- Moss working on it      

Fatma Tuncer, MD

  • Pilot study for prophylactic LVB in melanoma patients (Hyngstrom) 
  • Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction for the Prevention of Cancer-Related Lymphedema: Preliminary Experience of a Single Center 
  • The Role of Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix (BTM) in Staged Reconstruction of Melanoma and Other Skin Cancer Defects (Asare) 
  • Qualitative analysis of American Indian perceptions of breast reconstruction 
  • Comparison of vasodilator effect of lidocaine and papaverine on human arteries. (Vascular research lab) 
  • The effect of immediate and video feedback on microsurgical skills acquisition    

Duane Yamashiro, DDS

  • Rescue - A Novel Pin-Retained NAM Expander  
  • Stage Premaxillary Setback and Primary Cheiloplasty Using a Custom Stabilizing Oral Splint Allows Safe and Extensive Primary Rhinoplasty