American College of Surgeons – Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter Most Interesting Cases 2023

On Wednesday, May 31, 2023, the SWPA Chapter of the American College of Surgeons hosted its annual Most Interesting Case Presentations. Members of the ACS-SWPA and their guests, and students and residents from local programs met again at Monterey Bay Fish Grotto for networking, dinner, and a fun competition.

(In photo left to right: Richard Fortunato, DO, FACS, Chapter President, Michael Paolini, MD, 1st Place Winner, Sarah Burki, MD, 2nd Place, Sowmya Narayanan, MD, PhD 3rd Place, and Ari Reichstein, MD, FACS, Program Chair)

This annual program hosts interesting case presentations by surgical residents from area training programs. Twelve cases were submitted and the top five were selected for discussion at the event. Resident presenters included: Michael Paolini, MD, Department of General Surgery, UPMC Mercy Hospital presented “Cholecysto-colonic fistula causing gallstone ileus”. Brett Szeligo, MD, Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Allegheny Health Network presented “An Unusual Case of Complicated Diverticulitis with Mediastinal Air”. Shinichiro Yokota, MD, PhD, Department of General Surgery, Allegheny General Hospital presented “Eosinophilic gastritis in adults complicated by gastric ulcer perforation”. Sarah Burki, MD, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Allegheny General Hospital presented “Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy After Liver Transplant” and Sowmya Narayanan, MD, PhD, Department of General Surgery, UPMC Presbyterian presented “The tall tales of a tailgut cyst”.

Richard Fortunato, DO, FACS, Chapter President and Ari Reichstein, MD, FACS, Program Chair served as moderators and judges for the evening’s event. Michael Paolini, MD received 1st place for his most interesting case; followed 2nd place awarded to Sarah Burki, MD and 3rd place awarded to Sowmya Narayanan, MD, PhD. Congratulations to Dr. Paolini and to all presenters.

The ACS-SWPA Chapter looks forward to hosting its Surgical Jeopardy for the second year in the fall. Members will be notified in late summer with details. Members are asked to contact Eileen Taylor, chapter administrator by email to [email protected] for questions regarding their member status. Physicians interested in joining the society may also contact Ms. Taylor or visit the ACS-SWPA website at https://acs-swpa.org/.