Laparoscopic surgery has grown exponentially over the past 20 years, and all of the surgeons in the department perform select procedures laparoscopically. Dr. Kehdy’s practice focuses on complex laparoscopic foregut procedures including paraesophageal hernia repairs, Heller myotomy, and magnetic sphincter augmentation of the lower esophageal sphincter. Drs. Jorden and Farmer have an established practice of laparoscopic and robotic colorectal surgery for both benign and malignant disease. The Division of Surgical Oncology performs laparoscopic hepatectomy and pancreatectomy. Transplant surgeons now are doing of their living-related donors' nephrectomies laparoscopically. The Department of Surgery had always been a national leader in interventional endoscopy with Dr. Gary Vitale. The advent of Per Oral Endoscopic surgery for the treatment of achalasia and delayed gastric emptying has been adopted by the department and is now part of its training program.

Our faculty members' expertise and practice have enhanced the resident and student exposure to inflammatory bowel disease, fecal incontinence, primary and recurrent colorectal cancer, as well common anorectal problems. This has led to development of a one-year accredited fellowship in Colorectal Surgery. We offer one-on-one interaction between the faculty and the fellow, as well as exposure to all aspects of treatment of colorectal disease including complex tertiary referral re-operative surgery, endoscopy, laparoscopy, anorectal surgery and physiology. Research in this area also has grown tremendously, and the success of these efforts has resulted in the development of the Digestive Surgery Research Laboratory. Research fellowships positions are available. Three fellows over the past five years have obtained PhD degrees during their research fellowship. Research opportunities for medical and undergraduate students also are available.

The Trauma Service is one of the foremost programs in the country. The Trauma/Critical Care Fellowship Program continues to thrive despite a national decline in physician interest in trauma surgery as a career. Our nationally recognized training program offers a one- or two-year postgraduate training program in Trauma, Burn, Emergency General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care. The Surgical Critical Care program is accredited by the American Board of Surgery. Numerous fellows have completed the program and are in academic trauma surgery throughout the country. Department of Surgery physicians are an integral part of the Trauma Institute at University Hospital - the region's only Level I Trauma Center and Burn Center. Specialized care, services, equipment and staff stand ready to treat serious trauma injuries. Admitting more than 2,400 trauma patients per year in addition to emergency general surgery patients, the Trauma Service holds true to the original concept as an emergency surgery service that began more than 60 years ago. The majority of these patients are blunt trauma patients (80 percent), and nearly 60 percent come from the scene, most from the metropolitan Louisville area. The remaining 40 percent of patients are transferred from more than 70 referring hospitals in the region. The Trauma Center facilities include 14 trauma/surgical ICU beds, five burn beds, 24-hour dedicated operating room, 49 critical care beds and outpatient clinics. The Burn Unit features five intensive care treatment beds and is the area's only adult burn unit in the state.