Overview

GI Surgery

Christopher DuCoin MD, MPH, FASMBS, FSAGES, FACS

Welcome to the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery

Our division is composed of active clinical and academic entity focusing on complex surgical care. As we continue to grow over the coming years, we are committed to pursuing excellence in patient care, education, and research. The core of our group is composed of surgeons specialized in foregut surgery (esophageal & gastric), abdominal wall reconstruction and hernia, and bariatric surgery and advanced surgical endoscopy.

Christopher DuCoin MD, MPH, FASMBS, FSAGES, FACS
Division Chief

About Our Division

The Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery is comprised of fellowship trained surgeons who collaborate closely with gastroenterology, oncology, radiation oncology, vascular, and colorectal surgery. We offer the standard minimally invasive approach (laparoscopic surgery) yet we are also leaders in the field for robotic surgery and endoscopic surgery (transoral incisionless surgery). With robotic surgery, our surgeons boast a laundry-list of ‘first’ procedures in the Tampa Bay region.

Within Tampa General Hospital (TGH) we are part of and function as the Digestive Diseases Institute (DDI), and according to US News & World Report, the DDI is #1 in the state of Florida and #19 in the country.

Our faculty's diversity and expertise in clinical and research stimulate and promote applications of novel therapies for complex situations. Some highlights of current activities are mentioned below.

Centers & Programs

Our Center for Esophageal Disorders is the busiest in the state of Florida and recently ranked #1 with the US News and World Report. We treat every esophageal pathology, from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Barrett’s Esophagus to Esophageal Cancer. This is done in close collaboration with the USF Health Joy McCann Culverhouse Center for Swallowing. This partnership with world-renowned gastroenterologists provides us the ability to quickly diagnose which leads to an earlier treatment plan. We were also awarded one of the first Foregut Fellowship programs by the Fellowship Council, allowing us the opportunity to train future surgeons.
The Section of Bariatric Surgery stakes the claim at being the busiest robotic academic bariatric program in the state of Florida. The program is comprised of surgical, medical, and endoscopic treatment options. The surgical robotics program offers all types of surgery, from standard gastric sleeve and bypass, to duodenal-switch procedures. Recently this team performed weight loss surgery on a heart failure patient who has now lost enough weight that he is finally listed for a transplant. The Endoscopic Program is cutting-edge and offers a litany of procedures that can not be done surgically.
The Center for Abdominal Wall Surgery & Complex Hernia Repair offers a variety of treatment options for the hernia pathology, such as, robotic, laparoscopic, open hernia repair, abdominal wall surgery, component separation, and totally extraperitoneal approaches.

Our Center also assists in patients suffering from chronic pain following previous hernia procedures. We can assist in both conservative treatments for chronic pain, such as nerve injections, to surgical interventions such as nerve resections.

Most importantly, we evaluate the patients’ medical history, surgical history, imaging, post-operative goals, and the need for preoperative optimization and create a care-plan tailored to each patient’s specific situation.

All of our surgeons in the Center for Abdominal Wall Surgery & Complex Hernia participate in the ACHQC (Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative).
The Neurogastroenterology & Motility Center is committed to diagnosing, treating, and researching lower GI motility disorders. Our world-class program is led by a team of highly-skilled and extensively trained experts, encompassing gastroenterologists, GI surgeons, psychologists, and dieticians. As part of the region's largest academic medical center, we collaborate closely with various specialized care teams within USF Health, including pelvic floor physical therapists, to provide a patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach to care.

Continuing Education

Whether teaching medical students at the university, educating residents on rounds, sharing findings with colleagues, or offering continuing medical education courses to community providers, our faculty are engaged in and dedicated to the daily teaching opportunities afforded by academic medicine. The division has fellowship programs in Foregut and Bariatric GI Surgery. Our Foregut program is one of the first in the country to be accredited with the Fellowship Council. In addition, the division hosts a dozen students (high school to graduate school) each summer in internships to help introduce them to and interest them in careers in medicine and medical research.

Research

Our growing research achievements continue to reflect our clinical focus and to improve our services. SORT (Surgery Outcomes Research Team) runs within the Division of GI Surgery. At any one time we have fifty plus members consisting of medical students and residents working together on a plethora of research projects. Through our basic science work we bring investigative innovations to the clinical forefront, providing the therapies of tomorrow to our patients today. Special recognition has been achieved by many of our clinical programs, augmented by our basic science and scholarly work, and the division boasts a significant number of peer-reviewed publications.

Contact Us

Educational Programs

If you are interested in our educational programs, please contact:

Christopher DuCoin MD, MPH, FASMBS, FSAGES, FACS

Contact Dr. DuCoin

Program Inquiries

For program inquiries, please contact:

Sean Gill
Residency/Fellowship Program Administrator

Contact Sean Gill