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Official page of the Columbia University Department of Surgery.
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11/12/2025

Too many New Yorkers miss life-saving screenings because of barriers like distance and access. But the city’s first mobile lung cancer screening van is bringing prevention to the street level.

Inside the 40-foot van, you can receive a low-dose CT scan, same-day results, and connections to follow-up care.

In the words of Lung Screening Program Coordinator, NP Desiree Darrisaw, “Screening is the most effective when people don’t have symptoms. Our goal is simple, to catch disease early and make sure no one falls through the cracks.”

Learn more about NYC’s first mobile screening program and who may qualify for annual scans at the link in bio.

11/11/2025

Today, on Veterans Day, we honor those who have served and those who continue to serve long after military life ends.

This story comes to us from West Point Magazine: When Army vet Lisa Schenck was diagnosed with an aggressive bile duct cancer, her husband, retired Army aviator James Schenck, searched for a surgeon with not only the skill, but the determination to take on a complex, high-risk liver resection.

He found Dr. Jason Hawksworth, a fellow West Point graduate, combat-deployed Army surgeon, and now Chief of Hepatobiliary Surgery .

Three lives shaped by service. And Lisa is now back to her work and life, recovering with strength. And this Veterans Day, we honor not just those who served in uniform, but also the ways that service continues—in care, in resilience, in showing up for one another.

Link in bio to read the story.

Photos courtesy of West Point Magazine/Jason Hawksworth, MD.
1. Dr. Hawksworth served on active duty for 11 years, and earned the Combat Medical Badge in 2015.
2. Then-1LT James Schenck and then-CPT Lisa Thibault stationed at Camp Stanley in South Korea.
3. Dr. Hawksworth, Lisa and James Schenck at a follow-up visit.

10/29/2025

You might not know Bernard Maisner by name, but you’ve almost certainly seen his hand.

The world-renowned calligrapher’s lettering has graced weddings, art galleries, and movie screens alike. His penmanship even stood in for Johnny Depp’s in Pirates of the Caribbean and Daniel Day-Lewis’s in The Age of Innocence.

“I like to say that I’m an actor from my shoulder down,” jokes Maisner. “In Sleepy Hollow with Tim Burton, I got to play Johnny Depp’s hand, plus a nobleman and a farmer. Three different costumes, three different handwriting styles.”

Maisner has spent a lifetime shaping beauty and precision through ink and motion. But when his own rhythm faltered, and walking up stairs became a challenge, he needed a procedure to restore blood flow to his heart. That’s when his neighbor recommended cardiac surgeon Dr. Craig Smith.

“The surgery was a resounding success,” Maisner says. “All the tests showed that the heart muscle itself had no damage whatsoever. It was just bad plumbing.”

At their first meeting, Maisner gave Dr. Smith a note in his signature flourished script. “He really studied it,” Maisner says. “Taking the time, studying the calligraphy, giving it his full attention. I found that remarkable and beautiful.”

At the end of that year, Maisner mailed a thank-you note, on his own hand painted retail collection. To his surprise, Dr. Smith wrote back.

“If someone sends me a note, I write them back; I try to make sure I never miss someone,” Dr. Smith says. But with Maisner, the effort put in alone was impossible to miss. “The beautiful calligraphy, the envelopes, the cards… it really is a memorable experience to receive something like that.”

The two have exchanged letters ever since. They’ve bonded over books, artwork, and sharing updates about their work and families.

Two craftsmen, artists of different orders, bound by precision, gratitude, and the art of care itself. Read the full story at the link in our bio. And scroll through to see just a few of Maisner’s beautiful letters.

10/28/2025

From big data to bold ideas, brought together some of the brightest minds shaping the future of heart care.

Highlights included the PREVUE-Valve study, led by Dr. David Cohen with ’s Dr. Michael Brener as first author, revealing that valve disease affects 1 in 12 older adults—many without knowing it. Early detection could change that.

And long-term results from the PARTNER 3 trial, chaired by Dr. Martin Leon, continue to redefine the standard for TAVR and patient quality of life.

Beyond the research, is always about collaboration, mentorship, and the shared commitment to improving patient outcomes.

Here are just a few snaps from this year’s meeting. Link in bio to read more.

09/17/2025

When Ethan was born, his stomach and intestines were outside his body, a birth defect called gastroschisis. After an emergency c-section, doctors moved quickly, and within a day, everything was back inside.

His mom, Jeanine, remembers hearing only his cry before he was whisked away. “They told me I had a really strong baby because he tolerated it so well. He barely cried.”

Ethan spent months in the NICU with lines in his arms, legs, and even his head. There were infections, food allergies, and setbacks. But he kept fighting.

Today, Ethan is ten. He loves science, teaches his classmates about anatomy, and takes care of his little sister, Aria. His name means “brave,” a perfect match for the life he’s lived from the very beginning.

Read Ethan’s story at the link in bio, and check out his story through photos here.

09/10/2025

Columbia Surgery is now at NewYork-Presbyterian The One in White Plains.

Our surgeons are bringing world-class expertise and advanced treatments to a brand-new outpatient setting, complete with operating and endoscopy suites, concierge coordination, valet parking, and more.
From hernia repair and weight loss surgery to liver transplant, breast, vascular, thoracic, and beyond, patients in Westchester now have access to surgeons, close to home.

📍 1111 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY
➖Link in bio for more information➖

09/08/2025

An altruistic living donor offered part of their liver to someone they had never met, and that gift set off a remarkable chain.

The first recipient’s liver—though unsuitable for them due to a rare metabolic disorder—was otherwise healthy. Surgeons split it in two, and those grafts were transplanted into two more patients.

In a single day, across four operating rooms and 15 hours, one living donation became three lives saved.
This first-of-its-kind procedure for adults in the U.S. combined decades of transplant expertise, robotic donor surgery, and the meticulous surgical dance of a multidisciplinary team. But at its heart, it’s about the courage of one donor and the resilience of three patients who now have a future.

Link in bio to read the story ✨
Photos courtesy of NewYork-Presbyterian

09/03/2025

Is it cute? Is it mini? Is it maybe just a little creepy? It’s the model hospital ward that sent to the Paris Expo of 1900.

Oh, how state-of-the-art evolves. 🏥

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161 Fort Washington Avenue
New York, NY
10032

Website

https://columbiasurgery.org/

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