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COV ER FE AT UR E S I N C E 1 9 9 6 , S U R G E O N S a t Westchester Medical Center performed more than 400 liver transplants. In the past three years, expert physicians from across the globe have strengthened the program and built a multidisciplinary transplant team ensuring optimum patient care. In 2011, Youmin Wu, MD, accepted the position of Chief of Intra-Abdominal Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery. The inventor of the cavaplasty procedure, Dr. Wu is responsible for worldwide improved outcomes following liver transplant surgery. "I came to bring this program to a new level," says Dr. Wu, who is also Professor of Surgery at New York Medical College. "We are building a world-class liver transplant program at Westchester Medical Center and hope to achieve recognition as a Center of Excellence." So far, Dr. Wu is accomplishing his goals. During his first year at Westchester Medical Center, liver transplant patients had a 100 percent survival rate for one year following surgery. Overall, the program's one-year survival rate has averaged 96 per- cent, while the three-year survival rate is about 95 percent, Dr. Wu says. Nationally, about 86 percent of patients survive one year after liver transplant surgery. In 2012, Thomas Diflo, MD, FACS, joined Dr. Wu. Dr. Diflo, Surgical Director of Renal Transplantation at Westchester Medical Center and Professor of Surgery at New York Medical College, has researched the prevention of transplant rejection and held numerous teaching appointments. "When I was contacted about the program, I was excited," Dr. Diflo says. "Westchester Medical Center puts a great deal of institutional support behind its transplant program, and I felt that I could really help them out." I n Ju l y 2 01 3 , Gre g or y R o b er t Veillette, MD, transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon and Assistant Professor of Surgery at New York Medical Center, joined the program as its third transplant surgeon. Fresh from a multi-organ transplant STAFFED BY EXPERIENCED PHYSICIANS, THE PROGRAM TAKES A TEAM APPROACH TO PERFORMANCE, EFFICIENCY AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, KEEPING PATIENTS ALIVE. Westchester Medical Center's Liver Transplant Program: First Year under New Leadership Leads to 100 Percent One-Year Survival Rate Multidisciplinary rounds to discuss patients occur each morning. Members from all areas of the Westchester Medical Center are involved, including, surgery, hepatobiliary, nephrology, pharmacy, dietary, social work and nursing. By Jennifer Webster 6 | Mid Hudson MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M