LaparoscopicGallbladderRemovalCholecystectomy near Elmhurst, NY

Care Philosophy: My approach to patient care involves carefully listening to a patient's history and concerns. I encourage input from parents and devote time to educating families about the child's condition. With thoughtful consideration to the presenting symptoms, I proceed with focused testing as part of a guided workup. When surgery is indicated, I thoroughly review the risks, benefits, and alternatives to operative treatment. I then actively communicate the findings and plans with the primary pediatricians so all members of the provider team are up to date.

Care Philosophy: It is my priority to treat every patient with a personalized and compassionate approach, while striving to offer state-of-the-art treatment options for complex endocrine and general surgical diseases. Understanding the importance of delivering thorough and timely care, I provide diagnostic services during your initial surgical consultation, including neck ultrasound, fine needle aspiration biopsy, and flexible laryngoscopy. If surgery is necessary, I offer minimally-invasive surgical approaches such as laparoscopic and robotic techniques in order to minimize post-operative pain, scarring, and length of hospitalization. Using a multidisciplinary approach to treat these complex diseases, I work closely with colleagues in endocrinology, oncology, gastroenterology, radiology, and pathology to integrate medical and surgical treatment options, as well as to orchestrate attentive long-term follow-up. Lastly, I deeply value advancing diagnostic and treatment quality for patients.

Care Philosophy: I relate well to children of all ages in a non-threatening way. I will explain your child's condition in terms you can understand, and I will make sure that you understand all of the treatment options, including non-surgical options. I will answer all of your questions, and will make myself available to you, if you should have more questions after you leave. You will leave my office feeling educated and empowered. I will offer your child the latest in minimally invasive techniques, with minimal pain and scarring, and faster recovery. I love my patients and treat them as if they were my own, and I take pride in my craft.

Care Philosophy: We are committed to delivering the best care and an exceptional patient experience. We are devoted to providing services that are patient-centered and compassionate, and care for you as a person.

Biography: Dr. Angela Kadenhe-Chiweshe completed her M.D. degree at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. She entered a categorical general surgery residency at the University of Rochester where her interest in pediatric surgery was solidified. In 2001 she joined the Pediatric Tumor Biology Laboratory as a postdoctoral research fellow under the tutelage of Drs. Jessica Kandel and Darrell Yamashiro. During this time she studied the effects of anti-angiogenic therapy in experimental models of pediatric solid tumors. This work led to key discoveries of how these tumors respond to anti-angiogenic therapy and served as important preclinical data for the Phase II studies for Avastin® (bevacizumab). She also concurrently completed a clinical fellowship in Extra-Corporal Membrane Oxygenation with Dr. Charles Stolar. She went on to complete her general surgery training at Columbia University in 2007, and followed with a clinical fellowship in Pediatric Surgery at the Morgan Stanley Children's' Hospital of New York Presbyterian, in 2009. Dr. Chiweshe joined the faculty of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, as Assistant Professor of Surgery in July 2009 until her departure in June 2018, when she briefly joined the Faculty of the Department of Surgery at Westchester Medical Center. Dr. Chiweshe's clinical interests include all aspects of general and thoracic pediatric surgery: in particular, neonatal anomalies, intestinal rehabilitation, hepatobiliary disease, pediatric cancer and vascular anomalies. Dr. Chiweshe's academic interests lie in the field of clinical and translational research. She served as co-PI of the Pediatric Tumor Biology Lab at Columbia, working alongside her mentor Dr. Yamashiro to elucidate the response of the tumor microenvironment of experimental models of pediatric solid tumors to NOTCH inhibition and high dose radiation. She has received grant funding from various sources, throughout her career, including NIH, Pediatric Cancer Foundation, and other institutional and philanthropic sources. Dr. Kadenhe-Chiweshe is a highly respected mentor and teacher, and has served as a role model to many students, residents, and fellows.Dr. Chiweshe is a Fellow of American College of Surgeons, a member of the American Pediatric Surgical Association, Children's Oncology Group, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has been recognized by Castle Connolly as one of "America's Top Doctors".

Biography: Dr. Winchell is an internationally renowned expert in care of the critically injured and the development, design, and operation of trauma systems. He is the G. Thomas Shires II Professor of Surgery, Professor of Medical Ethics in Medicine, and Chief of the Division of Trauma, Burns, Acute and Critical Care at Weill Cornell Medicine. He heads one of the leading Level 1 trauma centers in New York City and oversees the internationally recognized William Randolph Hearst Burn Center.Dr. Winchell received his undergraduate degree at the California Institute of Technology, his M.D. from Yale University, and did his internship, General Surgery residency, and Trauma and Critical Care Fellowship at the University of California, San Diego. He is board certified in general surgery, with added qualifications in surgical critical care. He served on the faculty at UCSD as Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery until 1999, and prior to joining Weill Cornell, he was a Visiting Professor of Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and Chief of Trauma at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center.Dr. Winchell is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, currently serving as Governor for the Manhattan Council Chapter. He served on the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma for over 20 years, in various roles including Chair of the Trauma Systems Evaluation and Planning Committee, member of the Executive Committee, and Special Consultant for International Quality Programs. Dr Winchell has led the development and evolution of trauma systems throughout the world, including his seminal work in the Committee on Trauma's Trauma System Consultation Program, and work with the WHO Global Alliance for the Care of the Injured.Dr. Winchell is the author of more than 100 scientific papers and book chapters, and has given over 200 regional, national, and international presentations. He is an associate editor of the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, a section editor for the European Journal of Trauma, and reviewer for several other journals including Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Open, the Archives of Surgery, and the World Journal of Surgery. He is a fellow or member of the American Surgical Association, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the American Burn Association, the New England Surgical Society, the International Society for Surgery, the International the Association for Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care, the Western Trauma Association, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine as well as other national and regional scholarly societies.

Biography: Cassandra Villegas, MD MPH is an Attending Surgeon at Weill Cornell Medical Center in the Division of Trauma, Burns, Critical, and Acute Care Surgery. She received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University, where she was a President' Scholar and received the Teaching Excellence award. She remained at Stanford University as an instructor and doing neuroscience research before joining Teach for America to teach high school science in Los Angeles Unified School District for five years. There, she won the Most Inspirational Teacher Award before leaving education to attend Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. As a medical student, she completed her MPH at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, focusing on data outcomes research while diversifying her medical training at Guy's, King's, and St. Thomas's Hospital in London, England as well as the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland.She continued her outcomes research in trauma and health disparities before starting her general surgery residency at the University of Arizona. While there, she took 1st Place in the American College of Surgeons Resident Paper Competition and earned the American Association for the Surgery Resident Scholarship for her work her in trauma outcomes. She received Resident Educator of the Year twice, and was Awarded Resident of the Year at the Southern Arizona Veteran's Hospital. At the conclusion of her residency, she was awarded the Charles Putnam Chief Resident Teaching Award.Dr. Villegas then completed her Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowships at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, where she now serves as faculty and continues her research interest in trauma, emergency surgery, and global health surgery. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Easter Association for the Surgery of Trauma, and the Surgical Outcomes Society.