Dr. Rainer Gruessner began his illustrious decades ago, and one of his most eminent accomplishments in the transplantation surgery field occurred in 1998 when he performed the first preemptive living donor liver transplant in a baby with oxalosis.
Another first came in 2000, when Dr. Rainer Gruessner performed the first laparoscopic living donor distal pancreatectomy and nephrectomy. Twelve years later, Dr. Gruessner pioneered the field again when he performed the first robot-assisted total pancreatectomy with an islet autotransplant.
In 2010 and 2011 Arizona’s Medicaid program (AHCCCS) stopped paying for certain liver, pancreas, heart, lung and bone marrow transplants for financial reasons. This became nationally known as “Death by Budget Cuts”. Dr Rainer Gruessner vehemently fought this decision and got the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) and other national transplant organizations involved as well as the media and politicians. Due to the public pressure these budget cuts were eventually revoked and patients were relisted for life-saving transplants.
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is an expert in the field transplantation surgery. He is the former Chairman of the Department of Surgery, Chief of the Division of Transplantation and Director of Hepatopancreaticobiliary Surgery at the University of Arizona. Although he has spent most of his career practicing within the United States of America, he received his education in Germany.
He obtained his medical degree and his medical thesis (“summa cum laude) from the Johannes Gutenberg University School of Medicine in Mainz, Germany, in 1983. He obtained his professorial thesis (“Habilitation”) from the Philipps University in Marburg, Germany in 1991.
Dr. Rainer Gruessner did his residency at the Johannes Gutenberg University before completing a fellowship in transplantation surgery at the University of Minnesota.
Dr Rainer Gruessner and his team performed the world’s first entirely robotic surgeries for patients with chronic pancreatitis starting in 2012. This procedure entails the removal of the diseased pancreas, reconstruction of the gastro-intestinal tract, and islet autotransplant to prevent the patient from becoming a (brittle) diabetic.
This procedure is unique as it allows to combine minimally invasive/robotic surgery, general surgery, and transplant surgery in 1 procedure for the wellbeing of patients with chronic pancreatitis, a debilitating disease that causes intractable pain and destruction of the pancreatic gland. At the University of Arizona, Dr Rainer Gruessner and his team have performed 6 such procedures with and over 50 without the robot.
Dr Rainer Gruessner has produced over 300 peer-reviewed publications, over 200 published abstracts, and over 75 book chapters. He is the lead editor of 2 standard textbooks on transplantation and a co-editor on a soon to be published textbook on innovative advances in general surgery.
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is an expert medical professional currently practicing within the realm of transplantation surgery. He is widely regarded as an innovative leader in his field and has been credited with numerous firsts in the surgical world. His accomplishments include being involved in the first split pancreas transplant in 1988, he was the first to develop a standardized technique for living donor intestinal transplants in 1997, he was the first to perform a preemptive living donor liver transplant for oxalosis in 1998, he was the first to perform a laparoscopic living donor distal pancreatectomy and nephrectomy in 2000, and the first to perform a robot assisted total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplant in 2012.
Dr Rainer Gruessner
Rainer Gruessner obtained his medical degree and his medical thesis (“summa cum laude”) from the Johannes Gutenberg University School of Medicine in Mainz, Germany, in 1983. He obtained his professorial thesis (“Habilitation”) from the Philipps University in Marburg, Germany, in 1991. Dr. Rainer Gruessner did his residency at the Johannes Gutenberg University before completing a 2-year fellowship in transplantation surgery at the University of Minnesota. He also received additional clinical training in vascular and general surgery at Philipps University in Germany, and in living donor liver transplantation at Kyoto University in Japan. He is a member of the most prestigious surgical societies and has published over 600 manuscripts, abstracts and book chapters. He is the editor of 2 standard textbooks on transplant surgery and has been an invited lecturer at over 100 institutions. He also serves on several boards of general and transplant surgery journals. He is widely regarded as one of the most innovative surgeons practicing today and his been credited with performing a number of firsts in the field.
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is a highly dedicated and expert medical professional serving as surgeon in the realm of transplantation. He is a trusted and accomplished surgeon, physician, and scientist devoted to helping patients with life-threatening diseases of the pancreas, liver and intestines. He is responsible for a number of firsts in the surgical world including being involved in the first split pancreas transplant in 1988, he was the first to develop a standardized technique for living donor intestinal transplants in 1997, he was the first to perform a preemptive living donor liver transplant for oxalosis in 1998, he was the first to perform a laparoscopic living donor distal pancreatectomy and nephrectomy in 2000, and the first to perform a robot assisted total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplant in 2012. Rainer Gruessner obtained his medical degree and his medical thesis (“summa cum laude”) from the Johannes Gutenberg University School of Medicine in Mainz, Germany, in 1983. He obtained his professorial thesis (“Habilitation”) from the Philipps University in Marburg, Germany, in 1991. Rainer Gruessner did his residency at the Johannes Gutenberg University before completing a 2-year fellowship in transplantation surgery at the University of Minnesota. He also received additional clinical training in vascular and general surgery at Philipps University in Germany, and in living donor liver transplantation at Kyoto University in Japan. He is a member of the most prestigious surgical societies and has published over 600 manuscripts, abstracts and book chapters. He is the editor of 2 standard textbooks on transplant surgery. He is widely regarded as one of the most innovative surgeons practicing today and his been credited with performing a number of firsts in the field.
Dr Rainer Gruessner
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is widely regarded as one of the leaders in the realm of surgical transplantation. He has served for over 15 years in surgical leadership positions, is a member of more than 20 surgical societies and serves on the board on various surgery and transplant journals.
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is an exceptional surgeon who has made an ample amount of contributions in the field of transplantation and general surgery. He is credited with the development of many surgical techniques that are both innovative and progressive, aiding towards the advancement of the field of surgery.
Several breakthroughs stand out: In his early years, he was involved in the development of transanal endoscopic microsurgery techniques (TEM) and demonstrated the superiority of abdominal sonography vs. peritoneal lavage in blunt abdominal trauma. After specializing in transplantation surgery, he was the first to do a preemptive living liver transplant for oxalosis in a baby in 1998. Also, he was involved in the first split pancreas transplant in 1988; he performed the first laparoscopic pancreas transplant biopsy in 1995; the first laparoscopic living donor distal pancreatectomy and nephrectomy in 2000; and the first robot assisted total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplant in 2012. Because of his many “firsts”, he is considered to be a pioneer in the introduction of minimal invasive and transplant techniques.
Dr Rainer Gruessner
Dr. Rainer Gruessner received his medical degree from the Johannes Gutenberg University School of Medicine in Mainz, Germany, in 1983. He was awarded a “summa cum laude” for his medical thesis by the same institution. He then completed his professorial thesis (“Habilitation”, the German PhD equivalent) at the Philipps University in Marburg, Germany, in 1991. In between completing his medical and professorial theses, Rainer Gruessner did his residency at the Johannes Gutenberg University before going on to complete a two-year fellowship in transplantation surgery at the University of Minnesota. He received additional training at the Kyoto University in Japan, where he gained valuable experience in liver transplantation using living donors.
Due to his extensive training, Dr. Gruessner has been in surgical leadership positions as Chairman or Vice-Chair for over 15 years. Dr. Gruessner has made many scientific contributions that are documented in the medical literature. He has published over 600 book chapters, abstracts and manuscripts. His H-index according to Google Scholar is 55. He has edited two standard textbooks and has been an invited lecturer at over one hundred institutions. He also serves on many editorial boards of journals for general and transplant surgery and is a member of over 20 professional societies. He is viewed among colleagues, fellows, residents and medical students as an innovative surgeon who stands as a figure of progress in his field; and among his patients as a humble, accessible and highly professional doctor.
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is a highly respected surgeon who was appointed as the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Arizona in 2007 and also served as Chief of the Division of Transplantation and Surgical Director of the Hepatopancreaticobiliary program. During his tenure, he was responsible for the complete rebuilding and transformation of the Department of Surgery which included the addition of three new divisions along with numerous clinical programs. He recruited over 70 new faculty members: six were highly-recognized division chiefs who subsequently contributed largely to the department’s growing national reputation. Dr. Gruessner implemented robotic and minimally invasive procedures throughout the Department of Surgery’s subspecialties in an effort to reduce length of hospital stay and costs and increase patient satisfaction. With Dr. Gruessner at the helmet, the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Arizona became one of the largest robotic surgery programs in the nation.
His experience at the University of Arizona was just one of the examples of Rainer Gruessner’s successes in the surgical field. He has been in surgical leadership positions for over 15 years. Many of his accomplishments are documented in over 600 manuscripts, abstracts and book chapters. He is the editor of two standard textbooks on transplant surgeryand a third one on “Technological Advances in Surgery” is in the making. Dr. Gruessner has been an invited lecturer at over 100 institutions and serves on many editorial boards of surgery journals.
Dr. Rainer Gruessner’s devotion to transplantation surgery and immunology has been the source of many significant contributions and his development of innovative procedures has helped advance surgical treatment options for patients with life-threatening disorders.
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is an expert medical professional practicing within the realm of transplantation surgery. He is widely regarded as an innovative leader in his field and has been credited with numerous firsts in the surgical world. His accomplishments include his involvement in the first split pancreas transplant in 1988, he was the first to develop a standardized technique for living donor intestinal transplants in 1997, he was the first to perform a preemptive living donor liver transplant for oxalosis in 1998, he was the first to perform a laparoscopic living donor distal pancreatectomy and nephrectomy in 2000, and the first to perform a robot assisted total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplant in 2012. He is the editor of 2 textbooks on transplant surgery and has over 600 publications, abstracts and book chapters to his credit. He is also an Honorary Fellow of the European Board of Transplantation. Rainer Gruessner is nothing short of an expert in the realm of transplant surgery and his lengthy list of accomplishments stands as a testament to his success.
Dr Rainer Gruessner
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is an expert surgeon, physician, and scientist. He has devoted his career to the innovation and implementation of new surgical procedures resulting in less invasion and higher success rates. His work within the School of Medicine at the University of Arizona was pivotal to the success the school now enjoys. Dr. Rainer Gruessner was responsible for completely rebuilding the Department of Surgery through the recruitment of over 60 new faculty members, 6 nationally reputed division chiefs and the establishment of three new divisions. He was also instrumental in implementing various new clinical programs within the divisions as well.
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is a highly dedicated and expert medical professional serving as surgeon in the realm of transplantation. He is currently serving as a Professor of Surgery and Immunology at the University of Arizona. He is a trusted and accomplished surgeon, physician, and scientist devoted to helping patients with complex disorders of the pancreas, liver and small bowel. He is responsible for a number of firsts in the surgical world including being involved in the first split pancreas transplant in 1988, he was the first to develop a standardized technique for living donor intestinal transplants in 1997, he was the first to perform a preemptive living donor liver transplant for oxalosis in 1998, he was the first to perform a laparoscopic living donor distal pancreatectomy and nephrectomy in 2000, and the first to perform a robot assisted total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplant in 2012. Rainer Gruessner obtained his medical degree and his medical thesis (“summa cum laude”) from the Johannes Gutenberg University School of Medicine in Mainz, Germany, in 1983. He obtained his professorial thesis (“Habilitation”) from the Philipps University in Marburg, Germany, in 1991. Rainer Gruessner did his residency at the Johannes Gutenberg University before completing a 2-year fellowship in transplantation surgery at the University of Minnesota. He also received clinical training in vascular surgery at Philipps University in Germany, and in living donor liver transplantation at Kyoto University in Japan. He is a member of the most prestigious surgical societies and has published over 600 manuscripts, abstracts and book chapters. received much of his education within the country of Germany at the Johannes Gutenberg University within the School of Medicine. He is the editor of 2 standard textbooks on transplant surgery.
Dr Rainer Gruessner
Dr. Rainer Gruessner is the former Director the Hepatopancreaticobiliary Surgery Program at the University of Arizona. He is largely responsible for expanding not only the hepatopancreaticobiliary and transplant programs, but the Department of Surgery as a whole. He created three new divisions including various new clinical programs within the Department of Surgery. Dr. Rainer Gruessner also introduced robotic and minimally invasive procedures throughout all the surgical department’s subspecialties. He is credited with transforming a below-average Department of Surgery into one with a national reputation.
Another first came in 2000, when Dr. Rainer Gruessner performed the first laparoscopic living donor distal pancreatectomy and nephrectomy. Twelve years later, Dr. Gruessner pioneered the field again when he performed the first robot-assisted total pancreatectomy with an islet autotransplant.
In 2010 and 2011 Arizona’s Medicaid program (AHCCCS) stopped paying for certain liver, pancreas, heart, lung and bone marrow transplants for financial reasons. This became nationally known as “Death by Budget Cuts”. Dr Rainer Gruessner vehemently fought this decision and got the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) and other national transplant organizations involved as well as the media and politicians. Due to the public pressure these budget cuts were eventually revoked and patients were relisted for life-saving transplants.
Dr Rainer Gruessner 