Alessandro Fichera, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Section of General Surgery
The University of Chicago
5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC5031
Chicago, IL 60637
Phone: (773) 702-6142
Fax: (773) 834-1995
Alessandro Fichera, MD, has ongoing clinical research investigating the role of laparoscopy in colon and rectal surgery. Although a lot has been written about the feasibility of laparoscopy in colon and rectal surgery, the long-term outcome in neoplastic and benign disease of patients undergoing laparoscopic resection has been poorly studied and clearly not completely elucidated.
Dr. Fichera and his colleagues have been collecting data prospectively on inflammatory bowel disease patients undergoing extensive and complex colorectal resections as well as a large number of colon and rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. They are also in the process of analyzing parameters of inflammation, immunity and nutrition involved in postoperative recovery after laparoscopic procedures with the hypothesis that decreased surgical stress provided by a minimally invasive approach decreases postoperative inflammatory response, facilitate maintenance of adequate nutrition and has a less immunosuppressive effect on our patients.
The second major area of their clinical research is in the functional outcome after ileoanal pouch anastomosis for ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis. They’ve been collecting quality of life and defecatory incontinence function data on patients for approximately 18 years. The analysis of this data will allow them to further improve long-term outcomes and to better educate patients in need of such a life changing procedure.
Section of General Surgery
The University of Chicago
5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC5031
Chicago, IL 60637
Phone: (773) 702-6142
Fax: (773) 834-1995
Alessandro Fichera, MD, has ongoing clinical research investigating the role of laparoscopy in colon and rectal surgery. Although a lot has been written about the feasibility of laparoscopy in colon and rectal surgery, the long-term outcome in neoplastic and benign disease of patients undergoing laparoscopic resection has been poorly studied and clearly not completely elucidated.
Dr. Fichera and his colleagues have been collecting data prospectively on inflammatory bowel disease patients undergoing extensive and complex colorectal resections as well as a large number of colon and rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. They are also in the process of analyzing parameters of inflammation, immunity and nutrition involved in postoperative recovery after laparoscopic procedures with the hypothesis that decreased surgical stress provided by a minimally invasive approach decreases postoperative inflammatory response, facilitate maintenance of adequate nutrition and has a less immunosuppressive effect on our patients.
The second major area of their clinical research is in the functional outcome after ileoanal pouch anastomosis for ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis. They’ve been collecting quality of life and defecatory incontinence function data on patients for approximately 18 years. The analysis of this data will allow them to further improve long-term outcomes and to better educate patients in need of such a life changing procedure.
