Yiannis Raftopoulos GENERAL SURGEON Specialized in Bariatric (Weight Loss), Advanced Laparoscopic & General Surgery

• PhD in Surgical Oncology, Kapodistrian Medical School of Athens 1995-2000 (The role of α-Catenin in the progression and metastasis of colon cancer (published in Journal of Surgical Oncology 1998; 68: 92-99).

• Certified in Surgery by the American Board of Surgery 2003 – present (Re-certified by exam in 2013, next due in 2023)
• Fellow, American College of Surgeons 2003 – present
• Fellow, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery 2005 – present
• Consultant, Olympus USA 2017 – present
• Gerson Lehrman Group, New York, NY, USA 2007 – present

Editorial Boards:

Surgical Endoscopy journal reviewer 2004-2008

Professional Administrative Experience:

• Director, Weight Management Program, Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA 2015 – present
• Chief, Bariatric Surgery, Metropolitan Hospital, Athens, Greece 2014 – present
• Chief, Bariatric Surgery, Euroclinic of Athens, Greece 2017 – present
• Director, Bariatric Center, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, USA 2007 – 2013
• Faculty of the Division of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA 2003 – 2007

Professional Clinical Experience:

• Medical Licenses:
• USA Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA): FR5686704 (2016 -present)
• Massachusetts license (professional license number): 265321 (2016 – present)
• MA Controlled Substances Registration #: MR1028516A (2016 – present)
• Medical License in Greece (2004 – present)
• Experience in laparoscopic foregut surgery, solid organs and colorectal surgery

Clinical Interest:

• Elipse gastric balloon for weight loss (The only non-invasive weight loss option that exists worldwide)
• Bariatric (Weight Loss) surgery
• Advanced Laparoscopic surgery
• General surgery

Research Interest: 

• Co-Investigator, US National Trial regulated by the Federal Drug Administration (F.D.A.): The Enlighten Study regarding the Elipse swallowable gastric balloon for weight loss requiring no sedation or anesthesia 2017 – present
• Co-Investigator, European Trial for the Elipse swallowable gastric balloon for weight loss, 2014-2016. Based on the trial’s results the Elipse balloon received the CE mark for commercial use in European Union
• Raftopoulos I. Indications for bariatric surgery Internal Medicine Congress, University Endocrinology Clinic “Sotiria” Hospital, Αthens April 4 2014.

• Verified Bariatric Surgeon, by the American College of Surgeons and American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery which reflects Expert’s experience in bariatric surgery 2017 – present
• Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation 2005 – 2013
• 2003 Resident Research award in recognition for outstanding research submission, Allegheny General Hospital
• Award for excellence (>90%) in the IN-Service United States General Surgery exam 1999 and 2002
• Nominated from my residency program for the SAGES Junior Research Award
• Honor of excellence at high school graduation year awarded by the Mayor of Athens
• Poster of distinction among 600 papers at the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons/World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery. Balaji Jangam, MD, Kristine O’Hara, MD,  Bruce Bernstein, PhD,  Ravi Chhatrala, MD, Ioannis Raftopoulos, MD, PhD, FACS. Outcomes of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass as a primary versus revisional bariatric surgery.
• Selected for oral presentation at the SSAT along with 37 other papers among 300 papers originally submitted: Raftopoulos IS, Ercole JA, Udekwu AO, Luketich J, Courcoulas AP. Short and long-term outcome of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass stratified by BMI of 70 Kg/m². A comparative analysis of 825 procedures. The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, New Orleans, LA, May 15-20, 2004.
• Best poster award: Santos RS, Raftopoulos Y, Singh D, Maley R, Keenan RJ, Landreneau RJ. Interventional bronchoscopy for management of benign tracheal stenosis. American College of Chest Physicians Orlando, FL, October 25-30, 2003.
• Nominee paper for Resident/Trainee Award: Raftopoulos Y, Papasavas P, Hayetian F, Maurer J, Bononi P, Caushaj P, Gagne D. Improvement of hypothyroidism after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Presentation, American Society for Bariatric Surgery 20^th Annual Meeting, Boston June 2003.

1. Raftopoulos l, Giannakou A. The Elipse ballon, a swallowable gastric balloon for weight loss not requiring sedation, anesthesia or endoscopy: a pilot study with 12 month outcomes. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2017;13(7):1174-1182.
2. Machytka E, Gaur S, Chuttani R, Bojkova M, Kupka T, Buzga M, Giannakou A, Kandiliotis I, Mathus-Vliegeni L, Levy S, Raftopoulos l. A Prospective, Observational, Open-Label Multi-Center Study Evaluating Safety, Efficacy, and Quality of Life. Endosc 2017;49:154-160.
3. Raftopoulos I. Author response to Dr. Pike’s letter to the editor titled “Fast track management after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. J Am Coll Surg;2016;223(1):203-204.
4. Raftopoulos I, Giannakou A, Davidson E. Prospective 30-Day Outcome Evaluation of a Fast-Track Protocol for 23-Hour Ambulatory Primary and Revisional Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass in 820 Consecutive Unselected Patients. J Am Coll Surg;2016;222(6):1189-1200.
5. Raftopoulos I, Bernstein B, O’Hara KM, Ruby JA, Chhatrala R, Carty J. Protein intake compliance of morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and its effect on weight loss, leptin and albumin. Surgery for Obesity & Related Diseases 2011 Nov-Dec;7(6):733-42.
6. Raftopoulos I, Reed JF 3rd, Bergamaschi R. Circumferential resection margin involvement after laparoscopic abdominoperineal excision for rectal cancer. Colorectal Dis. 2012 Apr;14(4):431-7.
7. A Gorin, I Raftopoulos. Patients with combined mood and eating disorders who had laparoscopic gastric bypass are more challenging postoperatively but can achieve comparable weight loss. Obes Surg 2009;19(12):1685-90.
8. Raftopoulos I, Bergamaschi R. Selection Criteria, Preoperative work-up and Postoperative Pathway for the Bariatric Surgery Patient in a U.S. center. Minimally Invasive Chirurgie (Accepted 6/25/2008)
9. Uchal M, Haughn C, Raftopoulos Y, Hussain F, Reed JF, Tjugum J, Bergamaschi R. Robotic camera holder as good as expert camera holder: a randomized crossover trial. Surg Laparosc Endosc & Percut Tech 2009;19(3):272-5.
10. Raftopoulos I, Martindale C, Cronin A, Steinberg J. The effect of extended post-discharge thromboprophylaxis on venous thromboembolism rates after bariatric surgery. A prospective comparison trial. Surg Endosc 2008 Nov;22(11):2384-91.