Digestive Diseases
Centre of Excellence

Our Research

We are committed to improving patient outcomes through the pursuit of high-quality surgical research. Led by Mr Michael Hii, our research team includes surgeons, students undertaking research by higher degree, surgical trainees, junior medical staff and medical students. Our research activities are also strongly supported by our research coordinator, Dr Lynn Chong and research assistant, Lilian Taylor. Having completed a PhD in epithelial stem cell biology, Lynn has a thorough understanding of research processes and is responsible for the development, coordination and administration of research projects and clinical trials within the unit. Her role involves supporting surgical residents and medical students to develop a sound foundation in clinical research. The research team meets weekly in order to discuss new projects and to provide students the opportunity to present their research. To date, the unit has supported numerous MDRP students and is about to commence the supervision of three PhD students. We warmly welcome enquiries from prospective students and potential collaborators. Enquiries should be directed to Dr Lynn Chong.

Current Research Activities

Our current research activities involve;

  • Role of artificial intelligence in surgery (https://www.acmd.org.au/projects)
  • Health economics
  • Role of probiotics in surgery
  • Prehabilitation in cancer surgery
  • Bariatric surgery
  • Body composition
  • Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET)
  • Predicting response to neoadjuvant treatment in oesophageal adenocarcinoma
  • Hiatus hernia and reflux disease.

These projects involve collaborations at both local and international level and have culminated in numerous publications and presentations. In collaboration with OESO, an international society focused on diseases of the oesophagus and Stanford University, we have also been recognised as a centre of excellence in the study of oesophageal diseases (http://www.oeso.org/pilot-centers.html). As part of this role, we offer an annual training day focusing on the management of oesophageal conditions.

Recent Publications

  • Sivakumar J, Sivakumar H, Read M, Sinclair RCF, Snowden CP, Hii MW. The Role of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing as a Risk Assessment Tool in Patients Undergoing Oesophagectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ann Surg Oncol. 2020.
  • Sivakumar J, Sivakumar H, Hii MW. ASO Author Reflections: What is the Role of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Prior to Oesophagectomy? Ann Surg Oncol. 2020.
  • Sivakumar J, Chong L, Ward S, Sutherland TR, Read M, Hii MW. Body Composition Changes Following a Very-Low-Calorie Pre-Operative Diet in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery. Obes Surg. 2020;30(1):119-26.
  • Sivakumar J, Alnimri F, Johnson MA, Ward S, Chong L, Hii MW. Health economic analysis of curative-intent gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma and the costs related to post-operative complications. ANZ J Surg. 2020.
  • Maharaj AD, Samoborec S, Evans SM, Zalcberg J, Neale RE, Goldstein D, et al. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in pancreatic cancer: a systematic review. HPB (Oxford). 2020;22(2):187-203.
  • Lee AHH, Kweh BTS, Gillespie C, Johnson MA. Trans-hiatal repair for Oesophageal and Junctional perforation: a case series. BMC Surg. 2020;20(1):41.
  • Chen RJ, Gillespie C, Jassal K, Lee JC, Read M. Delayed presentation of breast necrotising fasciitis due to COVID-19 anxiety. ANZ J Surg. 2020.
  • Chen R, Pande G, Johnson MA. Splenic Artery Pseudoaneurysm Causing Massive Hematemesis 10 Years After Necrotizing Pancreatitis. Vasc Endovascular Surg. 2020;54(5):455-7.
  • Chai V, Fox A, Chong L, House E, Sutherland T. Contrast-enhanced sonographic appearances of two primary hepatic epithelioid angiomyolipomas. J Clin Ultrasound. 2020;48(5):283-6.
  • Badgery H, Chong L, Iich E, Huang Q, Georgy SR, Wang DH, et al. Recent insights into the biology of Barrett’s esophagus. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2020.
  • Oesophago-Gastric Anastomosis Study Group on behalf of the West Midlands Research C. International Variation in Surgical Practices in Units Performing Oesophagectomy for Oesophageal Cancer: A Unit Survey from the Oesophago-Gastric Anastomosis Audit (OGAA). World J Surg. 2019;43(11):2874-84.
  • Marley L, Navadgi S, Banting S, Fox A, Hii M, Knowles B. Safety, efficacy and compliance of extended thromboprophylaxis in hepatobiliary and upper gastrointestinal surgery. ANZ J Surg. 2019;89(4):357-61.
  • Maharaj AD, Holland JF, Scarborough RO, Evans SM, Ioannou LJ, Brown W, et al. The Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry (UGICR): a clinical quality registry to monitor and improve care in upper gastrointestinal cancers. BMJ Open. 2019;9(9):e031434.
  • Loveday BPT, Zilbert N, Serrano PE, Tomiyama K, Tremblay A, Fox AM, et al. Neoadjuvant therapy and major arterial resection for potentially reconstructable arterial involvement by stage 3 adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. HPB (Oxford). 2019;21(6):643-52.
  • Lee AHH, Gillespie C, Johnson MA. Laparoscopic management of chylous ascites posthiatal hernia repair with Toupet fundoplication. J Minim Access Surg. 2019.
  • Chen RJ, Sun YQ, Hii MW, Johnson MA. Chondrolipoma of the stomach. BMJ Case Rep. 2019;12(3).
  • Chae RP, Johnson MA, Robinson D, Hii MW. Aorto-oesophageal fistula: a late complication of Boerhaave syndrome. BMJ Case Rep. 2019;12(7).
  • Granek RJ, Hii MW, Ward SM. Major Gastric Haemorrhage After Intragastric Balloon Insertion: Case Report. Obes Surg. 2018;28(1):281-4.
  • Crispin MD, Chan KJ, Winter N, Hii M. Esophageal Apoplexy. J Gastrointest Surg. 2016;20(8):1535-6.