Emeka Ray-Offor MBBS(Nig) FWACS FMAS DMAS(Ind) FACS Professor Emeka Ray-Offor is a surgeon skilled in Endoscopy, Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), Colorectal and Hernia surgeries, with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - MBBS from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and postgraduate surgery training acquired in India, Europe, and US. He has a faculty position in the Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences University of Port Harcourt Nigeria since 2011 and is currently a Professor of Minimal Access Surgery in addition to being an Honorary Consultant Surgeon at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital Port Harcourt Rivers State Nigeria. He recently completed a 1- year Research Fellowship in the Colorectal Surgery department of Ellen Leifer and Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center Cleveland Clinic Florida USA. Professor Ray-Offor is a surgeon educator, has organized multiple workshops for training in Endoscopy/Minimal Access Surgery; a seasoned author with over 80 abstracts and peer-reviewed journal publications in addition being the editor of two books. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Nigerian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, a reviewer of multiple scientific journals, and a member of several professional societies in Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. These include the West African College of Surgeons WACS, the Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology SOGHIN, Nigerian Society for Colorectal Disorders, European Association of Endoscopic Surgeons EAES, World Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons WALS, American College of Surgeons ACS, Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons SAGES, and American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons ASCRS. He is the founder of Oak Endoscopy Centre & Radiodiagnostics Port Harcourt Nigeria- a non-profit organization for advancing Endoscopy and MIS. His main professional and scientific interests focus on gastrointestinal endoscopy, minimally invasive general/colorectal surgery, and colorectal cancer. Raul J. Rosenthal, MD, FASMBS Professional Activities and Distinctions: Dr Raul Rosenthal is an industry leader, prolific author, medical researcher, and attending surgeon at Cleveland Clinic Florida, where he has conducted well over 10,000 general surgery and bariatric procedures and trained more than 50 fellows in advanced gastrointestinal, minimally invasive, and bariatric surgery. In 2018, Dr Rosenthal received the LEAD Award from the American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Foundation in recognition of lifetime contributions to the field of bariatric surgery. Also in 2018, his breakthrough research into the use of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in laparoscopic cholecystectomy was featured during the American College of Surgeons annual Clinical Congress. Based on the results of Dr Rosenthal's multinational, multi-year trial, the use of fluorescence imaging is becoming established as the gold standard of care for minimally invasive gall bladder removal and other abdominal procedures worldwide. Dr Rosenthal completed his medical school and surgical residency in Rosario, Argentina. In 1982, after emigrating to Frankfurt, Germany, and repeating a general surgery residency, he became an attending surgeon at the Northwest Hospital. In 1993, Dr Rosenthal emigrated to the USA, where three years of minimally invasive surgery fellowship at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in LA were followed by a third general surgery residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. After arriving at Cleveland Clinic Florida, Dr Rosenthal became Chief of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery and director of the Fellowship program. He has subsequently served as Chief of the Medical Staff, Chairman of the Department of General Surgery, Director of the General Surgery Residency Program and Chairman of the Medical Executive Committee. Among his professional leadership roles, Dr Rosenthal served as president of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the SAGES Foundation; and as a past president of the executive committee of the American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the ASMBS Foundation. Dr Rosenthal is founding Clinical Editor of Bariatric Times and Associate Editor of SOARD and Obesity Surgery. He serves as the Editorial Board member of Annals of Surgery, Selected Readings in General Surgery Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery, and Surgical Endoscopy. He is a founding member and a past President of the Fellowship Council and also served as President of the South Florida Chapter of the American College of Surgeons and Governor of the American College of Surgeons. A polyglot, Dr Rosenthal is fluent in English, Spanish, and German. He has been granted honorary membership by professional organizations around the world, including the Federation of Latin American Surgeons, and the Argentinian, Indian, Peruvian, German, and Israeli Societies of Surgery. Areas of Research and Publication: Dr Rosenthal is the author or co-author of over 300 abstracts and peer-reviewed publications, more than 30 book chapters and over 100 educational videos. He has contributed over 80 book chapters and is the Co-Editor of several books including the ASMBS Textbook of Bariatric Surgery, Globesity, Netter's Gastroenterology, The Pathophysiology of Pneumoperitoneum, Fluorescence Imaging for Surgeons, Operative Strategies in Laparoscopic Surgery, Weight Loss Surgery and Mental Conditioning to Perform Common Operations in General Surgery Training: A Systematic Approach to Expediting Skill Acquisition and Maintaining Dexterity in Performance. Professional Highlights Chairman, Department of General Surgery Director, General Surgery Residency Program Director, The Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, FL Director, Minimally Invasive and Advanced GI Surgery Fellowship Program Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, FL Past President, South Florida Chapter, American College of Surgeons Past President, The Fellowship Council Certifications Surgery - General Surgery Specialty Interests Bariatric surgery, flexible endoscopy, gastroparesis, metabolic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, surgery for achalasia, surgery for diverticulosis, surgery for gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), surgery for hiatal hernias, surgery for esophageal cancer, surgery for gastric cancer.
