Clinical Research

Clinical Research in the Department of General Surgery

The Department of General Surgery at LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital is a dynamic and productive research community within the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine. Its surgeon-investigators pursue a broad range of clinical and translational research, with particular strengths in bariatric and metabolic surgery, minimally invasive and abdominal wall surgery, and surgical oncology. Many are recognized locally and regionally for their clinical expertise and bring that experience directly into their research.

Alongside numerous principal-investigator-initiated studies, the department’s surgeons collaborate on multidisciplinary projects with colleagues from other specialties and basic-science disciplines. The department also mentors a succession of full-time postdoctoral research fellows who contribute to studies from design through publication and presentation at national and international meetings.

Areas of Current Active Research

Bariatric and Metabolic (Minimally Invasive) Surgery

The department maintains an active program in bariatric and metabolic surgery built around a prospectively followed cohort of patients undergoing minimally invasive procedures. A flagship effort is a long-term follow-up study of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, “the Lebanese experience,” which tracks weight loss, resolution of obesity-related comorbidities, and outcome durability over extended follow-up. This work aims to define real-world, long-term outcomes of sleeve gastrectomy in the local population and inform patient selection and counseling.

Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction (MIS and TAPP)

Investigators are advancing minimally invasive approaches to hernia and abdominal wall reconstruction, including transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair. Research compares surgical techniques and mesh strategies and seeks to refine reproducible, minimally invasive methods that reduce recurrence and postoperative complications while improving recovery.

Small Bowel Obstruction in the Virgin Abdomen

This project examines small bowel obstruction in patients with no history of prior abdominal surgery, the “virgin abdomen,” a presentation in which adhesions are an unlikely cause and the underlying etiology is often unclear. The study seeks to characterize causes, diagnostic pathways, and management strategies to guide decision-making in this challenging and understudied group of patients.

Obesity and Cancer

Building on the department’s combined expertise in metabolic surgery and surgical oncology, this line of research explores the relationship between obesity and cancer, including how obesity influences cancer risk, tumor behavior, and surgical and oncologic outcomes.

Molecular Markers of Cancer in Young Adults

This translational research investigates molecular and biological markers of cancer in young adults, a population in whom malignancies are increasingly recognized and may exhibit distinct biological characteristics. By characterizing these markers, investigators aim to improve early detection, risk stratification, and understanding of early-onset disease.

Projects in Development

Concordance of Obesity Management and Treatment Guidelines Across Specialties

Through a cross-specialty survey, researchers are assessing how closely physicians in specialties such as family medicine, surgery, and endocrinology align with current obesity management and treatment guidelines. The study evaluates knowledge, attitudes, and practice patterns to identify gaps in care and opportunities to standardize evidence-based obesity treatment.

Artificial Intelligence Integration in Surgery and Surgical Coding

The department is developing a research line on integrating artificial intelligence into surgical practice. A current focus is the use of large language models to generate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes from operative notes, comparing model-generated codes with those assigned by surgeons and professional coders to evaluate accuracy, consistency, and the potential to streamline surgical billing. Broader efforts explore how AI can support surgical workflows, operative documentation, and decision-making to improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden without compromising accuracy.

Dumping Syndrome after Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

This prospective study aims to estimate the prevalence of dumping syndrome after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and to characterize its early and late phenotypes. Using the department’s cohort of post-sleeve patients, investigators will apply a multimodal assessment combining validated symptom questionnaires, oral glucose tolerance testing, continuous glucose monitoring, and gastric emptying studies. By classifying patients into distinct dumping phenotypes and relating their symptoms to objective physiologic measures, the project seeks to improve recognition, diagnosis, and management of this under-recognized complication of sleeve gastrectomy.

Research Partners and Collaborators

Extended Research Team in Surgery/General Surgery

Collaborators through LAU Research Clusters

School of Medicine Postdoctoral Research Fellows