Dr. Lewis Teperman | Tumblr Blog

A pioneering physician in the area of liver transplantation, Lewis Teperman, MD, FACS, has served as Director of Transplantation at New York University School of Medicine for more than two decades. Developed by Dr. Lewis Teperman, the liver and kidney transplant center is one of the world’s largest and most highly regarded.  Currently, Dr. Lewis Teperman oversees the transplant services at NYU Langone Medical Center while holding academic appointments including Vice Chairman of Surgery and tenured Associate Professor of Surgery at NYU School of Medicine. He is also the Director of the Mary Lea Johnson Richards Organ Transplantation Center. Dr. Teperman's clinical interests include liver transplantation, extended criteria donor transplantation, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatobiliary surgery. His current research explores the application of cellular technology on patient care. He is investigating how hepatocyte transplantation, extracorporeal assist technology, and stem cells can assist in the care of patients with liver disease or liver tumors. Dr. Teperman is consistently recognized by New York Magazine as one of the Best Doctors in New York and has been honored with the Distinguished Service Award by the New York Organ Donor Network and the National Medical Award in Transplantation by the National Kidney Foundation. Castle Connolly named him a Best Doctor, putting him among the top 1% in the nation in his specialty. Dr. Teperman is also an Honorary Police Surgeon of the New York Police Department and Honorary Medical Officer of the New York Fire Department. He has spoken nationally on donor-transmitted infectious diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma and transplantation.  Over the course of his medical career, Dr. Lewis Teperman has spearheaded research projects on a wide range of medical topics. His work has appeared in leading journals such as the American Journal of Transplantation, the New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Surgery, and Hepatology. He has also contributed to his field as a committee member of numerous organizations, including the Board of Trustees of the American Liver Foundation and the Board of Directors of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). At present, Dr. Lewis Teperman is active as a Region 9 Representative of the UNOS Liver/Intestine Transplantation Committee and as Chairman of the Foreign Medical Graduates Taskforce for the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the New York Organ Donor Network (the organ procurement organization for New York), and the Editorial Board of Liver Transplantation. Dr. Lewis Teperman graduated cum laude from the University of Rochester with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology in 1977. He went on to earn his medical degree at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 1981. Fellowship-trained in transplant surgery, Dr. Lewis Teperman is certified by the American Board of Surgery.

[drlewisteperman]

United Network for Organ Sharing Announces 2015 Award Sponsor

The vice chair of surgery and director of transplantation for the New York University Langone Medical Center, Dr. Lewis Teperman holds memberships and positions with a number of organizations for organ and liver transplants. He serves patients by performing organ transplant surgery for the liver and kidney, among others. Dr. Lewis Teperman was elected to serve a two-year appointment as a Region 9 Associate Councillor for the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). A nonprofit organization that manages the nation’s organ transplant system, UNOS works year-round to match donors with recipients, develop policies for transplant processes, and provide education to the public and transplant professionals. In 2010, it established the National Donor Memorial Award for Excellence to recognize individuals who put significant effort into promoting organ donation in their community. Recipients of the award travel to Richmond, Virginia, for the UNOS annual board meeting, where they receive their award at a ceremony. In addition, they visit National Donor Memorial. The memorial honors organ and tissue donors, and relies entirely on charitable contributions for support. UNOS announced in October 2014 that Alexion Pharmaceuticals will be a lead sponsor of the 2015 National Donor Memorial Award. A biopharmaceutical company based in Connecticut, Alexion serves nearly 50 countries and focuses on developing therapies for rare diseases.                            

[drlewisteperman]

Ways to Help Prevent Liver Disease

Dr. Lewis Teperman is director of NYU Langone Medical Center and the Mary Lea Johnson Richards Organ Transplantation Center. He is skilled in hepatobiliary surgery, hepatocellular carcinoma, and related forms of treatment. Dr. Lewis Teperman focuses on liver transplants in particular. Patients who monitor the substances and toxins that enter their body can help prevent liver disease. First and foremost, it is of vital importance to drink alcohol only in moderation. Men and women younger than 65 should limit consumption to two drinks a day, while adults older than 65 should drink no more than one drink a day. Further, an overdose of iron can lead to buildup of harmful substances that lead to liver disease. This occurs because the body has no way to flush out excesses of iron, so even adults ordered to take iron supplements should be careful not to go over their recommended dosages. Specifically, men and women age 14 or older should take no more than 45mg of iron each day. Different forms of drugs put stress on the liver. Patients that receive cannabis to treat various conditions and diseases should consult with their physician and specialists to set a strict limit of how much to use.                            

[drlewisteperman]

Understanding Hepatorenal Syndrome

Dr. Lewis Teperman has extensive experience with liver transplants and associated disciplines. He leads Langone Medical Center, part of New York University, as director of transplant surgery. As a function of his position, Dr. Lewis Teperman conducts research into conditions and diseases related to the liver, such as hepatorenal syndrome. 

Hepatorenal syndrome, or HRS, is a kidney impairment that occurs in patients suffering from advanced liver disease. HRS impairs kidney function, but patients do not exhibit a clear cause of kidney dysfunction. Indeed, HRS does not damage the structure of the kidney, which has led doctors to refer to it as a functional form of kidney impairment, meaning patients should still be able to function in day-to-day activities. 

Experts classify HRS into two categories: Type I, and Type II. Type II is a slow-acting impairment, evolving over weeks or even months. Type I is more serious, progressing rapidly and often leading to kidney failure. In either type, arteries responsible for circulating oxygenated blood from the lungs to other parts of the body widen. The exceptions are the arteries to the kidney, which constrict, preventing blood from flowing to the kidney. While HRS occurs in patients suffering from liver disease, experts have been unable to pinpoint the cause of the condition.  However, after liver transplantation, renal function returns and the patients no longer have kidney impairment. 

[drlewisteperman]

ELAD Therapy For Liver Disease Enters Phase II and III Clinical Trials

Dr. Lewis Teperman is the director of transplantation and vice chair of surgery for the New York University Langone Medical Center. He is an active participant in several transplantation societies and seeks to educate patients and donors about the benefits, risks, and processes of organ donation and transplantation. Dr. Lewis Teperman is involved with the development and clinical research of the Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device (ELAD), a bio-artificial liver support system designed to treat patients with liver diseases. The device works by supporting the patient’s internal system with a bio-artificial liver operating outside the body, while allowing time for the real liver to stabilize or regenerate. Treatment through the ELAD system involves attaching the patient to a machine that draws blood and isolates the plasma ultrafiltrate before passing it through fiber cartridges containing human liver-derived cells (VTL C3A cells). After being treated by the VTL C3A cells, the plasma ultrafiltrate is reintroduced to blood cells and filtered back into the patient. Doctors expect the treatment to require a single session and take between three and ten days to complete. A product of Vital Therapies Incorporated, headquartered in San Diego, California, the ELAD therapy system is currently undergoing clinical trial testing in the United States, Europe, and Australia. The trials involve Phase III studies for alcohol-induced liver decompensation (AILD) and acute alcoholic hepatitis (AAH), and Phase II and III studies for fulminant hepatic failure and surgery-induced liver failure. Preliminary data from the trials is expected in 2015 and 2016.

[drlewisteperman]

NYU Langone Medical Center History and Overview

A seasoned medical professional, Dr. Lewis Teperman is an internationally recognized authority in the field of liver transplantation. With more than two decades of experience, Dr. Lewis Teperman has dedicated a majority of his career to leading the NYU Langone Medical Center as the director of transplant surgery. Established in 1841, the NYU Langone Medical Center is a healthcare and academic institution known around the globe. Originally the Medical Department of the University of the City of New York, the hospital went through various transitions before deciding on the name NYU Langone Medical Center in 2008. The name was chosen in honor of the chairman of the board of trustees, Kenneth Langone, who contributed $200 million to the medical center, the largest unrestricted donation to the institution to date. Today, the center is comprised of more than 4,900 faculty members, who train over 2,600 future medical professionals. $260.4 million in grant funding offers the hospital resources to invest in existing and new research studies as well as enhance its services. As of 2011, 5,560 professionals have carried out medical procedures at NYU Langone Medical Center and seen nearly 208,000 patients. For more information about the medical center, visit www.med.nyu.edu.

[drlewisteperman]

The Relationship between Hepatitis C and Liver Disease

With over three decades of experience at NYU Langone Medical Center (NYULMC), Dr. Lewis Teperman is an expert in liver transplants, including those from living donors. Under the guidance of Dr. Lewis Teperman, NYULMC is leading the way in multi-institutional trials for the treatment of hepatitis C after surgery. Primarily affecting the liver, the symptoms of hepatitis C can be very mild for a long time and may manifest as fatigue, loss of appetite, or mild jaundice that clears up on its own. Chronic hepatitis C is usually identified though an unrelated blood test because of the disease’s mild or nonexistent symptoms. Eventually, it may result in cirrhosis of the liver, when scar tissue permanently replaces healthy liver cells. Previously, one of the only ways to treat liver disease caused by hepatitis C was a liver transplant. However, improvements in screening have led to a number of drug regimens that can make the hepatitis C virus virtually undetectable in some patients. The newest of these is sovaldi, a once-daily pill taken in conjunction with ribavirin alone or in addition to pegylated interferon. Current screenings and treatments could make the disease rare by as early as 2036.                            

[drlewisteperman]

A Brief Overview of the New ELAD System

A medical educator, Dr. Lewis Teperman is experienced in performing liver transplant procedures. Working toward improving the process of repairing and replacing livers, Dr. Lewis Teperman conducted a study on the ELAD system in 2013. An artificial liver support system in the early stages of approval in the United States and Europe, ELAD was created to provide stability for individuals waiting for a liver transplant. In addition, the system can improve the current health state of the existing liver. The device caters to patients who suffer from acute liver failure. Patients receiving ELAD treatment undergo therapy sessions that span three to ten days. The frequency and time length of each session is dependent on the treating physician’s recommendation. During therapy, blood is taken from the patient to be sent through an ancillary delivery system and ultrafiltrate generator. Subsequently, the blood travels to four cartridges where two-way transfer of toxins, metabolites, and nutrients filter the blood further. This method is a mechanical version of the process of plasma filtration in a fully functioning liver. Following the filtration process, the cells are returned to the patient’s body and monitored for progress. If needed, heparin is administered in the system to lessen the possibilities of blood clotting.

[drlewisteperman]

American Liver Foundation Prepares for 2014 Honors Gala

A practicing doctor at NYU Langone Medical Center, Dr. Lewis Teperman has earned numerous accolades for his commitment to liver transplant research. In 2014, Dr. Lewis Teperman will once more be recognized at the American Liver Foundation’s Honors Gala as Physician of the Year. The American Liver Foundation is scheduled to host its 14th Annual Honors Gala on September 23, 2014. The reception and dinner will be held at Gotham Hall in New York City. The event serves as an opportunity to honor medical professionals who have achieved exceptional work within the field of liver disease as well as an avenue to raise funds to be used toward the Foundation’s effort to prevent, treat, and cure liver illness. To date, the gala has raised more than $4.7 million, which has been used to continue research and build awareness about the American Liver Foundation’s mission. The event is open to the public with sponsorship opportunities for organizations looking to contribute more to the cause. Visit liverfoundation.org for more details.

[drlewisteperman]

How Membership and Professional Standards Committee Members are Chosen

Specializing in liver disease and transplants, Dr. Lewis Teperman has practiced medicine for more than two decades. Throughout his career, Dr. Lewis Teperman has served on various boards and committees, including the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and United Network for Organ Sharing (OPTN/UNOS) Membership and Professional Standards Committee.  The Membership and Professional Standards Committee (MPSC) ensures that all OPTN/UNOS member clinical transplant centers and facilities that manage the procurement and issuance of tissue organs meet the regulations of the federal government. The group is made up of professionals and individuals who focus on different aspects of organ transplantation, including patient advocacy organizations, medical transplant professionals, and living donors. Members consider MPSC candidates at the beginning of each year. Candidates include individuals who have submitted an application and those who have been nominated within their regions. From the candidate pool, the OPTN/UNOS committee chairs and vice chairs, Regional Nominating Committees, and UNOS staff select a roster of individuals they view as fulfilling the requirements to serve on the MPSC. The roster is then reviewed by the OPTN/UNOS president, who will ensure the final appointed individuals meet the demands of particular areas of expertise. Upon the president’s final approval, all nominees will be notified of their status. Dr. Teperman was nominated by his transplant hospital and organ donation peers to represent Region 9 for 2014-2016.                            

[drlewisteperman]

Liver: Function and Transplant Criteria

The director of the Mary Lea Johnson Richards Organ Transplantation Center, Dr. Lewis Teperman also directs transplant surgery services at NYU Langone Medical Center. He holds membership in professional organizations such as the New York State Transplant Council and sits on the American Liver Foundation's board of directors. His peers acknowledge Dr. Lewis Teperman as an expert in liver transplants. The liver is one of the body's most important organs, and the heaviest. Adult livers weigh three pounds or more and sit on the right of the abdomen near the diaphragm. The liver produces proteins the body needs to function, stores vitamins and nutrients for when the body runs low on them, and fights infection by flushing bacteria from blood. When the liver begins to break down or ceases functioning normally, a liver transplant is often necessary. Liver failure can happen suddenly from circumstances such as infection, or may happen over time as a result of alcoholism or particular medical conditions. Tests to determine eligibility for a liver transplant include pulmonary exams to determine the lungs' ability to move carbon dioxide and oxygen, x-rays that show the size and shape of the liver, and others.

[drlewisteperman]

What Constitutes an Extended Criteria Donor?

Specializing in liver disease and liver transplant surgery, Dr. Lewis Teperman is the director of the NYU Langone Medical Center’s Mary Lea Johnson Richards Organ Transplantation Center. The topic of extended criteria donor (ECD) transplantation is among his numerous clinical and research interests. A supporter of extended transplant possibilities, Dr. Lewis Teperman has served as an active member of the New York State Task Force on the Use of Extended Donors since 2004.  Extended criteria for potential liver donors were created to address the growing disparity between the availability of transplantable livers and the number of patients in need of liver transplants. Although the criteria vary among transplant centers, they generally include the following risk factors: donors over 70 years of age, donors testing positive for Hepatitis C, donors with large deposits of fat in liver cells, and donors with significant medical histories. Although ECD livers are not as ideal as standard criteria donor (SCD) livers, survival rates are higher for patients who undergo ECD liver transplants than for those who remain on the transplant waiting list. Patients should discuss the possibility of ECD liver transplants with their surgeons and physicians to determine if it is a potentially effective treatment option.

[drlewisteperman]

What Is Hepatitis C?

An experienced surgeon, Dr. Lewis Teperman practices at the NYU Langone Medical Center, where he serves as director of transplantation and vice chairman of surgery. Dr. Lewis Teperman’s major research activities include developing treatments to prevent the recurrence of hepatitis C after a liver transplant. Currently the leading cause for liver transplantation in the United States, hepatitis C is an infection that leads to liver inflammation and damage. The disease is caused by a virus that is transmitted through the blood and is most often contracted by sharing needles to inject illegal drugs. In many cases, individuals infected with hepatitis C have little to no symptoms and do not find out they have the disease until a number of years later when liver damage is discovered through routine medical tests. However, when symptoms do present themselves, they can include fatigue, nausea, muscle pain, and yellowing of the skin or eyes. Although treatment is not always necessary, patients with hepatitis C are typically treated with antiviral drugs and, in severe cases, may require a liver transplant.                            

[drlewisteperman]

Dancing at the Janadriyah Festival - a cultural festival which features the heritage of the various regions of Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf countries.  Liver transplantation has opened my eyes to cultures all over the world.

[drlewisteperman]

Living Liver Donation for Patients with Liver Cancer

On Valentine’s Day last year, I had the privilege of leading a 12-person team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, residents and nurses while a loving husband gave his wife part of his healthy liver to cure her from her liver cancer. 

  Liver disease affects all walks of life and the husband, Bryan Li, was a perfect match to proceed with a lifesaving surgery for his wife, Francine Meng. Without the gift of living liver donation from her husband, Francine Meng would have spent 18 months to two years waiting for an organ.  She would have never gotten an offer and died from her cancer.  As a loving wife, sister and mother of a young child, that was a risk she did not want to take. 

  Over the course of three meetings, the interdisciplinary team of social workers, independent donor advocate, and experienced transplant nurse practitioners spoke with the patient and husband about their options and they opted for living liver donation. 

  Bryan Li gave his wife, Francine Meng, part of his liver- the best Valentine’s gift probably in history.  Today, both are alive and well and able to live their life with their young son.

  NYU Langone has performed live liver transplants since the late 1990s and we have performed over 100 living related liver transplants.  Over eight hours in the operating room and a dozen specialists, including Associate Transplant Director, Dr. Glyn Morgan, and transplant surgeons Dr. Bruce Gelb and Dr. Aaron Winnick, are critical to the success of the surgery.

  I am proud that at NYULMC Transplant.  We serve thousands of patients but our size is just right that we know each patient and their individual situation.  It is not ironic that we care for our patients in the Mary Lea Johnson Richards Organ Transplantation Center- a health facility donated by the late Martin Richards – a loving gift from husband to honor his wife, Mary Lea.  Bryan Li and Francine Meng are no different and I look forward to seeing them for years to come.

Photo by: John Abbott

The latest from Lewis Teperman (@DrLewisTeperman). A pioneering physician in the area of liver transplantation, Lewis Teperman, MD, FACS, serves as Director of Transplantation at NYU School of Medicine. New York, NY

[drlewisteperman]

Using Immunosuppressants to Prevent Transplant Rejection

Noted liver transplant surgeon Dr. Lewis Teperman is the Director of Transplantation at NYU Langone Medical Center. He has published extensively on liver disease, treatment, transplantation, and organ donation. Dr. Lewis Teperman takes an interest in ways to prevent transplant rejection in patients who have undergone transplant surgery. Most patients experience considerable improvements in health after an organ transplant. However, transplant surgery comes at the risk of transplant rejection. Because the donor organ does not match the tissue of the organ recipient exactly, the immune system of the recipient may treat the new organ as a dangerous foreign substance and attack it with antibodies and killer cells. This is called transplant rejection. Rejection is nature's way of protecting the body but can end up destroying the donor organ. It is essential to prevent this process from happening by taking anti-rejection medicines or immunosuppressants. These medications weaken the immune system so that the transplanted organ remains healthy. While immunosuppressants do also decrease the body's ability to fight off infections, cancer, and other diseases, there have been considerable strides in medicine in recent years and these anti-rejection drugs come with fewer and milder side effects than they did in the past.

[drlewisteperman]

United States Food and Drug Administration Approved Victrelis to Treat Hepatitis C

An experienced physician, Dr. Lewis Teperman acts as director of transplant surgery at the NYU Langone Medical Center. In collaboration with his colleagues, he is pioneering the use of advanced drugs like Incivek and Victrelis in treating hepatitis C following liver transplant procedures. In spring 2011, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Victrelis for patients with hepatitis C who still have some liver function. Further, such patients must not have undergone previous hepatitis C drug therapies or, if they are on an alternative therapy, the therapy must first fail before they can take Victrelis. Patients take the medication in pill form with food three times daily. It inhibits the hepatitis C virus by binding to it and suppressing its reproductive capacities. The majority of liver transplant patients in the United States have progressive hepatitis C induced liver disease. Individuals contract the virus through exposure to infected blood, from birth, from engaging in intercourse with an infected individual, from sharing razors and toothbrushes, and from tainted tools.

[drlewisteperman]

Dr. Lewis Teperman on Treatments for Hepatitis C

Dr. Lewis Teperman is one of the country’s leading liver transplant surgeons. As director of transplant surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center, Dr. Teperman manages the care and treatment of patients with hepatitis undergoing transplant surgery, and researches the function and treatment of the disease. A hepatitis C diagnosis does not necessarily result in treatment. For patients with minimal liver abnormalities, risk of future liver infection is low. However, in persistent cases of hepatitis C, treatment becomes necessary to preserve the health and function of the liver. Doctors usually prescribe a combination of antiviral medications intended to rid the body of the virus. Medication can be taken anywhere from several weeks to a year. For liver disease in its end stages, transplantation may be the only option. A liver transplant does not cure hepatitis. Medication is usually continued following transplant surgery to prevent a reoccurrence of the infection.