NYU Langone's Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center Expands Leadership Team and Welcomes Esteemed Surgeon to Advance Specialized Care

NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at NYU Langone Health is reinforcing its dedication to exceptional patient care with an expanded leadership team and the addition of a renowned colorectal surgeon.

The center provides comprehensive care for adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. These chronic conditions cause a range of debilitating symptoms, such as persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss, impacting both quality of life and long-term health.

Center director David P. Hudesman, MD, has appointed two co-directors to his team: gastroenterologist Jordan E. Axelrad, MD, MPH, and colorectal surgeon Andre da Luz Moreira, MD, underscoring NYU Langone's commitment to personalized care.

"Drs. Axelrad and Moreira have been integral members of our multidisciplinary team for many years, skilled in the latest diagnostic tools, scientific advancements, and IBD research," said Dr. Hudesman. "As co-directors, their unwavering dedication to innovation and patient care will help guide the future of our center and ensure we remain leaders in IBD treatment, providing patients with both advanced medical therapies and minimally invasive surgical options."

Dr. Axelrad, a clinician researcher, became personally motivated to pursue this specialty after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease in his late teens. His research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, explores the intersections of IBD with gut microbiome health, mucosal immunology, infections, and cancer risk. His work and dedication to the field recently earned him the prestigious 2024 Sherman Emerging Leader Prize.

Dr. Moreira is an accomplished colorectal surgeon whose work emphasizes the value of personalized surgical care and long-term positive outcomes. He has extensive expertise in minimally invasive and robotically assisted procedures to treat a range of colorectal conditions, including cancer and IBD.

Welcoming a Renowned Surgeon

Additionally, NYU Langone has welcomed David W. Dietz, MD, an esteemed colorectal surgeon specializing in complex IBD surgery and reoperative procedures. Dr. Dietz, vice chair of value and transformation in the Department of Surgery, brings extensive experience in managing complex cases.

"Dr. Dietz is an exceptional addition to our colorectal surgery team, bringing the highest level of skill and a compassionate, individualized approach to care that embodies the values we prioritize at NYU Langone," said Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Patcher, MD, Professor of Surgery and chair of the Department of Surgery. "His unique expertise in complex abdominal surgery ensures patients will have access to the most skilled surgical care for even the most challenging cases."

Among Dr. Dietz's specialties is continent ileostomy surgery — also known as K-pouch surgery — a technically complex operation performed by only a small number of surgeons nationwide. This procedure creates an internal pouch, allowing patients to avoid an external appliance by using a soft catheter to empty the pouch as needed. The stoma, or external opening, is discreetly covered with a bandage when not in use. Dr. Dietz also specializes in redo ileal pouch–anal anastomosis, or J-pouch surgery, and other advanced procedures designed to preserve bowel function and avoid conventional colostomies or ileostomies.

"These surgical approaches are often critical for patients with IBD, rectal cancer, or complications from previous surgeries and require both skill and compassion, beginning with an understanding of each patient's unique hopes, fears, and goals," said Dr. Dietz. "My focus is on restoring health and quality of life, and I am honored to join the team at NYU Langone, where patient-centered care is at the heart of what we do."

World-Class IBD Care Throughout the System

NYU Langone is consistently ranked among the top 5 hospitals in the nation for gastroenterology and GI surgery by U.S. News & World Report, underscoring in part its commitment to excellence in IBD care throughout the health system. The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center's multidisciplinary approach, integrates the latest in diagnostics, medical therapies, surgical interventions, and support services, including nutrition and psychological counseling.

Patients at the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at NYU Langone Ambulatory Care Lake Success — the only comprehensive IBD center on Long Island — and the Joseph S. and Diane H. Steinberg Ambulatory Care Center—Cobble Hill in Brooklyn have access to the same top medical and surgical care, along with specialized services.

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SOURCE NYU Langone Health