Transplant Clinic Opens At Wing

Wing Memorial Hospital and Medical Centers, as a member hospital of UMass Memorial in Worcester, will now have access to the only comprehensive organ-transplantation program in New England, which offers small-bowel transplantation and islet-cell transplantation, in addition to lifesaving liver, pancreas, and kidney transplantations.

The small-bowel transplantation program will provide care for patients with irreversible intestinal failure. The islet-cell transplantation will have a particular emphasis in the transplantation of insulin-producing cells as a diabetes cure. UMass Memorial also plans to provide this mode of intervention for other diseases.

Giacomo Basadonna, M.D., Ph.D., a world-renowned transplantation surgeon, has been named as director of Organ Transplantation Services for UMass Memorial Medical Center. Recruited from Yale University Medical School, Bossadonna was also appointed professor of Surgery at the University of Massa-chusetts Medical School. He overseas pancreas, kidney, liver, and islet-cell transplantation programs. Dr. Bossadonna will direct the Transplant and Vascular Access Clinic at Wing.

Marc Uknis, M.D., a multi-organ transplantation surgeon and an expert in post-transplant viral infection, joined UMass Memorial Medical Center’s division of transplantation in October. Recruited from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Uknis is a widely known and highly respected surgeon skilled in liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation. Uknis, who is widely regarded as an expert in post-transplant viral infections, will also be seeing patients at Wing Medical Center of Palmer, which is adjacent to the hospital.

Both Drs. Bossadonna and Uknis will be available for consultation and referral late this month. For further information, call the Wing Medical Center at (413) 284-5400.