Department of Surgery History

Under Dr. Henry Swan’s leadership, the Department forged a powerful partnership with the Veterans Administration (VA), expanding surgical training and care. Swan appointed Dr. Ben Eiseman to lead the new VA Hospital’s surgical program in 1950.

Though it started with limited resources, the program flourished within a decade and gained recognition for its teaching, research, and strong partnerships, helping elevate Denver as a hub for academic medicine and veteran care.

Dr. Henry Swan's impact extended far beyond the operating room; his mentorship shaped a generation of surgical leaders. Among them was Dr. John “Bud” Wilson, whose pioneering work in cardiac monitoring changed critical care.

Dr. Guillermo "Bill" Aragón contributed to Denver’s surgical community and later endowed a chair in surgery to support future generations.

Dr. Gerald Rainer rose to lead multiple national medical societies and trained hundreds as chief of surgery at Denver's St. Joseph Hospital.

Dr. David Roos gained international acclaim for his innovative treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome in 1966 and developed the technique to perform a first rib resection. 

Dr. Henry Cleveland helped launch the nation’s first air ambulance system.

Dr. Rodrigo Altman returned to Costa Rica after his residency with Dr. Swan to serve both as a leading surgeon and the country’s vice president.

These remarkable careers reflect the enduring legacy of Swan’s training and vision.

By 1960, under Dr. Henry Swan’s leadership, the Department was not just drawing global attention, it was sending talent abroad. He launched an international exchange program for residents in their fourth year of training, offering year-long training in Sweden or Scotland. Dr. Ben Eiseman followed with a 14-year partnership at St. Bartholomew’s in London. These initiatives broadened surgical horizons and connected Denver’s program to the world.

In this 1950s photograph, Phyllis Horst, RN, is seen focused at her typewriter — a calm moment captured in the life of a nurse whose ingenuity reshaped surgical practice. As Dr. Henry Swan’s operating room nurse, Horst invented a subtle but transformative feature in surgical tools: small grooves on the inner curve of needles. These grooves improved the grip of the needle holder, allowing for more precise handling and reducing trauma to tissue during surgery. At a time when nurses had to manually thread each needle with the correct suture material, her innovation helped usher in a new era of efficiency and safety in the operating room. Horst’s contribution is a testament to the critical role nurses have played in advancing medical technology through practical insight and ingenuity.

Dr. Henry Swan brought surgical precision beyond the operating table — he revolutionized the space itself. He designed a three-zone system, each step inward demanding stricter sterility to reduce infection. His vision impressed architects so much that they adopted it widely, setting a new standard for hospital design.

Two groundbreaking concepts emerged from orthopedic surgeon, Dr. J Cuthbert Owens' work: the creation of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) with varying levels of training leading up to paramedics, and the classification of trauma centers within hospitals.

To support these innovations, training courses for emergency personnel were developed, and ambulances were redesigned to accommodate patients and EMTs simultaneously. Owens, along with teams of residents and students, traveled extensively across cities and hospitals to train nurses, ambulance attendants, and doctors in emergency patient care.

These efforts led to a transformation in standards of care throughout Colorado and the nation, making EMT and paramedic training programs a routine and essential part of emergency medical services.

Meet our current team of GI, endocrine, and trauma surgeons.

Dr. Henry Cleveland, in collaboration with Dr. Boyd Bigelow at St. Anthony Hospital in Denver, launched the nation’s first helicopter-based air ambulance service.

Flight for Life was a groundbreaking advancement in emergency care. Inspired by the availability of helicopters at Fort Carson near Colorado Springs and staffed by Vietnam War pilots newly discharged from the Army, the service began by transporting patients from remote, often mountainous areas. What was once a bold innovation has since become a global standard for emergency medical transportation.

In 1971, Dr. Ben Eiseman proposed to Dr. George Hill the idea of editing a multiauthored textbook titled Outpatient Surgery. The project brought together 27 contributors, all either faculty members at the Colorado Medical School or affiliated with its teaching programs, reflecting the strong community support behind the institution.

Covering a broad range of surgical topics, the book significantly enhanced the reputation of the Department of Surgery. Its impact was far-reaching, with three hardcover editions, a softcover release in Asia, and a Spanish translation.

As part of their third-year requirement, all surgical residents conducted research projects tailored to their individual interests. Among the most notable was the work of Dr. Christopher Weatherley-White and Dr. Bjorn Sjostrom, of Sweden, who conducted groundbreaking research on frostbite.

They developed a precise method which replicated frostbite injury, allowing them to measure the effects based on exposure duration and tissue temperature. This innovative study earned Weatherley-White a prize from the Society of Plastic Surgeons and remains one of the most frequently cited contributions to frostbite research in the past 50 years.

Read more: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4804(64)80004-4 & https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5808558/

Meet our current team of burn and frostbite surgeons.

In 1965, Michael Johnson began working at Colorado General Hospital as a premedical student, where he noticed discrepancies between ultrasound measurements and mechanical measurements of heart valves. Seeking clarity, he consulted Dr. Bruce Paton, who was using valves in patients. Together, they discovered that the difference was due to the unique speed of sound through the Silastic ball valve, compared to surrounding fluids like water or blood. Johnson went on to examine other valve models, including the Beall valve. This collaboration led to a pioneering idea — using ultrasound intraoperatively to assess the function of the native mitral valve. They developed a sterile probe and successfully measured leaflet motion directly on the heart before and after mitral commissurotomy.

Their work, published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, marked the first reported cardiac application of intraoperative ultrasound — a technique that has since become standard practice in transesophageal echocardiography.

Read more: https://www.jtcvs.org/article/S0022-5223(19)39821-6/fulltext

Meet our current team of cardiothoracic surgeons.

As chairman, Dr. Thomas Starzl established a formal thoracic surgical training program in 1975, partnering with the VA Hospital, Denver General, and Colorado General Hospital (CGH). CGH became the state’s leading center for pediatric cardiac surgery, treating over 200 children and 150 adults annually. The program trained several outstanding residents who advanced the University’s cardiac efforts.

By the early 1980s, 12 Denver hospitals offered cardiac surgery, greatly improving local access. Dr. James Anderson joined the VA Hospital as Chief of Cardiac and Thoracic Services, further enhancing the program’s leadership.

Meet our current team of cardiothoracic surgeons.

Dr. Dale Liechty arrived in Denver in 1971 from Greeley, Colorado, following a distinguished career as an endocrine surgeon at the University of Iowa and as editor of a widely used surgical textbook. After a brief period in Portland, he returned to Denver in 1975, focusing on thyroid and parathyroid surgery while playing a key role in resident education. When bariatric surgery emerged as a treatment for morbid obesity, Dr. Liechty helped establish University of Colorado Hospital as a leading center for these procedures.

Dr. Greg Stiegmann earned his MD from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1975 and began his surgical internship in Colorado the same year, unaware that he would one day serve as interim Chancellor of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. His career included two formative years abroad, where he gained diverse surgical experience. In South Africa, he trained under Dr. Philip Bornman, a renowned surgeon and endoscopy pioneer whom Stiegmann credited as his most influential mentor.

Dr. John Lilly first came to Denver in 1969 as a research fellow in transplantation under Dr. Starzl. After a brief return to Washington, he was recruited back in 1973 to lead pediatric surgery at the University of Colorado. He introduced the Kasai procedure for biliary atresia to the U.S., marking a major advancement in pediatric care. Dr. Lilly also established Colorado’s first formal pediatric surgery training program. When the pediatric service transitioned to Children’s Hospital Colorado in 1990, he was named surgeon-in-chief.

In 1973, the Department of Surgery expanded with the creation of two new divisions: Plastic Surgery and Pediatrics. Dr. R.C.A. Weatherley‑White was appointed acting head of Plastic Surgery, supported by five volunteer surgeons, and the division quickly became busy with emergent cases. At the same time, Dr. John Lilly was named chief of Pediatric Surgery, establishing a vital service that had previously been unavailable despite the hospital’s large pediatric population. These appointments marked a turning point in the Department’s growth, ensuring specialized care for patients across both reconstructive and pediatric needs.

Dr. David Campbell revitalized the cardiac transplant program at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (formerly Colorado General Hospital) and later at Children’s Hospital Colorado. He performed transplants on adults and children, leading a pediatric program that became the only one of its kind in the Rocky Mountain region.

Under his leadership, over 300 pediatric heart transplants were performed, drawing patients from across neighboring states.

 

Meet our current team of pediatric surgeons.

Burn care has long played a vital role in trauma response and recovery. Colorado’s leadership in this field began in the early 1970s, when Dr. John Boswick, formerly head of the burn unit at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, arrived in Denver. In 1972, he established the Hand Service and led the burn unit at Colorado General Hospital. Under his leadership, the unit treated between 100 and 200 patients annually, managing both minor and severe injuries. Dr. Boswick’s influence extended nationally through his involvement in plastic surgery, hand, and burn organizations. In recognition of his contributions, the International Burn Foundation established a prize in his honor. He remained chairman of the International Burn Foundation until his death in 1999.

Building on this legacy, the UCHealth Burn and Frostbite Center at Anschutz Medical Campus has served as Colorado’s premier burn center since 1976. As one of only 54 American Burn Association (ABA)-verified centers in the U.S., it is the first and longest-standing burn center in the Rocky Mountain region.

Meet our current team of burn surgeons.

In January 1973, after a lengthy faculty debate, Dr. James Miles secured the two-thirds majority vote needed to elevate the Division of Orthopedics to full departmental status. His efforts set a precedent that other specialties followed: Otolaryngology became a department in 1974, and Ophthalmology followed in 1978, marking a period of significant structural growth within the institution.

Dr. Alden Harken’s leadership was marked by strategic faculty appointments that strengthened clinical programs and advanced surgical education.

In 1990, Dr. Dave Fullerton joined with a focus on pediatric cardiac surgery and research. His scholarly work earned recognition with a Best Scientific Presentation award in 1996.

Dr. Charles Abernathy brought unmatched enthusiasm and trauma surgery expertise to Denver Health, enriching resident education with his influential book, Surgical Secrets.

Dr. Fred Grover, a Colorado-trained surgeon with deep ties to the region, was recruited to launch the Department’s lung transplant program, expanding its footprint in advanced cardiothoracic care.

On November 15, 1988, Dr. Igal Kam performed the first liver transplant of the new era, marking the beginning of the program’s revival. A strong partnership between the transplant service and the Department of Medicine helped restore its former excellence. When the new outpatient department opened at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, a dedicated hallway for transplantation housed offices of all cooperating divisions—boosting patient volume and improving outcomes.

Meet our current team of transplant surgeons.

Plastic surgery initially operated without formal structure, relying on volunteer physicians for coverage. The field gained momentum in 1972 when Dr. John Boswick established the Burn Unit and Hand Surgery Service.

A major step forward came with Dr. Robert Hoehn’s arrival in 1970. Under his leadership, the Department launched a formal plastic surgery residency in 1974. Later, Dr. Larry Ketch revitalized the training program, earning provisional approval in 1987 and consolidating key services. In 2009, the Division restarted its Cosmetic Surgery Service, with Dr. Joyce Aycock joining to lead breast reconstruction after cancer.

Meet our current team of plastic and reconstructive surgeons.

Vascular surgery had a strong foundation within the medical school when Dr. Alden Harken became chairman, thanks to the leadership of Dr. Robert Rutherford. A pioneer in the field, Dr. Rutherford authored the definitive multiauthor textbook on vascular surgery, published extensively on antithrombotic therapies, and led 17 clinical trials. He led a prolific career, and in the final five years alone, authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and gave 66 invited lectures.

Dr. Mark Nehler joined the Department in 1997 and became Vascular Surgery Section Chief in 2006, guiding the Division into a new era of innovation and patient care.

Meet our current team of vascular surgeons.

In 1991, Dr. Ketch expanded and strengthened the plastic surgery program by affiliating with the Children's Hospital when all the pediatric services moved from the campus on Ninth Avenue to the Children's Hospital. Ketch was appointed as chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Children's Hospital. Following this move, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education gave full approval to the plastic surgery residency.

Altitude research in Colorado began in 1911 with J.S. Haldane’s pioneering acclimatization studies atop Pikes Peak, establishing the region as a national hub for altitude physiology. Over the decades, researchers like Drs. Reeves, Hackett, and Grover utilized the summit lab to explore human adaptation to high elevation. In 2003, Dr. Robert Roach joined the Department, bringing fresh momentum to the field through innovative studies and a hypobaric chamber. His arrival helped establish the Altitude Medicine and Research Center as a key part of the Department of Surgery, supported by a dedicated board committed to advancing scientific discovery and funding efforts.

Learn more about today's University of Colorado Altitude Research Center.

Cancer surgery has long been central to general surgical practice, and in recent decades, it has experienced remarkable growth. The University of Colorado Cancer Center has emerged as one of the nation’s top institutions and the most advanced in the Rocky Mountain region. Today, under the leadership of Dr. Richard Schulick, Chair of the Department of Surgery, the center continues to advance excellence in cancer care and research through close collaboration with Department surgeons.

Among the notable contributors to this legacy is Dr. Christina Finlayson, a leading breast cancer surgeon in the region. After completing her residency in Colorado and a fellowship at Fox Chase Cancer Center, she chose general surgery to address complex, multiorgan disease — ultimately focusing on breast cancer. Her clinic has drawn patients from across the Mountain West, reflecting both her reputation and the center’s regional impact.

Meet our current team of surgical oncology experts.

Under the leadership of Dr. Randall Meacham, the Division of Urology was clinically strong but did not have an active research program. To support Dr. Meacham’s vision, Dr. Grover provided funding to recruit Hari Koul, PhD, who established a research lab and secured an NIH training grant. This allowed residents to gain valuable research experience.

Dr. Meacham is a nationally recognized specialist in urologic microsurgery and has performed over 1,000 microsurgical procedures. He has written extensively on male fertility and on prostate cancer. Under his leadership, the urologic faculty grew to eleven members, with specialties in pediatric urology, cancer, and reconstructive urology, and worked at the Anschutz Medical Center, the Children's Hospital, the VAH, and Denver Health, yet remained members of the division.

The six-year residency starts with two years in general surgery. Other urology programs require only 1 year of general surgery, but there is no uniform national requirement. The standard of the residents is high, and at the 2009 meeting of the Southeastern Section of the American Urological Society, 32 out of 140 presentations came from Colorado.

Under Dr. Meacham’s continued leadership, urology research continues to thrive.

Meet our current team of urology surgeons.

Dr. Joseph Cleveland trained in general and cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Colorado before joining the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. He led the adult cardiac transplant program, succeeding Dr. David Campbell, who focused on pediatric transplants.

Dr. Cleveland also managed patients with Left Ventricular Assistive Devices (LVADs), devices that support the heart’s pumping function and serve as a bridge to transplant. Removing an LVAD for heart transplantation remains a challenging and delicate procedure due to surgical adhesions.

In recognition of his leadership and contributions to the field, Dr. Cleveland now serves as the inaugural chairholder of the David A. Fullerton, MD, Endowed Chair in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Meet our current team of cardiothoracic surgeons & learn more about Dr. Cleveland.

Despite initial uncertainty, the relocation to the Anschutz Medical Campus became a masterclass in logistics. In 2005, Emma Jean Amrhein, RN, returned from retirement to lead the move alongside Dr. Robert McIntyre and a dedicated team. After 18 months of detailed planning, the transition took place on a Monday morning in June 2007. By the following Sunday morning, the Department of Surgery was fully settled into its new, state-of-the-art home.

Faculty from the Department of Surgery have long held leadership roles in the nation’s most prestigious professional organizations. Dr. Ben Eiseman, Dr. Gene Moore, and Dr. Alden Harken each served as presidents of the Society of University Surgeons, with Dr. Moore also leading the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and several other distinguished groups. Dr. Gerald Rainer and Dr. Frederick Grover were presidents of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Dr. Rainer additionally served as president of the American College of Chest Physicians. In urology, Dr. John Whitesel, Dr. Robert Donohue, and Dr. Randall Meacham each presided over the South Central Section of the American Urologic Society. Dr. Larry Ketch was president of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons. Beyond national organizations, numerous faculty members and former residents have guided the Denver Academy of Surgery as presidents, reflecting the Department’s enduring influence on surgical leadership locally and nationally.

In 2012, the appointment of Dr. Timothy Crombleholme, to the Ponzio Family Endowed Chair for the Surgeon‑in‑Chief marked the beginning of a groundbreaking fetal surgery program at Children’s Hospital Colorado. At the time, only a handful of centers worldwide offered fetal surgery. Under Dr. Crombleholme’s leadership, the program quickly became a national leader, performing more than 300 fetal operations to date. Success in this highly specialized field depends on precise diagnosis, and the team advanced care by using high‑definition CT scans, which provide superior detail compared to MRIs. This milestone established Colorado as one of the few centers in the world capable of offering life‑saving interventions before birth.

Between 2012 and 2014, the Department of Surgery saw the volume of esophageal cancer cases double from 25 to 50 per year. This growth, along with increases in other gastrointestinal cancers, was driven by the introduction of multidisciplinary clinics under the leadership of Dr. Richard Schulick and with Dr. Martin McCarter directing the esophageal clinic.

While breast cancer care had long benefited from interdisciplinary collaboration, similar clinics for other cancers had not previously been developed. Their purpose was clear: to provide better patient care, greater efficiency, and more personalized attention. During this period, multidisciplinary clinics were established for pancreatic disease, lung cancer, esophageal‑gastric disease, vascular conditions, colorectal cancer, liver masses, and endocrine disease, marking a transformative step in comprehensive cancer care at CU.

In 2013, Emergency Medicine, which had originally been a division within the Department of Surgery, became an independent department. Patient volumes in the Emergency Department were rising rapidly, including a growing number requiring surgical care. Dr. Robert McIntyre was appointed medical director of the newly formed Trauma and Acute Care Service (TACS). To build the service, three new faculty members were recruited: Dr. Arek Peltz, Dr. Franklin Wright, and Dr. Arek Wiktor. With the construction of a new Emergency Department and the development of TACS, patient volumes increased quickly, sometimes by as much as 35 percent compared with the same month in the previous year. This milestone marked a pivotal expansion in the Department’s ability to deliver timely, life‑saving care.

Learn more about the Trauma and Acute Care Service (TACS)

Founded in 2005 with strong leadership from the Department of Surgery, the Center for Surgical Innovation has become a cornerstone of surgical training and collaboration on the Anschutz Medical Campus. In 2020, CSI entered a new chapter by moving into its state‑of‑the‑art home in Bioscience 3. The 8,500‑square‑foot facility—with advanced labs, conference space, and 24/7 access for residents—strengthens the Department’s mission to prepare surgeons with hands‑on experience in a safe environment before they ever step into the operating room.

Learn more about the Center for Surgical Innovation.

In 2021, the Department of Surgery marked a significant achievement when two of its leaders were recognized among the world’s foremost experts in pancreatic neoplasms. Dr. Richard Schulick and Dr. Marco Del Chiaro were ranked in the top 0.1% of scholars worldwide by Expertscape. This distinction, announced during World Pancreatic Cancer Day, underscored the Department’s global impact in advancing research, surgical innovation, and patient care in one of the most challenging areas of oncology.

In 2023, the Department of Surgery achieved a groundbreaking milestone with its first robotic living liver donation. Led by Dr. Trevor Nydam, the team performed a robotic hepatectomy that cut hospital stays in half and reduced recovery time from eight weeks to just three to four. This innovation not only improves outcomes for donors but also removes barriers to living donation, offering hope to more patients awaiting transplants. By bringing global expertise to Colorado, the Department positioned itself at the forefront of transplant surgery and set the stage for a future where living donation becomes the standard of care.

In 2024, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus achieved a historic milestone when a team led by Dr. Kia Washington and co‑principal investigator Christene A. Huang, PhD, received up to $46 million from the National Eye Institute (NEI) to develop innovative treatments aimed at curing blindness. The project focuses on regenerating retinal photoreceptors, the cells that enable vision, with the potential to restore sight for millions affected by degenerative eye diseases. This award, one of the largest NIH grants in CU history, underscores the Department of Surgery’s leadership in pioneering biomedical research and its commitment to transforming patient care through innovation.

Learn more about the innovative treatment to cure blindness.