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Dr. Wee joined the Division in 2006. He is board certified in Surgery and Thoracic Surgery. Having graduated from Duke University School of Medicine, he completed his Surgery residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He then went to University of Pittsburgh for his training in cardiothoracic surgery under Dr James Luketich. During his time there, he was also a visiting fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City working with Dr Valerie Rusch and Dr Manjit Baines.
His clinical interests include minimally invasive surgery for thoracic and esophageal diseases. Some of his particular interests include the following:
Minimally Invasive esophagectomy for cancer. Utilizing thoracoscopic and laparoscopic techniques, the diseased esophagus is mobilized, resected, and reconstructed with minimal trauma. The goal is improved recovery and return to activity with less pain and a complete oncologic resection.
Video assisted lobectomy. Lung resection for cancer often requires a large thoracotomy incision with spreading of the ribs. VATS lobectomy utilizes three small incisions without any spreading of the ribs. A camera is used to assist the dissection of sensitive blood vessels and lung structures. Less pain and quicker recovery are the goals. If chemotherapy is deemed needed after surgery, patients are healthier and can more reliably begin their adjuvant therapy.
GERD, Giant Paraesophageal Hernias, Achalasia, Diverticulum. A variety of benign esophageal diseases can be treated through laparoscopic or thoracoscopic techniques.
Video assisted Thymectomy. Whether for myasthenia gravis or thymic tumor, a VATS thymectomy can help avoid large sternotomy incisions by approaching the tumor though 3 mm incisions in the chest.
Hyperhydrosis. VATS sympathectomy can reduce or alleviate excessive sweating from the face, axilla, and hands by disrupting the sympathetic nerve conduction through small 3mm incisions.
Radiofrequency ablation and cyberknife therapy for tumors. Patients who are too high risk for conventional surgery can still have options for treatment of their tumors. RFA and cyberknife provide low risk options for local tumor control.
Dr. Wee's research interest is in studying the effects of minimally invasive surgery on patient outcomes, developing new techniques and technology for minimal access surgery, lung and esophageal cancer, and pathogenesis of reflux, hernias, and cancer.
Dr. Wee is an Instructor in Surgery at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Surgeon in the Division of Thoracic Surgery, BWH. He sees patients and operates at both at Brigham & Women's Hospital and Faulkner Hospital.
Comments to: KKee@partners.org
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Division of Thoracic Surgery
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: (617) 732-6824