Washington University offers a two-year fellowship in minimally invasive urology. The first year of the fellowship is dedicated to research. The fellow has minimal clinical responsibility during this year to allow for academic study and writing. We have ongoing clinical studies for patients undergoing minimally invasive nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy, pyeloplasty, cryoablation, laparoscopic RPLND and PCNL.
We have state-of-the-art animal facilities and have recently completed studies in laparoscopic RPLND and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. The laboratory is active in testing of ablative technologies and devices. The animal laboratory offers the fellow a chance to hone their laparoscopic surgical skills and explore the frontiers of minimally invasive urologic surgery.
The fellows have the opportunity to collaborate with any of the faculty in the division as well as with any of the faculty in the medical school. Frequently, the fellows are involved in multi-institutional studies. Typically, the fellows present their work at the AUA and WCE meetings. Most fellows author several articles in peer-review journals and contribute to book chapter preparation.
The second year of the fellowship is a clinical year. The fellow functions not only as a trainee, but also as a mentor, staffing resident cases and overseeing the resident clinic for part of the year. The structure of the clinical year of the fellowship has worked very well. The fellows and the residents enjoy a cooperative relationship.
We have a very high clinical volume of index cases for the fellows. The fellows have the opportunity to scrub cases with many different attendings, learning a variety of operative styles and techniques. Our fellows complete the fellowship feeling confident as minimally invasive urologists.
The faculty responsible for fellowship training:
Sherb Figenshau, MD
Professor of Surgery
Taylor Family and Ralph V. Clayman Chair in Minimally Invasive Urology
Medical Director Midwest Stone Institute
Co-Director Minimally Invasive Urology Fellowship
Dr. Figenshau trained at Washington University under Dr. Ralph Clayman. He was involved in many of the first laparoscopic nephrectomies every performed. His clinical and research interests are laparoscopic RPLND for the treatment of low-stage NSGCT and renal ischemia during minimally invasive partial nephrectomy
Sam Bhayani, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Co-Director of Robotic Surgery
Research Director Midwest Stone Institute
Co-Director Minimally Invasive Urology Fellowship
Dr. Bhayani completed his residency at Washington University and went on to a fellowship at Johns-Hopkins James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute under the guidance of Dr. Louis Kavoussi. He has established Washington University as a center of excellence for robotic urologic surgery, particularly in robotic assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. His clinical and research interests are in robotic partial nephrectomy.
Alana Desai, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Director of Stone Treatment
Co-Director Minimally Invasive Urology Fellowship
Dr. Desai completed her residency and fellowship at Washington University. She performs the majority of the stone procedures at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Her research interests are in stone disease and medical propulsive therapy.
Adam Kibel, MD
Holekamp Family Chair in Urology
Director of Urologic Oncology
Co-Director of Robotic Surgery
Co-Director Minimally Invasive Urology
Fellowship
Dr. Kibel completed his residency training in urology at the Harvard Program in Urology. He then completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at The Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Dr. Kibel is a minimally invasive urologic oncologist. His research interests are mainly in aggressive prostate cancer. One of his clinical interests is in robotic cystectomy.
Gerald Andriole, MD
Professor of Surgery
Chief, Division of Urologic Surgery
Robert K. Royce Distinguished Professor of Urologic Surgery
Director, Prostate Study Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Dr. Andriole completed his urology residency training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a fellowship in Urologic Oncology at the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Andriole is a world renowned prostate cancer and prostate disease researcher. He has a vast experience in laparoscopic prostatectomy and he is one of the few surgeons in the country who performs the procedure without robotic assistance. The fellows have the opportunity to scrub with Dr. Andriole on a regular basis.
Most of the remaining faculty members perform laparoscopic and robotic procedures and the fellow has opportunities to scrub cases with all attending physicians in the Division of Urology.
Washington University has a long history of fellows in minimally invasive urology. The first fellow graduated in 1985.
Below is a list of former fellows that have been affiliated with Washington University during their training and have been recognized by the Endourology Society:
Many other distinguished research and clinical fellows have come to Washington University to learn minimally invasive surgical techniques and have made significant contributions to the literature and the practice of minimally invasive urologic surgery.
