Alexandros Charalabopoulos,
MD(hons), MSc, PhD(hons), MRCS(Eng), FRCS(Gen Surg / Upper GI)
Associate Professor of Surgery, Medical School,
National & Kapodistrian University of Athens
Summary:
Dr Charalabopoulos is a world-accredited Upper Gastrointestinal & General Surgeon based at Laiko University Hospital in Athens, Greece. His main interests are totally thoracoscopic and laparoscopic oesophageal and gastric cancer resections, laparoscopic operations for benign oesophageal and gastric diseases (such as repair of paraoesophageal hernias, antireflux operations, Heller’s myotomy for achalasia), gallbladder and hernia operations as well as surgery for the morbidly obese (weight loss surgery).
Details:
Mr Charalabopoulos graduated with honours from the University of Athens Medical School in 2002 (9th out of more than 600 students). He undertook his surgical training in the UK and Greece. In February 2010, after completing his surgical training and gaining his Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in General Surgery from Greece, he moved abroad until 2018 to further enhance his surgical skills. After a series of successful written and oral examinations by the “Royal College of Surgeons of England”, he became in 2006 a life-long “Member of the Royal College of Surgeons“ (MRSC-General Surgery) and in 2014 a life-long “Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons” (FRCS – General Surgery & Upper GI Surgery). In 2011 he was offered a prestigious Fellowship at National Cancer Centre Hospital in Tokyo, Japan in gastric and oesophageal cancer surgery, where his training was immensely enhanced in the field of extensive lymph node dissection and laparoscopic functional gastrectomies for early gastric cancer. Following that and for two years, he completed fellowships in Bariatric and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery in both cancer and benign diseases at St George’s and St Thomas’ University Hospitals in London, UK. Furthermore, he has attended surgical oncology courses in Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, USA and advanced laparoscopic surgery courses at the world-renowned centre IRCAD/EITS in Strasbourg, France. In the UK, in 2014 he became the youngest Consultant Surgeon (highest rank for a clinical doctor in the UK) appointed in the field of oesophageal and gastric cancer surgery in the country. He was appointed at Mid Essex Hospitals NHS Trust, a tertiary referral center covering the whole population (>2 million) of Essex, UK, dealing especially with oesophago-gastric cancer and complex Upper Gastro-Intestinal diseases. He has performed >5000 operations with the majority of them being in the field of Upper Gastrointestinal and Laparoscopic Surgery. More than 90% of his operations are currently performed laparoscopically. He has performed over 350 oesophagectomies, with >200 of them carried out by a minimally invasive approach. As a Consultant Surgeon, he received in 2016, by the UK National Health System (NHS), a Clinical Excellence Award (CEA) for his Nationally outstanding surgical results, that is paid to him annually until his retirement. In September 2018 and after practicing surgery abroad for over 11 years in total, he came back to Athens, Greece to offer his surgical services to the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, where he has been appointed as an Associate Professor of Surgery, practicing at Laiko General Hospital. Here in Greece he continuous practicing his Upper gastrointestinal interest and he is currently the only surgeon in Greece performing totally thoracoscopic/laparoscopic oesophagectomy for cancer with a hand-sewn intrathoracic oesophago-gastric anastomosis with zero leak rate and mortality. He has been invited by colleague surgeons and by the Greek Army (Ministry of Defence) and performed such operations in different hospitals and cities around Greece, with excellent results so far.
Academically, Dr Charalabopoulos has completed a Master’s Degree (MSc) in the field of pancreatitis and he was been awarded a PhD with honours for his work in gastrointestinal oncology and adhesion molecules. His research has been published extensively including publications in one of the most prominent Medical Periodicals in the world, the New England Journal of Medicine. He has published more than 120 papers in peer-reviewed international medical journals. He is an active Associate Editor and Editorial Board Member of many international surgical journals and has been an invited speaker and has given more than 150 presentations in many international surgical and medical congresses. Additionally, he has received multiple awards and distinctions for his work and is a member of various surgical and medical societies globally.
Specialties:
Dr Charalabopoulos specialises in Upper Gastrointestinal & Minimally Invasive Surgery. More than 90% of his operations are performed laparoscopically. Operations that he performs include oesophagectomies, gastrectomies (removal of stomach), paraoesophageal hernia repair & anti-reflux surgery (treatment of Gastro-oesophageal reflux), repair of abdominal wall hernias (inguinal, umbilical, incisional), cholecystectomies (removal of gallbladder) and upper GI endoscopies. He also has an interest in morbid obesity (Bariatric Surgery) and he performs, laparoscopic gastric band insertion, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomies and laparoscopic gastric bypass.
