The Duke Small Bowel Transplant Center uses a team approach to care for you throughout your illness and recovery.

The small bowel transplant team is made up of a diverse group of health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacist, dieticians, and medical psychologists.

Initially, these specialists will help you determine if a small bowel transplant is the right treatment for you. If and when you become a transplant patient, the same group of professionals will take care of you.

After you have been listed for transplant, you will attend the Small Bowel Transplant Clinic. Until then, you may have seen one of the medical doctors only. Each doctor is not in clinic each day. That means you will eventually meet the other doctors on the team.

If you are admitted to the hospital, the doctor who is rounding that week on the inpatients will care for you. When you have your surgery, the surgeon who is "on-call" will perform your surgery. The advantage of getting to know each doctor is that they will have met you and will know you when it is time for your transplant.

Transplant Team

The following is a list of small bowel transplant team members and a brief description of their roles. We suggest that you write down the names of your team members as you meet them to help you remember who they are.

Transplant Coordinator

This advanced practice nurse will discuss the overall course of events before, during, and after small bowel transplantation. The nurse coordinator is your fastest and most direct access to assistance regarding new problems, questions, or results.

Julie Hudson, RN, MSN            919-684-3570

Transplant Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist

The gastroenterologist/hepatologist specializes in intestinal and liver disease and small bowel and liver transplantation. He or she will evaluate your current disease and will discuss the option of small bowel transplantation with you.

Carla Brady, MD, MHS             919-684-3262

Transplant Surgeon

The transplant surgeon performs the operations. He or she will explain the small bowel transplant to you.

Debra L Sudan, MD                919-668-2279

Abigail Martin, MD                  919-613-6133

Social Worker

The social worker will help determine your ability to cope with the impact of small bowel transplantation on you and your family by asking you about your family life and social habits. She may provide counseling or be a resource for social and community issues.

Karli Pontillo, MSW, LCSW        919-684-4480

Medical Psychologist

Having a small bowel transplant is a tremendous emotional stress. To help us understand how you might react to this stress, you may visit with our team psychologist even if you have no history of mental illness.

Our psychologists have a great deal of experience in dealing with patients before and after their small bowel transplant.

Nutritionist

A nutritionist will be available to you and your family to help you understand your nutritional needs and restrictions. If you are placed on a special diet, the nutritionist will help educate you as to the best food choices for you.

Wendy Bingham, RD                919-668-6136

Financial Coordinator

The financial coordinator will work closely with you and your insurance carrier to determine that your transplant is financially approved before you are placed on a waiting list for your new small bowel. They may also advise you about fund-raising methods if necessary to pay for expenses not covered by your insurance.

Melissa Chapin                       919-681-6457

Anesthesiologist

An anesthesiologist will talk to you about how you will be put to sleep during the surgery and how any postoperative pain you my experience will be managed.

The members of the small bowel transplant team want to help you as much as possible. Please feel free to ask us any and all questions you may have as they arise by contacting us through the transplant office.

The secretaries who answer your call can help you with any of your questions, or direct your call to those who can.