Acute Care Surgery

Acute Care Surgery consists of health care providers with a special interest in general surgery, emergency general surgery, trauma, burns, and surgical and neurosciences intensive care unit with a full spectrum of care consultation services.
Request an Appointment
For all requests:
1-800-777-8442

University of Iowa Health Care is an American College of Surgeons verified Level-1 Adult and Level-1 Pediatric Trauma Center, as well as a verified Burn Treatment Center by the American Burn Association. UI Health Care serves as a major referral center for critically injured adult and pediatric patients, admitting more than 1,400 patients for traumatic injuries each year.

Acute Care Surgery Trauma Courses

In addition to the optimum care provided to severely injured or sick surgical patients, we also offer instructor-led courses, such as:

  • ABLS (Advanced Burn Life Support)
  • ASSET (Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma)
  • ATOM (Advanced Trauma Operative Management)
  • FCCS (Fundamentals of Critical Care Support)

Learn more about these advanced training classes.

Acute Care Surgery Specialties

Pancreatitis

  • Chronic pseudocyst
  • Necrotizing pancreatitis

Skin and Soft Tissue

  • Soft tissue infection/abscess
  • Torso/extremities mass or cystic lesions

Small and Large Bowel Disease

  • Diverticulum/duplication/cystic lesions
  • Enterocutaneous fistula
  • Enterovesical or enterovaginal fistula
  • Mesenteric disease
  • Obstruction
  • Perforation
  • Placement of stable enteric feeding access (PEG, G-tube, J-tube)

Biliary Disease (open or laparoscopy)​

  • Gallbladder dysfunction
  • Gallbladder polyp
  • Stone disease

Peptic Ulcer Disease

  • Obstruction or mass lesion
  • Pyloric outlet obstruction
  • Recurrent bleeding and/or perforation

Emergency General Surgery

  • Acute Cholecystitis
  • Acute internal bleeding
  • Free air under the diaphragm
  • Necrotizing acute soft tissue infection
  • Visceral Organ Perforation

Trauma

Spleen

  • ITP
  • Splenic Cysts
  • Splenomegaly requiring surgery

Hernia (open or laparoscopy)

  • Incisional/ventral (at the site of a previous surgery)
  • Inguinal (groin)
  • Lumbar
  • Umbilical (belly button)

Our Care Team

Luis J. Garcia, MD, FACS portrait

Luis J.
Garcia
MD, FACS

  • Surgery
4.27 out of 5 (218 ratings)
Martha Godfrey, MD, MS portrait

Martha
Godfrey
MD, MS

  • Surgery
Kevin Huang, MD portrait

Kevin
Huang
MD

  • Surgery
Daniel Kohn, DO, MS portrait

Daniel
Kohn
DO, MS

  • Surgery
Alexander Kurjatko, MD, MPH portrait

Alexander
Kurjatko
MD, MPH

  • Ambulatory Surgery
  • Surgery
Patrick McGonagill, MD portrait

Patrick
McGonagill
MD

  • Surgery
4.77 out of 5 (77 ratings)
Kristen C. Sihler, MD, MS, FACS portrait

Kristen C.
Sihler
MD, MS, FACS

  • Surgery
Dionne Skeete, MD portrait

Dionne
Skeete
MD

  • Surgery
4.47 out of 5 (117 ratings)
Annika Storey, DO, FACOS portrait

Annika
Storey
DO, FACOS

  • Surgery
Robert Bertellotti, MD portrait

Robert
Bertellotti
MD

  • Surgery
4.49 out of 5 (38 ratings)
Lucy A. Wibbenmeyer, MD portrait

Lucy A.
Wibbenmeyer
MD

  • Surgery
4.49 out of 5 (51 ratings)
Shady Alhayek, MD portrait

Shady
Alhayek
MD

  • Cosmetic Surgery & Services
  • Surgery
4.49 out of 5 (38 ratings)
Olivia Anders Boydston, PA-C portrait

Olivia Anders
Boydston
PA-C

  • Surgery
Alysa Crawford, PA-C portrait

Alysa
Crawford
PA-C

  • Surgery
Josie Herz, PA-C portrait

Josie
Herz
PA-C

  • Surgery
Amber Lange, PA-C portrait

Amber
Lange
PA-C

  • Surgery
Jennifer Melvin, PA-C portrait

Jennifer
Melvin
PA-C

  • Emergency Medicine
Staci Vaske, PA-C portrait

Staci
Vaske
PA-C

  • Surgery
Cheryl Byrnes, ARNP portrait

Cheryl
Byrnes
ARNP

  • Surgery
4.52 out of 5 (602 ratings)
Lynn Nelson, ARNP portrait

Lynn
Nelson
ARNP

  • Surgery

Not sure which Acute Care Surgery provider is right for you?

When you call 1-800-777-8442 we'll help you find a provider who meets your needs.
Call 1-800-777-8442

Locations and Offices

Burn Treatment Center
8322 John W. Colloton Pavilion (JCP)
Level 8, Elevator F
1-319-356-2496
Clinic
Burn Treatment Center at UI Hospitals & Clinics
In Medical Center
200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242
Emergency Department
1 Roy J. Carver Pavilion (RCP)
Level 1, Elevator E
1-319-356-2233
Emergency Room
Emergency Room Entrance at UI Hospitals & Clinics
In Medical Center
200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242
Surgery Specialty Clinic
1400 John W. Colloton Pavilion (JCP)
Level 1, Elevator F
1-319-356-2110
Clinic
Surgery Speciality Clinic Entrance at UI Hospitals & Clinics
In Medical Center
200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242

Related Health Topics

Injury prevention from falls
June 29, 2017
The chances of falling and of being seriously injured in a fall increase with age. People age 75 and older who fall are four to five times more likely...

Patient Stories

Trauma system kicks into gear to save a life
February 28, 2017
Minutes after firing up his burnt orange Harley Davidson motorcycle, Joshua Bradley lay sprawled on the pavement, pinned beneath a pickup truck, bleed...

Related News

Preventing the most common injury among UI Health Care patients
August 28, 2024
New grant will fund three fall-prevention programs for older adults
Moving forward
January 10, 2017
After more than a week at the Cedar Rapids hospital, Daniel was transferred to University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. On Dec. 16, he underwent emerge...

Support Groups

Stepping On: Fall Prevention Class

Please join us for Stepping On, a seven-week workshop series to learn important exercises and strategies to help prevent falls.

Building Confidence and Reducing Falls

What is Stepping On?

Stepping On is a program that has been researched and proven to reduce falls in older people.

It consists of a workshop that meets for two hours a week for seven weeks. Workshops are led by two trained Stepping On professionals who partner to provide participants with a quality adult learning environment. In addition, local guest experts provide information on exercise, vision, safety, and medications. 

Fall prevention topics include:

  • Simple and fun balance and strength training
  • The role vision plays in keeping your balance
  • How medications can contribute to falls
  • Ways to keep from falling when out in your community
  • What to look for in safe footwear
  • How to eliminate falls hazards from your home

Why should I be concerned about falling?

Falling is very common; it can result in injury and shake your confidence. The threat of falling can be a barrier to safely doing all the things you want to do at home and in the community. That’s why preventing falls is critical to maintaining independence.

Fall injury statistics

  • More than one-third of people age 65 or older fall each year
  • Falls are the leading cause of hospitalizations due to injury among older adults
  • 35 percent of people who fall become less active
  • 40 percent of people who enter a nursing home had a fall in the prior 30 days

What Stepping On workshop participants had to say:

“When I’m walking I still think, ‘Lift your feet, walk heel-to-toe’. I have stopped falling outside! It has made me more aware of the way I walk.”

“Not only did we learn some things about preventing falls, but we had a good time doing it. It was really fun.” 

Is this fall and injury prevention workshop for you? 

Stepping On is designed specifically for anyone who:

  • Is 65 or older
  • Has had a fall in the past year or is fearful of falling
  • Lives at home
  • Does not have dementia

Print our brochure

How do I register?

Stepping On is a seven-week, two hours per week, interdisciplinary workshop that covers fall prevention topics such as home safety, vision care, medications, safe footwear, community safety, and exercise. The exercises are aimed at increasing strength and balance. Stepping On has been shown to decrease falls by 31% in older adults.

Please contact Bailey Rickels at [email protected] for more information.

Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention

Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention brochure