Karim J. Halazun, MD

From a very early age I was drawn to studying medicine. My father is a pediatrician, and growing up I was always fascinated by his work. I spent much time in hospitals watching him and other physicians save lives. Not only was there a sense of pride in what my father did, but there was also the fulfillment I saw when patients thanked him for saving them. The ability to heal was something I very much wanted to be able to impart to people.

I was a 20-year-old medical student in the United Kingdom when I decided to become a liver surgeon specializing in liver transplantation and the treatment of liver cancers. By chance, I was assigned to watch one of the first auxiliary liver transplants in the world, and this changed my life. The patient was a young woman whose liver had failed. Her transplant was done on an emergency basis, and the surgeon saved her life. Since that day in 1999, I have become most passionate about treating patients with liver cancers with either liver resection (removal) surgery or a liver transplant.

As the surgical director of the Adult Liver Transplant Program and section chief of Hepatobiliary Surgery at NYU Langone, I mostly see two types of patients: In the first group are adults with liver cancer, mainly hepatocellular carcinoma; bile duct tumors (cholangiocarcinoma); metastases to the liver from other organs, mainly from the colon; or gallbladder cancers. These patients often require removal of their tumors through advanced liver surgery, and they may also require a liver transplant. The second group requires a liver transplant due to liver failure from other causes.

Robotic liver surgery is the latest advance in minimally invasive approaches, and I make every effort to use it when possible. The robot helps us perform complex liver surgeries safely and efficiently, decreasing the time patients stay in the hospital and minimizing incisions and pain. I am also an expert in biliary surgery, advanced open liver surgery, and liver transplantation, including living donor transplants.

My team strives to provide the most advanced and innovative care. Through our liver tumor program and liver transplant program we offer the best personalized care to everyone who sees us. A panel of experts in liver care analyzes the situation of every patient my team or I see, so that the treatment we provide suits the needs of their disease and their life. We understand that being diagnosed with liver disease or liver cancer can often be quite a shock and a strain, and we strive to be compassionate and clear with our plans for treatment and care.

There is nothing more fulfilling than receiving a thank-you from someone whose life you have touched through your work. And being part of a team of incredible physicians, nurses, and staff who have dedicated their lives to providing great, compassionate care is a true blessing.