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Dr. Narong Kulvatunyou is the newest member of the Trauma Center team at the UA department of surgery and University Medical Center.

By Jo Gellerman, AHSC Office of Public Affairs
May 27, 2009

Dr. Narong Kulvatunyou, assistant professor of surgery, is the newest member of the Trauma Center team at The University of Arizona department of surgery and University Medical Center. 

"Dr. Kulvatunyou brings the number of specialty trained trauma surgeons at UMC to six. When you also add Dr. Craig Hurst, a plastic surgeon specializing in reconstructive surgery, our Level 1 program has more expertise and resources than ever to care for the most serious life-threatening injuries," said Dr. Peter Rhee, UA professor of surgery and UMC Trauma Center medical director.

Kulvatunyou graduated from Berry College in Georgia and received his medical degree from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He completed his general surgery residency at New York Methodist-Cornell Hospital.

He finished two fellowships, one in Surgical Critical Care at the University of Massachusetts and a research fellowship at the University of Minnesota.  Kulvatunyou previously was at the Oklahoma University Health Science Center in Oklahoma City. 

Kulvatunyou's clinical and research interests are end-point of resuscitation, mitochondrial and cellular energy, laparoscopy in blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma, liver injury, cervical spine injury and vascular trauma.

"We are excited about the new talent the UA department of surgery has been able to recruit to our team," said Dr. Rainer Gruessner, chairman of the department. "Dr. Kulvatunyou joins a team of nationally recognized trauma experts who care for patients with the latest, most effective techniques and research that are the hallmark of this academic medical center."

UMC, Southern Arizona's only Level 1 Trauma Center, has one of the most highly rated trauma programs in several key outcomes, including the best patient survival rates, the lowest cost and shortest hospital stay.