Dr. Hari Venkatramani: "Precision, Passion & Purpose" – A “Giants in Plastic Surgery” Interview
Release Date: 09/01/2025
Dr. James Seaward: Leveling Up Cleft Palate Repair
PRS Global Open Deep Cuts
In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Seaward talked about his path into plastic surgery through the British medical training system, his experience working with Dr. Brian Sommerlad, his approach to the cleft palate repair and how he has incorporated and modified the Sommerlad technique. He also discussed the use of buccal fat flaps and buccal myomucosal flaps in cleft palate repairs, his thoughts on the Fisher technique in cleft lip repair, where he thinks the future of cleft lip repair is going, his research on 4D imaging in speech outcomes, how he...
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Dr. Karol Gutowski: “Reinvention from Chief to Clinic” – A “Giants in Plastic Surgery” Interview
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In this "Giants in Plastic Surgery" episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Karol Gutowski, a board-certified plastic surgeon, educator, and nationally recognized leader in aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. With a career spanning academic leadership, surgical innovation, and private practice, Dr. Gutowski reflects on the journey that brought him to the United States, why he chose medicine, and how his training and residency experiences shaped the opportunities that followed. We discuss some of his happiest memories from residency and academia,...
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Dr. Eamon O’Reilly: Leveling Up with a Willingness to Fail
PRS Global Open Deep Cuts
In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Eamon O’Reilly talked about how his time in the navy defined his approach to being a surgeon, his belief in living a life of service, how to approach patients with that philosophy in mind and why it requires a degree of sacrifice, his three rules for the operating room, and how he was able to sustainably and reproducibly create a microsurgery service at the San Diego Naval Medical Center. He also discusses why the surgical system and infrastructure matters more than the surgeon, why the postoperative period needs to be...
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Dr. Cenk Demirdover: Leveling Up Plastic Surgery in Izmir, Turkey
PRS Global Open Deep Cuts
In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Cenk Demirdover talked about his training in Turkey and his path into plastic surgery, his approach to resident training, how he does an augmentation mastopexy, his technique for breast augmentation under local anesthesia, the use of the appropriately named Demirdover flaps for sacral reconstruction, a new approach to alveolar bone grafting in cleft palate patients, and the importance of treating patients like you would like to be treated yourself. Read a recent “PRS Global Open” article by Dr. Demirdover and...
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Dr. Justine Lee: Leveling Up Complex Facial Surgery
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In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Justine Lee talked about how she approaches research, how she developed the planning process for adult facial feminization surgeries, what a porcupine forehead guide is, the multidisciplinary Gender Health program for adults at UCLA, the tension between doing surgeries the same way each time and improving the process, the standardized room setup and timed surgical sequencing that she uses for these surgeries, how she uses a female skull to plan the necessary bony changes in adult facial feminization surgery, her switch...
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Dr. Andrea Moreira: "Shaped by Two Worlds”– A “Giants in Plastic Surgery” Interview
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In this "Giants in Plastic Surgery" episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Andrea Moreira, renowned plastic surgeon, breast reconstruction expert, and global health advocate, to explore the remarkable journey behind her career and the wisdom she’s gained along the way. Dr. Moreira shares the personal story behind why she chose medicine, what it was like training at the University of Pará in Brazil, and the emotional and professional challenges of repeating medical school after moving to the United States. She walks us through the differences she observed...
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Dr. Babak Mehrara: “Practice, People, and Purpose” – A “Giants in Plastic Surgery” Interview
PRS Global Open Deep Cuts
In this "Giants in Plastic Surgery" episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Babak Mehrara, an internationally recognized leader in oncologic reconstruction and Chief of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Mehrara shares the remarkable journey that shaped his career, beginning with his move from Iran to the United States and the path that led him into medicine. We explore how Dr. Mehrara chose his medical school, the mentors who influenced his development, and the pivotal moments that guided him...
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Dr. Devinder Singh: Leveling Up a Storied Plastic Surgery Program
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In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Devinder Singh talked about balancing the role of being a surgeon and a Division Chief, how he went about growing and rejuvenating the Division of Plastic Surgery at the University of Miami, the differences between a community hospital and academic hospital setting, why he enjoys doing the job of a circulating nurse, his unique experience being the chair of the Maryland State Medical Board, his approach to pre-pectoral implant based breast reconstruction, why he thinks negative pressure therapy is helpful in reducing...
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Dr. Kevin Chung: "The Anatomy of a Calling” – A “Giants in Plastic Surgery” Interview
PRS Global Open Deep Cuts
In this "Giants in Plastic Surgery" episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, recorded live at PSTM 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana, we sat down Dr. Kevin C. Chung, one of the most influential figures in modern plastic and hand surgery. Dr. Chung is the William C. Grabb Distinguished University Professor of Surgery and the Charles B. G. De Nancrede Professor of Surgery at the University of Michigan. A globally respected surgeon-scientist, he has authored more than 850 peer-reviewed papers, 600 book chapters, and 41 textbooks, and served as the 7th Editor-in-Chief of Plastic and...
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Dr. Tormod Westvik: Leveling Up a Diverse Practice
PRS Global Open Deep Cuts
In this Leveling Up episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Tormod Westvik talked about his diverse journey through the world of plastic surgery—from navigating residency training programs in America, Norway, and Australia to balancing algorithmic decision-making with highly individualized patient care. He shares why returning to first principles is essential in every clinical encounter, how serving as Section Editor for Case Reports in PRS Global Open has reshaped his surgical thinking, and the leadership lessons he carries forward from his mentors. Dr. Westvik also offers a...
info_outlineIn this "Giants in Plastic Surgery" episode of the PRS Global Open Deep Cuts Podcast, Dr. Hari Venkatramani, one of India's foremost plastic and reconstructive surgeons, uncovers the human story behind the scalpel. From growing up in various cities due to his father’s career as an air marshal, to the formative lessons that shaped his resilience and adaptability, Dr. Venkatramani reflects on how early experiences have guided his professional journey. He opens up about what initially drew him to the intricate world of plastic surgery, the personal joys he finds in the operating room, and the fulfillment that comes from changing lives -- often in the most critical of moments.
We also explore the personal side of his story -- how he met his wife, how he balances intense professional demands with life outside the hospital, and what he believes is his most meaningful contribution to the specialty. It’s an honest, engaging, and inspiring conversation that offers a rare glimpse into the mind and heart of a world-renowned surgeon. Whether you're in medicine, leadership, or simply looking for motivation, this episode is packed with insight and humanity.
Read a classic PRS Global Open case report by Dr. Venkatramani, “Reconstruction of a Monodactylous Hand with Microsurgical Free Foot-to-Hand Transfer in Split-Hand/Split-Foot Malformation with Tibial Aplasia”: https://bit.ly/GOX20_Monodactylous_Hand
Dr. Hari Venkatramani, MBBS, MS, MCh, DNB, EDHS, is a Senior Consultant in Plastic and Trauma Reconstructive Surgery at the internationally acclaimed Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore. A pioneering figure in reconstructive microsurgery and nerve surgery, he currently serves as Vice-President of the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India (APSI), President-Elect of the Indian Society for Peripheral Nerve Surgery, and Secretary of both the Indian Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery and the Brachial Plexus Surgery Group of India.
His academic and clinical contributions span over 200 national and international presentations, numerous awards including the prestigious Dr. S. Raja Sabapathy Leadership Award and multiple best paper prizes, and visiting professorships at institutions like NYU and the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Venkatramani’s areas of expertise include complex limb trauma, brachial plexus injuries, congenital hand reconstruction, and lymphedema surgery. His innovation in microsurgery, coupled with a deep commitment to teaching and research, has left a significant impact on the field -- not just in India, but globally.
Your host, Dr. Vimal Gokani, is a senior Specialty Registrar in plastic surgery in London, England. Your producer & editor, Charlene Kok, is a Year 3 Medical Student in Imperial College London, England, with a keen interest in Plastic Surgery.
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