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Christine H. Rohde, MD, MPH

Chief of Microvascular Services
Chief, Division of Plastic Surgery
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Expertise:

Blepharoplasty
Body Contouring
Botulinum Toxin (Botox Injection)
Breast Augmentation
Breast Cancer
Breast Reconstruction
Breast Reduction
Brow Lift
Cancer Care
Collagen Injections
Cosmetic Eye Surgery
Cosmetic Facial Surgery
Cosmetic Fillings
Facial Plastic Surgery
Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Liposuction
Mastopexy/Breast Lift
Microsurgery
Otoplasty
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Post Bariatric Surgery
Reconstructive Microsurgery
Reconstructive Surgery
Restylane
Rhinoplasty
Rhytidectomy
Trauma Reconstruction

About:

Dr. Christine Rohde is the Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at Columbia. She graduated from Harvard Medical School in 2000. Following her medical school education, she began her general surgery training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. After three years of general surgery training, Dr. Rohde accepted a plastic and reconstructive surgery residency position at Montefiore Medical Center. Interested in microsurgery, Dr. Rohde completed a microsurgical fellowship at New York University Medical School’s Institute of Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery in 2006. Her research focuses primarily on outcomes of plastic surgical interventions, particularly as they relate to cancer reconstruction and post-surgical care. In 2013, Dr. Rohde graduated from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health with a Masters in Public Health, focusing on comparative effectiveness research.

A highly skilled clinician, researcher and teacher, Dr. Rohde is trained in the diagnosis and treatment of the full range of plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, specializing in microsurgery, abdominal wall reconstruction, body contouring, cosmetic surgery, and breast, trauma, and cancer reconstruction. She has numerous publications and presentations in the field of plastic surgery, and is a frequently-requested speaker. She has also been seen on the Carol Alt FoxNews Show, “A Healthy You” and WABC, discussing her research and breast cancer reconstruction.

Honors:

2008 Invited Lecturer in the Annual Meeting of Breast Cancer in Women of Color, “Breast Reconstruction: Fitting It All In”, New York

2007 Invited Lecturer in the Patient Safety in Cosmetic Surgery Meeting, “Patient Safety in Circumferential Abdominoplasty Procedures”, New York

2006 Best Clinical Research Presentation, Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, NYU Medical Center

2005 Leo M. Davidoff Award: For outstanding achievement in the teaching of medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Albert Schweitzer Fellowship: Surgical experience at the Schweitzer Hospital in Gabon, Central Africa.

Joseph Collins Scholarship: Awarded for academic achievement, good moral character, and interest in cultural pursuits outside of medicine.

United States-Europe Medical Educational Exchange (US-EUMEE), Health Care Policy

Fellowship: Compared German and American health care systems as part of an international exchange sponsored by HMS and Ludwig-Maximillian University in Munich, Germany.

AAAS Mass Media Fellowship: Highly competitive program that gives scientists the opportunity to work in journalism

Interests:

Microsurgical innovation
Post-bariatric body contouring
Clinical outcomes

Publications:

Author of essay in Being A Woman Surgeon: Sixty Women Share Their Stories. Dr. Preeti John, editor, Gordian Knot Books, 2015.

*Rohde, C., Taylor E., Alonso A., Ascherman, J., Hardy K., Pilla A. Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields Reduce Post-Operative IL-1β, Pain and Inflammation: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study in TRAM flap Breast Reconstruction Patients. Plast Recon Surg. Accepted for publication.

Chao, J., Spector, J., Taylor, E., Otterburn, D., Kutler, D., Caruana, S. Rohde, C.H.* Pectoralis Major Myocutaneous Flap versus Free Fasciocutaneous Flap for Reconstruction of Partial Hypopharyngeal Defects: What Should We Be Doing? J Recon Microsurg. Accepted for publication.

Engdahl, R., Cohen, L., Pouch, S. Rohde C.* Management of Mycobacterium Abscessus Post-Abdominoplasty. Aesthetic Plas Surg. 2014, 38:1138-1142.

Taylor E, Hardy K, Alonso A, Pilla A, Rohde C.* Pulsed electromagnetic fields dosing impacts postoperative pain in breast reduction patients. J Surg Res. 2014 Aug 9. [Epub ahead of print].

Ojo, A. S., Balci, F. L., Leung, D., Rohde, C., Feldman, S. Lymphatic-Venous Anastomosis to Prevent Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema Using LYMPHA Technique: Preliminary Results of a Single-Institution Experience. Ann Surg Onc. 2014, 21: 90-91.

Lee A.HY., Hardy K.L., Goltsman D., Liou P., Garzon M.C., Rohde C.H., Wu J.K. A Retrospective Study to Classify Surgical Indications for Infantile Hemangiomas. JPRAS. 2014, 67: 1215-1221.

Weiner J, Wu J, Martinez M, Lobritto S, Ovchinsky N, Rohde, C, Griesemer A, Kato T. The use of bi-planar tissue expanders to augment abdominal domain in a pediatric intestinal transplant recipient. Pediatr Transplant. 2014, 18: E174-179.

Cohen, L., Finnerty, B., Golas, A.R., Ketner, J.J., Weinstein, A., Boyko, T., Rohde, C., Kutler, D., and Spector, J.A. Perioperative Antibiotics in the Setting of Oropharyngeal Reconstruction: Less is More. Ann Plast Surg. Accepted for publication.

Chao, J, Rohde, CH, Chang, MM, Kutler, DI, Friedman, J, and Spector, JA. Oral rehabilitation outcomes after free fibula reconstruction of the mandible without condylar restoration. J Craniofacial Surg. 2014. 25: 415-417.

Munabi, NCO, Olorunnipa, OB, Goltsman, D, Rohde, CH, and Ascherman, JA. The Ability of Intraoperative Perfusion Mapping With Laser-Assisted Indocyanine Green Angiography to Predict Mastectomy Flap Necrosis in Breast Reconstruction: A Prospective Trial. JPRAS. 2014, 67: 449-455.

Chao, J., Taylor, E., and Rohde, C.* Reducing wound healing complications of Wise pattern breast reduction with the inverted "V" modification. JPRAS. 2014, 67: 421-422.

Chao, J., Taylor, E., Rahmati, R., and Rohde, C. "Continuous High-Dose Vasopressors in Free Anterolateral Thigh Flap Transfer for Pharyngeal Reconstruction: A Report of Two Cases." Microsurgery, 2014, 34: 237-239.

Other Hsu, C.. Autopsy (original poem). Current Surgery. 1998, 55: 87.

Rohde CH. "Autopsy" in Pories S, Jain SH, Harper G, Groopman JE, eds. Soul of a Doctor: Harvard Medical Students Face Life and Death. Chapel Hill: Algonquin, 2006.

Case Reports Chao, JW., Cohen, B., Rohde, C., Kutler, DI, and Spector, JA. Free Fibular Flap Reconstruction of the Mandible in a Patient with Fanconi Anemia. Plast. Recon. Surg., Accepted for publication.

Cohen, B., Vendemia, N., Spector, JA., and Rohde, C. IMA Perforators for the Salvage

of a Superficially-dominant Free Flap Breast Reconstruction. Plast. Recon. Surg., Accepted for publication.

Vendemia, N. and Rohde, C. Toxic Shock Syndrome after Prosthetic Breast Reconstruction., Plast. Recon. Surg., 124(1):173e-174e, July 2009.

Rohde, C. and Keller, A. Novel technique for venous augmentation in a free deep inferior epigastric perforator flap. Ann Plast Surg. 2005, 55: 528-530.

Book Chapters Korn, P, Gayle, L, Vendemia, N, and Rohde, C. (2010) "Breast Reduction in Women" in Grant and Chen, Eds. Cosmetic Surgery. McGraw-Hill Medical, New York.

Rohde, C and Strauch B. (2010) "Back Contouring in the Massive Weight Loss Patient" in Strauch and Herman, Eds, Encyclopedia of Body Sculpting After Massive Weight Loss, Thieme, New York.

Abstracts and Presentations Rohde C, Wu J, Lekhraj R, Casper D, Pilla AA. Non-invasive Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields: A New Tool for the Plastic Surgeon. 2nd World Congress of Plastic Surgeons of Chinese Descent. Taipei, Taiwan, 2010.

Chang C, Rohde C, Wu J. Surgical Management of Lip Hemangiomas. 2nd World Congress of Plastic Surgeons of Chinese Descent. Taipei, Taiwan, 2010.

Wu J, Rohde C, Adepoju O, Lekhraj R, Casper D, Pilla AA. Pulsed electromagnetic fields increase cGMP release from human endothelial cells. Joint Meeting of The Bioelectromagnetics Society and the European BioElectromagnetics Association, Seoul, Korea, 2010.

Wu J, Rohde C, Adepoju O, Lekhraj R, Casper D, Pilla AA. Pulsed electromagnetic fields increase cGMP release from human endothelial cells. Proceedings, 32nd Annual Meeting, Bioelectromagnetics Society, Frederick, MD, 2010.

Rohde, C, Chiang, AL, Adipoju, O, and Pilla, A. "Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields Decrease IL-1beta and Post-Operative Pain: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study in Breast Reduction Patients" American Association of Plastic Surgery Annual Meeting, San Antonio, 2010.

Mitchell, S, Ascherman, J, Rohde, C, and Taback, B. "A Comprehensive Assessment of Tumescent Injection and Sharp Dissection For Skin Sparing Mastectomy." American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, 2010.

Wu, J., Rohde, C., Adipoju, O., Lekraj, R., Casper, D., and Pilla, AA. "Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields Increase cGMP Release from Human Endothelial Cells". Plastic Surgery Research Council, San Francisco, 2010.

Reiffel, AJ., Kamdar, MR., Kadouch, DJM., Henderson, PW., Rohde, C., and Spector, JA. "Perioperative antibiotics in the setting of microvascular free tissue transfer: defining a standard of care." American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, Chicago, 2009.

Yao, CA., Kieserman-Schmokler, CA., and Rohde, C. "Pregnancy complications in surgeons and surgeons in training." American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, Chicago, 2009.

Preminger, BA., Chiang, AL., Kieserman-Shmokler, C., Trencheva, K., El-Tamer, M., Ascherman, JA., and Rohde, C. "Understanding Breast Surgeon Referral Patterns and their Influence on Breast Reconstruction Rates." American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, Chicago, 2009.

Rohde, C., Chiang, AL., Adipoju, O., and Pilla, A. "Effect of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields on Post-Operative Pain: A Double-Blind, Randomized Pilot Study in Breast Reduction Patients." Joint Meeting of The Bioelectromagnetics Society and the European BioElectromagnetics Association, Davos, Switzerland, 2009.

Preminger, BA., Chiang, AL., Kieserman-Shmokler, C., Trencheva, K., El-Tamer, M., Ascherman, JA., and Rohde, C. "Understanding Breast Surgeon Referral Patterns and their Influence on Breast Reconstruction Rates." Plastic Surgery Research Council 54th Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, 2009.

Wu, J and Rohde, C. "Resection of Hemangiomas with Pursestring Closure: A Follow-Up Study." Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, 2008.

Teo, EH., Cross, K., Wong, S., Rohde, C., Grant, RT., Weeden, E., and Ascherman, JA. "The Absorbable Dermal Stapler: A Faster, More Cost-Effective Method For Incisional Closure As Compared to Standard Dermal Sutures." Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, 2008.

Teo, EH., Cross, K., Wong, S., Rohde, C., Grant, RT., Weeden, E., and Ascherman, JA. "The Dermal Stapler Device: A Faster, More Cost-Effective Method for Incisional Closure as Compared to Standard Dermal Sutures." American Society of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Chicago, 2008.

Wong, S., Cross, K., Teo, EH., Rohde, C., Ascherman, J. "The absorbable dermal staple device: A faster, more cost-effective method for incisional closure." American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, San Francisco, 2008.

Rohde, C., Greives, MR., Cetrulo, C., Lerman, OZ., Levine J., and Hazen, A. "Gustilo Grade IIIB Tibial Fractures Requiring Microvascular Free Flaps: External Fixation versus Intramedullary Rod Fixation." Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons 23rd Annual Meeting, Boston, MA 2006

Rohde, C., Greives, MR., Cetrulo, C., Lerman, OZ., Levine J., and Hazen, A. "Gustilo Grade IIIB Tibial Fractures Requiring Microvascular Free Flaps: External Fixation versus Intramedullary Rod Fixation." American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery Annual Meeting, Puerto Rico, 2007.