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University of Washington Department of Urology Seal University of Washington | School of Medicine
Department of Urology
University of Washington | School of Medicine
Department of Urology

Ramasamy Bakthavatsalam, MD

Assistant Professor, Departments of Surgery and Urology
School of Medicine
University of Washington

Specialty / Expertise

Liver, Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Surgery, including living donor procedures

Patient Care / Philosophy

Dr. Bakthavatsalam’s clinical interests include kidney, pancreas and liver transplantation; complex uro-oncology; and vascular access. His patient care goals are to provide compassionate, caring medical care with great skill and always current technique.

Research Interests

Dr. Bakthavatsalam’s research interests include outcomes research in transplantation.

Teaching

Dr. Bakthavatsalam is a regular presenter in the Residents Lecture series in the Transplant Services division at the University of Washington. He has been featured several times in the University of Washington TV lecture series and is involved in the Graduate Medical Education Program. He has also been a Member of the Surgery Resident Education committee and has taught Residents in Transplant Services at the University of Washington. He taught Undergraduate Medical Students and House Officers in Dublin, Ireland. He taught Anatomy to the Students of Physical Medicine/India and ran the Specialist Training Program in Reconstructive Surgery in Leprosy/India.

Education and Training

Dr. Bakthavatsalam received his medical training in India, England and Ireland and completed his transplantation fellowship at the University of Washington.

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Selected Publications:

Limaye AP, Bakthavatsalam R, Kim HW, Randolph SE, Halldorson JB, Healey PJ, Kuhr CS, Levy AE, Perkins JD, Reyes JD, Boeckh M. Impact of Cytomegalovirus in organ transplant recipients in the era of antiviral prophylaxis. Transplantation 27;81(12):1645-52 Jun 2006.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Peri N, Kussick S, Bakthavatsalam R, Mitsumori L, Dighe M. Postrenal transplant non-EBV; multiple myeloma of donor origin. Am J Transplant. 2006 Feb;6(2):419-22
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Friedrich J, Charpentier K, Marsh CL, Bakthavatsalam R et al. Outcomes with the selective use of enteric exocrine drainage in pancreas transplantation. Transplant Proc 36 (10):3101-4, Dec 2004.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Limaye A, Bakthavatsalam R et al. Late-Onset CMV Disease in Liver Transplant Recipients despite Antiviral Prophylaxis. Transplantation, 78 (9):1390-6, Nov 2004.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Black, PC, Charpentier KP, Bakthavatsalam R, Marsh CL, Porter JR. Hand-assisted, laparoscopic right donor nephrectomy in a patient with situs inversus. Transplantation, 76(1):1530, Nov. 2003.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Black PC, Plaskon LA, Miller J, Bakthavatsalam R, Marsh CL. Cystoenteric conversion and reduction cystoplasty for treatment of bladder dysfunction after pancreas transplantation. J Urol, 170(5): 1913-1917, Nov. 2003.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Martay K, Dembo G, Vater Y, Charpentier K, Levy A, Bakthavatsalam R, Freund PR. Unexpected surgical difficulties leading to hemorrhage and gas embolus during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: a case report. Can J Anaesth. 50(9):891-894, Nov. 2003.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Costa KE, Levy AE, Bakthavatsalam R, Kuhr CS. Combined systemic venous and arterial augmentation of portal venous blood flow in orthotopic liver transplantation. Transplantation 75(7):1081-1082, Apr. 2003.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Ramasamy Bakthavatsalam, Connie Davis, Christopher Marsh. Pancreas and Islet Transplantation. Book chapter in Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology, edited by Johnson and Feehally. January, 2002

Kuhr CS, Bakthavatsalam R, Marsh CL. Urologic aspects of kidney – pancreas transplantation. Urologic Clinics of North America, book chapter in Renal Vascular Disease and Transplantation edited by Novick and Goldfarb, 2001 Nov; 28(4):751-8. Review.

Bakthavatsalam R, Marsh CL, Perkins JD, Levy AE, Healey PJ, Kuhr CS. Rescue of acute portal vein thrombosis after liver transplantation using a cavo-portal shunt at re-transplantation. Am J Transplant. 1(3):284-287, September 2001.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Connolly EM, Bakthavatsalam R, O'Malley K, Little DM, Hickey DP. Enteric conversion after bladder-drained pancreatic transplantation; a simple and safe salvage procedure. Eur J Surg. 167(5):371-374, May 2001.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Teahan SJ, O’Malley KJ, Little DM, Bakthavatsalam R, Kay EW, Hickey DP. Malakoplakia of transplanted ureter resulting in anuric renal failure. J Urol, 162, 1375-1376, October 1999.
[The following link will open a new window. PubMed Abstract]

Charpentier K, Isom C, Davis C, Levy A, Bakthavatsalam R, Marsh C, Kuhr C. Pancreas transplantation in the absence of steroid-based immunosuppression. Northwest Urological Society, Seattle, WA (2003)

Levy AE, Bakthavatsalam R, Halldorson J, Kuhr CS. Distance is not a barrier to the successful utilization of livers from non-heart-beating donors. American Transplant Congress, Seattle, WA (2005)

Levy AE, Bakthavatsalam R, Kuhr CS. A comparison of steroid versus steroid free liver transplant immunosuppression utilizing basiliximab, tacrolimus and azathioprine. American Transplant Congress, Seattle, WA (2005)

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Portrait of Ramasamy Bakthavatsalam

Contact Information:

Department of Urology
Box 356510
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-6510
Ph: (206) 598-0181
Fax: 206 598-6706

Department of Surgery