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Our Team

Michael I. Baruch, MD (Chief of Plastic Surgery)
Mazen Bedri, MD (Plastic Surgery)
Anthony C. Berlet, MD (Plastic Surgery)
Alphonsus L. Doerr, MD (Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery)
David Falk, MD (ENT)
David Freilich, MD (Oculoplastic)
Adam H. Hamawy, MD (Plastic Surgery)
Silvio Podda, MD (Program Director, Plastic Surgery and Craniofacial/Pediatric Plastic Surgery)
Michael Shafran, DO (Plastic Surgery)
Emran Sheikh, MD (Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery)
Robert Skalicky, DO MBA (Plastic Surgery)
Caroline Szpalski, MD PhD (Plastic Surgery)


Dr. Silvio Podda, current Chief of Division of Plastic Surgery and current Director of the Residency Program in Plastic Surgery, is a native of Sardinia (Italy).  He received his medical degree at the “Universita’ Degli Studi di Cagliari”. After years of extensive training that included Pediatrics, Genetics and Gene Therapy, General Surgery and Pediatric Surgery he graduated in 2005 from the Institute of Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery at NYU, under the direction of Dr. Joseph G. McCarthy.  He then completed a Craniofacial Fellowship with Dr. S. A. Wolfe in Miami. He has been the plastic surgeon in charge of the renowned Regional Craniofacial Team at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center since 2007 and the Surgical Director of the “Palestroni Birth Defect Center”.  Dr. Podda’s main surgical interests are related to congenital pediatric plastic pathologies (cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis etc.) and facial aesthetic surgeries (rhinoplasty, facelift, blepharoplasty etc.).  Dr. Podda is extremely involved in numerous projects of volunteer surgical work over the entire world.

Dr Podda speaks English, Italian and Spanish fluently.

List of Publications

  1. Cleft Lip. Walker NJ, Podda S. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2019 Jan-2018 Nov 18.
  1. Improving Pressure Ulcer Reconstruction: Our Protocol and the COP (Cone of Pressure) Flap. Gargano F, Edstrom L, Szymanski K, Schmidt S, Bevivino J, Zienowicz R, Stark J, Taylor HO, Podda S, Liu P. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2017 Mar 30;5(3):e1234. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000001234. eCollection 2017 Mar.
  1. A surgical approach to the craniofacial defects of Opitz G/BBB syndrome. Regan JP, Szymanski K, Podda S, Gargano F, Kopiecki A. J Surg Case Rep. 2017 Feb 17;2017(2):rjx032. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjx032. eCollection 2017 Feb.
  1. Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Scalp and Calvarium: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Stark J, Podda S, Szymanski K. Eplasty. 2016 Nov 8;16:e29. eCollection
  1. Tessier 1-13 Atypical Craniofacial Cleft. Gargano F, Szymanski K, Bosman M, Podda S. Eplasty. 2015 Jun 17;15:ic32. eCollection 2015. No abstract available.
  1. Labia majora labioplasty in HIV-related vaginal lipodystrophy: technique description and literature review. Lapalorcia LM, Podda S, Campiglio G, Cordellini M. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2013 Aug;37(4):711-4. doi: 10.1007/s00266-013-0159-4. Epub 2013 Jun 15. Review.
  1. The question mark ear in patients with mandibular hypoplasia. Greig AV, Podda S, Thorne CH, McCarthy JG. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 Feb;129(2):368e-369e. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31823af031. No abstract available.
  1. Salvage of exposed breast implant using capsular flaps. Gargano F, Ciminello F, Podda S, De Santis G. Eplasty. 2009 Sep 17;9:e41.
  1. An examination of posttraumatic, postsurgical orbital deformities: conclusions drawn for improvement of primary treatment. Wolfe SA, Ghurani R, Podda S, Ward J. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008 Dec;122(6):1870-81. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31818cc36a.
  1. Correction of nostril stenosis and alteration of nostril shape with an orthonostric device.
    Wolfe SA, Podda S, Mejia M. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008 Jun;121(6):1974-7. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181712350. No abstract available.
  1. Chin deformities.Ward J, Podda S, Garri JI, Wolfe SA, Thaller SR. J Craniofac Surg. 2007 Jul;18(4):887-94.
  1. Melanocytic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy: excision and primary palatal repair at 7 months of age. Latham K, Podda S, Wolfe SA. J Craniofac Surg. 2007 Mar;18(2):450-4.
  1. Prophylactic antibiotics in aesthetic surgery. Wolfe SA, Podda S. Aesthet Surg J. 2006 Jan-Feb;26(1):93-4. doi: 10.1016/j.asj.2005.10.005.

Dr. Szpalski is a Belgian-born American Plastic Surgeon. She received her medical degree from the ULB School of Medicine where she also completed a residency in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She then was selected to be a microsurgery fellow in the world-renowned Plastic Surgery Department at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Dr Szpalski spent two years at the beginning of her training in the NYU Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Laboratory studying wound healing and bone tissue engineering. Her basic sciences research interest includes stem cells, wound healing and vasculogenesis and led her to receive her PhD in 2013. She focuses her clinical interest on general plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery and breast surgery including breast reconstruction after cancer.

Dr Szpalski speaks French and English fluently. She understands conversational Spanish and Dutch.

Publication List

  1. A. Van Keymeulen, G. Mascre, KK. Youseff, I. Harel, C. Michaux, N. De Geest, C. Szpalski, Y. Achouri, W. Bloch, BA. Hassan, C. Blanpain. Epidermal Progenitors Give Rise To Merkel Cells During Embryonic Development And Adult Homeostasis. 2009 5;187 :91-100.
  1. C. Szpalski, J. Barr, M.Wetterau, PB. Saadeh, SM. Warren. Cranial Defects: Current and Future Strategies. Neurosurg Focus. 2010 Dec;29(6):E8.
  1. M.Szpalski, R. Gunzburg, C. Colloca, C. Szpalski. Surgery in the aging spine: Radiculalgia, Lumbarstenosis: Specificity, Concerns And Results. Revue du Rhumatisme Monographies, Volume 78, Issue 1, Pages 46-53
  1. MM. McDowell, G. Appelboom, BY. Hwang, IS. Kotchetkov, C. Szpalski, CP. Kellner, CP Gigante, P. Gigante, SD. Lavine, PM. Meyers, ES. Connolly. Non-Invasive Modalities to Detect Central Nervous System Vasculitis: A Retrospective Analysis and Literature Review. Columbia Medical Review. 2010.
  1. SM. Sultan, EH. Davidson, P. Butala, J. Schachar, L. Witek, C. Szpalski, PB. Saadeh, SM. Warren.  Interval Cranioplasty: Evaluation of Current Standards. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2011 May;127(5):1855-64.
  1. SM. Sultan, CS. Stern, RJ. Allen, VD. Thanik, CC. Chang, O. Canizares, C. Szpalski, PB. Saadeh, SM. Warren, SR. Coleman, A. Hazen. Human Fat Grafting Alleviates Radiation Skin Damage in a Murine Model. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2011 May;127(5):1855-64.
  1. C. Szpalski, KE. Weichman, F. Sagebin, SM. Warren. A Need for New Outcome Reporting Systems for Craniosynostosis. Neurosurg Focus. 2011 Aug;31(2):E1.
  1. G. Appelboom, SD. Zoller, MA. Piazza, C. Szpalski, SS. Bruce, MM. Mcdowell, A. D’Ambrosio, NA. Feldstein, RC. Anderson. Traumatic Brain Injury in Pediatric Population: Evidence for Decompressive Surgery. Neurosurg Focus. 2011 Nov;31(5):E5
  1. G. Appelboom, J. Han, S. Bruce, C. Szpalski, ES. Connolly, Jr. Clinical Relevance of Blast-Related Traumatic Brain Injury. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2012 Jan;154(1):131-4.
  1. C. Szpalski, M.Wetterau, J. Barr, SM. Warren. Bone Tissue Engineering: Current Strategies and Techniqu­­­es Part I-Scaffolds. Tissue Eng Part B Rev. 2012 Aug;18(4):246-57.TEB.2011.0427.
  1. C. Szpalski, M. Barbaro, F. Sagebin, SM. Warren. Bone Tissue Engineering: Current Strategies and Techniqu­­­es Part II-Cell Types. Tissue Eng Part B Rev. 2012 Aug;18(4):258-69.
  1. M. Wetterau, C. Szpalski, A. Hazen, SM. Warren. Autologous Fat Grafting and Facial Reconstruction. J Craniofac Surg. 2012 Jan;23(1):315-8.
  1. P. Butala, C. Szpalski, SM. Sultan, JL. Crawford, RJ. Allen, Jr., PB. Saadeh, SM. Warren, A. Hazen. Augmentation Of Fat Graft Survival With Progenitor Cell Mobilization. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 Aug;130(2):293-306.
  1. J.Wagner*, C. Szpalski*, RJr. Allen, EH. Davidson, O. Canizares, PB. Saadeh, SM. Warren. Obesity Impairs Blood Vessel Formation. Wound Repair Regen. 2012 Jul-Aug;20(4):512-22. *Co-first author.
  1. C. Szpalski, PD. Nguyen, DD. Reformat, I. Chesnoiu-Matei, JL. Ricci, JE. Smay, SM. Warren.  Bony Engineering Using Composite Scaffolds with Sustained Growth Factor Delivery. J Craniofac Surg. 2012 May;23(3):638-44.
  1. P. Butala*, C. Szpalski*, D. Knobel, EH. Davidson, JL. Crawford, C. Velanzuela, O. Canizares, PB. Saadeh, SM. Warren. Zmpste24 Knockout Mice as a Novel Model of Senescent Wound Healing. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 Dec;130(6):788e-798e. *Co-first authors.
  1. C. Szpalski, F. Sagebin, M. Barbaro, SM Warren. The Influence Of Environmental Factors On Bone Tissue Engineering. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2013 May;101(4):663-75. Epub 2012 Nov 19.
  1. J. Layliev, F. Sagebin, A. Weinstein, A. Marchac, C. Szpalski, PB. Saadeh, SM. Warren, MD. Percutaneous Gene Therapy Heals Cranial Defects. Gene Ther. 2013 Sep;20(9):922-9. Epub 2013 Apr 18.
  1. RJ Allen, ID. Haberman, C. Szpalski, J. Schachar, M. Vaynrub, PD. Nguyen, D. Ceradini, PB. Saadeh, SM. Warren. Reversal of Impaired Progenitor Cell Mobilization and Homing Accelerates Diabetic Wound Closure. PLoS One. 2014 Mar 20;9(3):e92667.
  1. J. Layliev, A. Marchac, Tanaka R, C. Szpalski, Henderson R, Rubin MS, Saadeh PB, Warren SM. Endogenous Stem Cell Therapy Improves Bone Healing. J Craniofac Surg. 2015 Jan;26(1):300-5.
  1. M. Wetterau, D.Knobel, C. Szpalski, P. Butala, J L. Crawford, AC. Marchac, SM. Warren, PB. Saadeh. Alloderm-Based Gene Therapy: Improving Graft Vascularity. J Surg Res. 2015 Jan 13. pii: S0022-4804(15)00043-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2015.01.003.
  1. C. Szpalski, MT. Wetterau, P. Patel, GJ. Appelboom, JG. McCarthy, SM. Warren. Unilateral Craniofacial Microsomia: An Unrecognized Cause Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. J Craniofac Surg. 2015 Jun;26(4):1277-82.
  1. AWN. Reid, C. Szpalski, NN. Sheppard, CM Morrison, PN Blondeel. An International Comparison of Reimbursement for DIEAP Flap Breast Reconstruction. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2015 Jun 29. pii: S1748-6815(15)00316-2. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2015.06.025
  1. T. Avraham, KE. Weichman, S. Wilson, A. Weinstein, NT. Haddock, C. Szpalski, M. Choi, NS. Karp. Postoperative Expansion is not a Primary Cause of Infection in Immediate Breast Reconstruction with Tissue Expanders. Breast J. 2015 Jul 1. doi: 10.1111/tbj.12448.
  1. P. Heidekrueger, N. Tanna, C. Szpalski, M. Ninkovic, P. Niclas Broer. Added Qualifications In Microsurgery: Consideration For Subspecialty Certification In Microvascular Surgery In Europe. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2016 Jul;32(6):476-83. doi: 10.1055/s-0036-1571796. Epub 2016 Feb 12.
  1. P. Heidekrueger, C. Szpalski, KE. Weichman, S. Juran, Ng R., Claussen C., Ninkovic M., NP Broer. Lip Attractiveness: A Cross-Cultural Analysis. Aesthet Surg J. 2016 Sep 27. pii: sjw168.
  1. PI. Heidekrueger, Juran S, C. Szpalski, L. Larcher, R. Ng, PN Broer. The current preferred female lip ratio. J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2017 Feb 12. pii: S1010-5182(17)30061-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2017.01.038.
  1. KE Weichman, JMS Jacobs, P. Patel, C. Szpalski, P. Shetye, B. Grayson, JG. McCarthy. Early Distraction for Mild to Moderate Unilateral Craniofacial Microsomia: Long-term Follow Up, Outcomes, and Recommendations. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2017 Apr;139(4):941e-953e. doi: 10.1097
  1. PI. Heidekrueger, S. Juran, C. Szpalski, L. Larcher, R.  Ng, C. Claussen, NP. Broer. The Ideal Buttock Size: A Sociodemograpic Morphometric Evaluation. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2017 Jul;140(1):20e-32e.
  1. PN Broer, A. Thiha, D. Ehrl, S. Sinno, S. Juran, C. Szpalski, R. Ng, M. Ninkovic, L. Prantl, PI. Heidekrueger. The ideal ear position in Caucasian females. J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2017 Dec 26.
  1. C. Szpalski, P. Butala, M. Wetterau, D. Knobel, R. Allen Jr, PB Saadeh, SM Warren. Regulating the Neovascularization Feedback Loop Rescues Senescent Wound Healing. Ann Plast Surg. 2018 Jul;81(1):96-105
  1. A. Mericli*, C. Szpalski*, Mark V. Schaverien, Jesse C. Selber, David M. Adelman, Patrick B. Garvey, Mark T. Villa, Geoffrey Robb, Donald P. Baumann. The Latissimus Dorsi Myocutaneous Flap Is a Safe and Effective Method of Partial Breast Reconstruction in the Setting of Breast Conserving Therapy. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2019 May;143(5):927e-935e.  *Co-first authors.
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