About Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian


Hratch Karamanoukian MD FACS RVT RPVI has been writing peer-reviewed books for medical scholars and also general health books for patients since 1999. Here is a list of 41 books written by Dr. Karamanoukian (Dr. Karamanoukian's Books).

Read Dr. Karamanoukian's Books online here.

Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian has worked with the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation and Dr. Jeffrey Meilman (founder) in many countries around the world. Dr. Karamanoukian has also volunteered with Students Without Borders (SWOB) at Daemen College and also independently with Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian in Armenia and the Nagorno Karabagh Republic. Click here to see Dr. Karamanoukian's humanitarian work

Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian is a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon who has specialized in minimally invasive cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery, robotic surgery and vein disorders. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery (recertified 2009) , Diplomate of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and Diplomate of the The American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine (ABVLM) (formerly The American Board of Phlebology) (venous disorders and venous surgery). Dr. Karamanoukian is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).

Thirteen years ago, in 1999, Dr. Karamanoukian, Dr. Jacob Bergsland and Dr. Tomas Salerno were the first surgeons in the Buffalo Niagara region to perform robotic surgery. At the time, only a handful of surgeons in the United States and Europe performed robotic surgery of any kind. The trio, performed robotic cardiac surgery and robotic thoracic surgery. The first application was performing robotic thoracic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). In 1999, they performed beating heart robotic bypass surgery with the Zeus Robotic System by Computer Motion, Inc. Since then, surgeons in the area have introduced this technique in pediatric surgery (Dr Philip Glick) and prostate surgery (Roswell Park Cancer Institute). Thirteen years later (2010), they have introduced 'robotic heart surgery' and urologic surgery at a local Catholic Hospital.

Dr. Karamanoukian obtained his training at UCLA, the University of Southern California and the University at Buffalo. He has graduated from Honors Collegium at UCLA with a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry. After obtaining his medical degree (MD) from the University of Southern California (USC), Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian completed his residency training in general surgery and thoracic surgery with highest honors from the University at Buffalo. In addition to two dozen research awards during his training as a surgical resident, Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian received the Worthington Schenck Resident Teacher of the Year Award, Dr. Rutecki Memorial Award is given to one Graduating Chief Surgery Resident and Best All Around Graduating Resident Award. As such, he was awarded 3 out of 5 awards at graduation from a class of 10 chief resident peers in 1997. Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian was administrative Chief Resident in Cardiac Surgery from 1998 - 1999 and received the George Schimert award for an outstanding graduating resident.

Dr. Karamanoukian's distinguished teachers that influenced his training in surgery and cardiovascular surgery were John J Ricotta (vascular surgery), Constantine Karakousis (surgical oncology and pioneer in melanoma surgery), Edward L Bradley 3rd (pancreatic surgery, pioneer), James Hassett (surgical education), Eddie Hoover (thoracic surgery), John F Gbbs (surgical oncology and liver surgery), Maciej Dryjski (vascular surgery), Joginder Bhayana (cardiac surgery), Richard M Peer (vascular surgery), Syde A Taheri (pioneer in vascular surgery and venous surgery), James Upson (vascular surgery), Fero Sadeghian (vascular surgery), Peter Pons (vascular surgery), Rajesh Shah (vascular surgery), Tomas A Salerno (cardiac surgery and pioneer in beating heart surgery), Eliot R Rosenkranz (pediatric cardiac surgery), Gerard Guiraudon (heart transplant surgery and pioneer in WPW surgery), Jacob Bergsland (cardiac surgery and pioneer in beating heart and robotic heart surgery), Tomas Lajos (cardiac surgery), Philip L Glick (pediatric surgery and pioneer in fetal surgery), Richard G Azizkhan (pediatric surgery), James E Allen (pediatric surgery, deceased), Michael G Cary (pediatric surgery), John Butsch (general surgery), Ralph J Doerr (general surgery), Roger Seibel (trauma surgery, deceased), John LaDuca (trauma surgery), John R Border (trauma surgery, deceased), Fred A Lucchette (trauma surgery), William J Flynn Jr (trauma surgery), Anthony L Panos (cardiac transplantation), Carlos Li (cardiac surgery), Mahmoud Kulaylat (colorectal surgery), Ingemar Davidson (pancreatic transplantation), Rabie N Stephan (kidney transplantation), Joseph Ralabate (general surgery), Miguel Rainstein (general surgery), John Przylucki (general surgery), Jonathan Reynhout (general surgery), Scott Tulman (vascular surgery), among others.

Dr. Karamanoukian's Awards

Vitals - 20 Years of Service Award   Vitals - Top 10 NY Thoracic Surgeons Award   Vitals - Most Compassionate Doctor Award   Vitals - Patients Choice Award


Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian is listed in 'Guide to America's Top Surgeons' by the Consumers Research Council of America (2008 to 2014). Dr. Karamanoukian received the designation from the Consumers Research Council of America for his expertise in Phlebology in 'Guide to America's Top Surgeons' from 2009 to 2014.

To see Dr. Karamanoukian's art collection, modern paintings of the 44 U.S. Presidents, click here.

Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian has performed NIH sponsored research (1992-1995) at the Children's Hospital of Buffalo in the fields of pulmonary hypertension, inhaled nitric oxide, surfactant physiology and fetal surgery. His work, under Dr. Philip Glick , Bruce Holm and Frederick Morin III have improved the survival of critically ill infants born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and surfactant deficiency. Children born before 32 weeks gestation have benefited from the surfactant research conducted at Childrens Hospital of Buffalo. Calf lung surfactant was developed, studied and administered in animal models and later premature infants and was the basis of the scientific and clinical research done by Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian between 1992 and 1995. Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian, Dr. Duncan Wilcox and Dr. Stuart O'Toole performed the clinical and laboratory research that culminated in the routine administration of surfactant to neonates born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. As well, research was conducted to repair defects of the diaphragm in the fetus and published in peer-reviewed journals and presented worldwide in scientific forums. Some of the seminal research in inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) for infants with CDH was performed by this group of researchers at the Childrens Hospital of Buffalo with NIH research grants and awards received for their work. The greatest reward, however, was the improved survival of very sick neonates with CDH that would have otherwise not survived without surfactant replacement and inhaled nitric oxide therapy.

He has also done seminal research in fetal surgery at the Children's Hospital with Dr. Philip L Glick, a pediatric surgeon of international stature and pioneer in the field of fetal surgery. Childrens Hospital of Buffalo was the second center in the United States that developed a clinical program in fetal surgery (1989) - The Buffalo Institute of Fetal Surgery (BIFT). Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian's work in congenital diaphragmatic hernia and fetal surgery is ranked as # 13 out of the top 30 researchers in the world in the field of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) according to BiomedExperts.com. This brings him tremendous pride and gives him the continued inspiration to continue his clinical research work. Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian continues to do clinical research in several topics in the disciplines of phlebology (venous diseases and disorders), lymphedema, restless legs syndrome and hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).

Dr. Karamanoukian has published more than 140 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals in the field of fetal surgery, robotic surgery, beating heart surgery, pulmonary hypertension, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, cardiovascular surgery and cardiovascular medicine. He has authored or co-authored 15 medical specialty textbooks and review books in the fields of cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery and general surgery. His review books have helped thousands of general surgery residents pass their written and oral surgery board examinations (for the American Board of Surgery and American Board of Thoracic Surgery). These books, titled ABSITE Combat Manual (first and second editions), Thoracic Surgery Board Review, Red Manual for the Surgery Boards, Blue Maual Basic Science Review (volumes 1,2 and 3) among others, are well recognized by trainees sitting for their specialty board examinations. He has also written Cardiac Surgery Secrets and Thoracic Surgery Secrets. Cardiac Surgery Secrets is in 2nd Edition by Elsevier Press and has been translated into Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese and Turkish editions.

Dr. Karamanoukian is former Director of the Center for Less Invasive Cardiac Surgery and Robotic Heart Surgery at Kaleida Health. He held that position from 1999 to 2005.

He is a pioneer in beating heart surgery and robotic heart surgery. He was one of the first surgeons in the United States to perform beating heart robotic coronary artery bypass surgery and robotically assisted thoracic surgery. His work with the Zeus Robotic System and AESOP Robotic System was presented in more than a dozen scientific meetings in the US, Europe and Japan. Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian has also taught beating heart robotic heart surgery and was part of the FDA trial utilizing the Zeus Robotic System in beating heart coronary artery bypass surgery. Dr. Karamanoukian has also performed seminal research in the field of flow measurement in coronary arteries (coronary flowmetry using transit time flow measurement techniques) and has written a book called "Intraoperative Graft Patency Verification in Cardiac and Vascular Surgery". This has propelled these fields into verifying results of bypass surgeries in terms of verifying patency and optimizing surgery outcomes in cardiac and vascular surgery. Dr.Karamanoukian also trained with Drs. Tomas Salerno and Jacob Bergsland, both noted international experts in the field of beating heart surgery. He has coauthored a textbook called Beating Heart Coronary Artery Surgery, published by Blackwell Publishing. He has presented his cardiac surgery research in dozens of international and national symposia and taught fellows in the discipline of minimally invasive cardiac and robotic surgery.

To see a list of the books written by Dr. Karamanoukian, click on the link http://www.veinguide.com/about/26/dr.-karamanoukians-books.aspx 

He is a member of Advanced Cardiac Surgical Associates, with offices at the Georgetown Plaza in Williamsville, NY and in East Amherst and Clarence, NY. He also shares an office with Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, a plastic surgeon with offices in Beverly Hills, California and Santa monica, California. Together, the two brother surgeons have performed the VNUS Closure procedure in several dozen Hollywood notables in the last 5 years and EVLT in countless others. Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian has since established the Santa Monica Veins Center. Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian has established a world-renowned center for vein care and has an international clientele that travels to Southern California to have VNUS Closure, EVLT and specialized vein procedures. He has a concierge service including ties to private clinics in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

Dr. Karamanoukian has traveled the world and volunteered to teach the EVLT and VNUS Closure procedures to other surgeons. His last trip was to Poland where the VNUS Closure procedure was taught to a group of 12 vascular surgeons. Dr. Karamanoukian has volunteered a mission to Ecuador in 2009 and performed 25 venous procedures in a rural hospital. The medical mission was organized by the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation and Charity Anywhere. Dr. Karamanoukian successfully completed a medical mission to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in May and June of 2010. Dr. Karamanoukian performed 42 procedures and taught venous surgery to local vascular surgeons. The EVLT VenaCure Never Touch procedure was performed on individuals with venous stasis ulcers. This trip was organized by the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation with all equipment costs and travel costs paid for by the Karamanoukian Family Foundation. The Hope for Tomorrow Foundation was founded by a pioneering plastic surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Meilman of Williamsville, NY. In late May and early June 2011, Dr. Karamanoukian traveled to Les Cayes Haiti with the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation along with a group of phsician assistant students and faculty from Daemen College and D'Youville College to perform venous surgery and general surgery. Overall, the group of surgeons including orthopedic surgeons from Erie County Medical Center ECMC (Drs. Mark Anders and Brian Smolinski), plastic surgeons (Dr Jack Kotlarz and Meilman) and a general surgery resident performed over 125 surgical procedures and taught the physcian assistant students from Daemen College and D'Youville College surgical technique and suturing. In 2012, the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation traveled to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) where Dr. Karamanoukian and his mother donated an endovenous ablation device and a portable duplex machine and started a state of the art Vein Treatment Center - none existed in the NKR until this donation. Dr. Karamanoukian collaborated with Dr. David Khachatryan of the Central Republican Hospital in Stepanakert, NKR. Accompanying Dr. Karamanoukian for this trip with the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation was Dr Armen Roupenian of Massachusetts, a vascular surgeon. Dr. Karamanoukian returned to the NKR with his brother, Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, a plastic surgeon and vein specialist, to continue working and developing the Vein Treatment Center of Stepanakert, NKR.

To see a detailed history of Dr. Karamanoukian's humanitarian work outside the U.S. click here

Dr. Karamanoukian has donated an EVLT machine to surgeons in the Republic of Armenia for them to perform this procedure in lieu of ligation and VEIN stripping. This has been a highly successful program. As well, he has donated surgical instruments for use in a vascular and ophthalmology center of excellence in the Republic of Armenia and the province of Nagorno Karabakh.

Dr. Karamanoukian has been singularly noted for developing the most advanced and comprehensive Vein Treatment Center in the United States. The Vein Treatment Center was established in 2003. He was one of the few surgeons in the United States to perform the VNUS Closure procedure in the office setting. As well, he is the first in the world to perform the VNUS and EVLT procedures in a bilateral fashion in a single office visit. He currently performs all of his surgical procedures at the Vein Treatment Center in Williamsville and Clarence, New York. The Vein Treatment Center is a National Center of Excellence for Vein Disorders. Dr. Karamanoukian is also Director of the Center for Excessive Sweating.

Dr. Karamanoukian is currently focused on providing the BEST surgical care to patients needing thoracic surgery and venous surgery in Western New York. He is currently involved as a consultant to two NIH funded research studies at the University at Buffalo in the field of tissue engineered vascular grafts.

Dr. Karamanoukian is actively involved in research in the area of venous disorders and presented his data at the American College of Phlebology  (2008, 2009). Two clinical research assistants are also employed at the Vein Treatment Center in collecting data to enhance the practice of phlebology and improve the quality of life of patients with venous disorders. He is a member of the Association for Academic Surgery, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, American College of Phlebology, American Medical Association, International Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, among others. Dr. Karamanoukian is present two scientific research papers in an oral presentation in endovenous vein procedures (VNUS and EVLT) at the 2009 American College Phlebology meeting in Palm Desert, California in November 2009.

                      

 

Select Awards and Honors Received:

» College Scholarship (UCLA) , Armenian General Benevolent Union, 1981  

» College Scholarship (full, 4 year @ UCLA), Armenian Missionary Association of America, 1981

» UCLA Division of Honors Mini-Grant for Research for basic science research in the Department of Chemistry, supervised by Dr. Robert Stevens, 1983

»  UCLA Division of Honors Mini-Grant for Research for basic science research in the Department of Chemistry, supervised by Dr. Michael Jung, 1984

»  UCLA Division of Honors Summer Research Stipend for basic science research in the Department of Chemistry, supervised Drs. Robert Stevens, 1984

»  Certificate of Merit, UCLA Alumni Association, 1985

»  Certificate of Merit to Graduating Senior, UCLA Alumni Association, 1986

»  Marhoeffer Scholarship for Premedical Studies, UCLA Alumni Association, 1986

»  Golden Key National Honor Society, 1986 

»  Latin Honors, UCLA, 1986 

»  Dean's List, UCLA, 1981-1986

»  College Honors, UCLA Division of Honors, College of Letters and Sciences, 1986

»  Award for Presentation of Meritorious Research, Student Scientific Sessions, 16th Annual Western Student Medical Research Forum, 1988

»  First Prize, Research Competition, American College of Surgeons, Western New York Chapter for clinical research entitled "Clinical Experience With Inhaled Nitric Oxide In Congenital Hypoplasia Of The Lungs Due To Diaphragmatic Hernia Or Oligohydramnios. Presented at Annual Scientific Sessions, 1993

»  House Officer Research Award (First Prize), Society For Pediatric Research, for basic science research entitled "Pathophysiology of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) VIII: Inhaled Nitric Oxide (NO) Requires Exogenous Surfactant Therapy (EST). Presented at Society of Pediatric Research Plenary Session, Washington D.C., May 1993

»  Research Exhibits Award (Third Place), Medical Alumni Association, University at Buffalo, Spring Clinical Day, for basic science research entitled "Anomalous Cardiac Development in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia", May 1994

»  Third Prize, Research Competition, American College of Surgeons, Western New York Chapter, for basic science research entitled "Anatomic and Biochemical Characterization of the Heart in the Lamb Fetal Model of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia", September 1994.

»  American College of Surgeons Resident Scholarship Competition, chosen as an alternate for research project entitled "Anomalous Cardiac Development in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia", 1995-1997

»  Research Exhibits Award (Third Place), Medical Alumni Association, University at Buffalo, Spring Clinical Day, for basic science research entitled "Nitric Oxide Synthase, Pulmonary Hypertension, and Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia", May 1995

»  Resident Research Award, American Academy of Pediatrics, Surgical Section, for basic science research entitled "Pulmonary Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity in the Nitrofen Induced Rat Model of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia", October 1995

»  Resident Research Award, Third Place, Department of Surgery Research Forum, State University of New York at Buffalo, for basic science research entitled "The Heart and Prenatal Predictors of Outcome in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia", June 1996

»  Worthington G. Schenck Resident Teacher of the Year Award (from medical students at the State University of New York at Buffalo),1997

»  Dr. Rutecki Memorial Award (Graduating Chief Residents) from the Millard Fillmore Health System and State University of New York at Buffalo, Department of Surgery, 1997

»  Best All Around Resident Award (Graduating Chief Residents) from the Department of Surgery, State University Of New York at Buffalo, 1998

»  1998 Resident Award, Cardiothoracic Surgery from the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, State University of New York at Buffalo.

»  Research Exhibits Award (First Place), Medical Alumni Association, University at Buffalo, Spring Clinical Day, for basic science research entitled “Coronary Graft Flow Documentations After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting”, April 2000

»  Research Exhibits Award (First Place), Medical Alumni Association, University at Buffalo, Spring Clinical Day, for basic science research entitled "Follow up of Robotic Assisted Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting”, April 2001

»  Research Exhibits Award (First Place), Medical Alumni Association, University at Buffalo, Spring Clinical Day, Robotic Assisted Division of Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula, April 2002

»  Research Exhibits Award (Second Place), Medical Alumni Association, University at Buffalo, Spring Clinical Day, Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy for Sweaty Palms, April 2003

»  Research Exhibits Award (First Place), Medical Alumni Association, University at Buffalo, Spring Clinical Day, Long Term Outcome and Survival in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting with Advanced Left Ventricular Dysfunction, April 2003 

»  Guide to America's Top Surgeons 2008, Consumer Research Council of America

»  Guide to America's Top Surgeons 2009, Consumer Research Council of America

»  Guide to America's Top Surgeons 2010. Consumer Research Council of America

»  Guide to America's Top Surgeons 2011. Consumer Research Council of America

»  Guide to America's Top Surgeons 2012, Consumer Research Council of America

Residents working with Dr. karamanoukian at the University at Buffalo have won over 15 awards for their clinical research under his supervision. They have presented their research papers and abstracts at major national and international meetings. For a full copy of Dr. Karamanoukian's CV, contact him by email.

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