Physician’s Profile
Profile image of Michael David Kluger, MD

Michael David Kluger, MD

Medical Director, Milstein Hospital HS Surgical Oncology Unit
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Expertise:

Adrenal Cancer
Bile Duct Injury
Cancer Care
Duodenal cancer
Gallbladder Cancer
Gallbladder Surgery
Gastrointestinal Tumors
Liver Cancer
Liver Surgery
Mesothelioma of Peritoneum
Metastatic Cancer to Liver
Neuroendocrine Tumor
Pancreas & Hepatobiliary Surgery
Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic Surgery
Surgery

About:

Dr. Michael Kluger is a nationally recognized surgeon specializing in the management of diseases of the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. He is also sought after to perform complex operations for metastatic adrenal cancer and peritoneal mesothelioma. As part of the Columbia/NYP Pancreas Center, Dr. Kluger collaborates with exceptional physicians and basic scientists at Columbia University Irving Medical Center to design a plan of care that balances quality of life and survival for each patient.

The objective of his research is to identify safe and effective innovations in surgical practices that will reduce morbidity in patients undergoing pancreas and liver surgery, thereby improving survival. Specific areas of current research include blood transfusion practices during pancreatic cancer surgery, irreversible electroporation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer, and improving long-term quality of life after pancreatectomy. He has authored over 175 articles, book chapters and presentations, and mentored dozens of students and residents.

Dr. Kluger is a member of the Cancer Surgery Standards Development Committee, which determines best surgical practices for Commission on Cancer accredited hospitals throughout North America. He is also a member of the Pancreas and Hepatobiliary Sub-Committees of the Society of Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.

Dr. Kluger is an Associate Professor at Columbia. He received a Master of Public Health from Yale University and a Medical Doctorate from the New York University School of Medicine. He completed his surgical residency at NYPH-Columbia University Irving Medical Center. There he was selected to be the Administrative Chief Resident and won the Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching award. He received advanced training in liver transplantation and laparoscopic liver and pancreas surgery at Hospital Henri Mondor in Paris under the world-renowned surgeon, Professor Daniel Cherqui.

Honors:

Castle Connolly Top Doctors, 2019

Castle Connolly Top Doctors, 2018

New York Presbyterian Hospital Physician of the Year, 2016

Society of Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Hepatobiliary Sub-Committee, 2015

Super Doctors Rising Stars, 2015 & 2016

Teaching & Mentor Award, Department of Surgery, Columbia University, 2015

The Kenneth A. Forde Research Award, 2014

Excellence in Teaching Award, Weill Cornell Medical College, 2013

Presidential Poster of Distinction, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, 2011

European Society of Organ Transplantation Short Stay and Travel Grant, 2009

Philippe Foundation Award for Franco-American Scientific Collaboration, 2009

Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award, Arnold P. Gold Foundation, 2007

Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, 2004

Arthur Zitrin Award in Bioethics, 2004

New York Medical Society Community Service Award, 2004

Psi Chi National Psychology Honor Society, 1998

Community Service:

Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, Board of Directors

Interests:

Pancreatic cancer
Colorectal Metastases to the Liver and Peritoneum
Surgical Safety
Blood Transfusion During Surgery
Peritoneal mesothelioma

Publications:

Peer Reviewed Publications

Shakri AR, Zhong TJ, Ma W, Coker C, Kim S, Calluori S, Scholze H, Szabolcs M, Caffrey T, Grandgenett PM, Hollingsworth MA, Tanji K, Kluger MD, Miller G, Biswas AK, Acharyya S. Upregulation of ZIP14 and Altered Zinc Homeostasis in Muscles in Pancreatic Cancer Cachexia. Cancers. Accepted for publication 12/12/19. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31861290.

Leinwand JC, Taub RN, Chabot JA, Kluger MD. Two-Stage Cytoreductive Surgery and Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Diffuse Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Predictors of Overall Survival in an Intention-to-Treat Series. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2019 Dec 12. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31832913.

Payen T, Oberstein P, Saharkhiz N, Palermo C, Sastra S, Han Y, Nabavizadeh A, Sagaliskiy I, Orelli B, Rosario V, Desrouilleres D, Remotti H, Kluger MD, Schrope B, Chabot J, Iuga A, Konofagou E, Olive K. Noninvasive Young's modulus visualization of fibrosis progression and delineation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors using Harmonic Motion Elastography (HME) in vivo. Clinical Cancer Research. 2019 Dec 12. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31831559.

Cui Y, Khanna LG, Saqi A, Crapanzano JP, Mitchell JM, Sethi A, Gonda TA, Kluger MD, Schrope BA, Allendorf J, Chabot JA, Poneros JM. The Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Ki67 in The Management of Non-Functioning Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors. Clin Endosc. 2019 Jul 15. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31302988.

Sung S, Portillo A, Gonda T, Kluger MD, Tiscornia-Wasserman P. Update on the risk stratification in the categories of the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology Reporting System for Pancreaticobiliary Cytology: 3-year prospective single institution experience. Cancer Cytopathology. 2020; 128(1): 29-35. PubMed PMID: 31722125.

Letica-Kriegel AS, Leinwand JC, Sonett JR, Gorenstein LA, Taub RN, Chabot JA, Kluger MD. 50 Patients with Malignant Mesothelioma of Both the Pleura and Peritoneum: A Single-Institution Experience. Ann Surg Oncol. 2020;27(1):205-213. PubMed PMID: 31065962.

Jung W, Park T, Kim Y, Park H, Han Y, He J, Wolfgang CL, Blair A, Rashid MF, Kluger MD, Su GH, Chabot JA, Yang CY, Lou W, Valente R, Del Chiaro M, Shyr YM, Wang SE, van Huijgevoort NCM, Besselink MG, Yang Y, Kim H, Kwon W, Kim SW, Jang JY. Validation of a nomogram to predict the risk of cancer in patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm and main duct dilatation of 10 mm or less. Br J Surg. 2019; 106(13):1829-1836. PubMed PMID: 31441048.

Eyob B, Boeck MA, FaSiOen P, Cawich S, Kluger MD. Ensuring safe surgical care across resource settings via surgical outcomes data & quality improvement initiatives. Int J Surg. 2019;72S:27-32. PubMed PMID: 31394278.

Rashid MF, Jackson T, Morgan JA, Dwyer F, Schrope BA, Chabot JA, Kluger MD. Dabigatran is safe for extended venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after surgery for pancreatic cancer. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 2019; 23(6): 1166-1171. PMID: 30187331

Elmously A, Gray KD, Michelassi F, Afaneh C, Kluger MD, Salemi A, Watkins AC, Pomp A. Operating room attire policy and healthcare cost: favoring evidence over action for prevention of surgical site infections. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2019;228(1):98-106. PMID: 30359824

Ecker BL, McMillan MT, Bassi C, Beane JD, Beckman RM, Behrman SW, Dickson EJ, Callery MP, Christein JD, Drebin JA, Hollis RH, House MG, Jamieson NB, Javed AA, Kent TS, Kluger MD, Kowalsky SJ, Maggino L, Malleo G, Valero V, Velu LKP, Watkins AA, Wolfgang CL, Zureikat AH, Vollmer CM. Risk Factors and Mitigation Strategies for Pancreatic Fistula after Distal Pancreatectomy: Analysis of 2,026 Resections from the International, Multi-institution Distal Pancreatectomy Study Group. Annals of Surgery. 2019;269(1):143-149. PMID: 28857813

Woodland D, Cooper C, Rashid MF, Rosario V, Weyker P, Weintraub J, Bentley-Hibbert S, Kluger MD. Routine Chest X-Ray is Unnecessary After Ultrasound-Guided Central Venous Line Placement in the Operating Room. Journal of Critical Care. 2018;46:13-16. PMID: 29627658

Rashid MF, Hecht EM, Steinman J, Kluger MD. Irreversible Electroporation of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Primer for the Radiologist. Abdominal Radiology. 2018; 43(2): 457-466. PMID: 29051982

Steinman J, Zaheer A, Kluger MD, Remotti H, Hecht EM. Rare Pancreatic Tumors. Abdominal Radiology. 2018; 43(2): 285-300. PMID: 29022085.

Kluger MD, Rashid MF, Rosario VL, Schrope BA, Steinman J, Hecht EM, Chabot JA. Resection of locally advanced pancreatic cancer without regression of arterial encasement after modern-era neoadjuvant therapy. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 2018; 22(2):235-241. PMID: 28895032

Heller D, Chiuzan C, Taub RN, Leinwand J, Greene A, Bates G, Chabot JA, Kluger MD. Recurrence of optimally treated diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma with cytoreduction and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2017; 24(13): 3818-3824. PMID: 29027138

Xu MM, Yin S, Siddiqui AA, Salem RR, Schrope B, Sethi A, Poneros JM, Gress FG, Genkinger JM, Do C, Brooks CA, Chabot JA, Kluger MD, Kowalski T, Loren DE, Aslanian H, Farrell JJ, Gonda TA. Comparison of the diagnostic accuracy of three current guidelines for the evaluation of asymptomatic pancreatic cystic neoplasms. Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(35):e7900. PMID: 28858107.

Binhas M, Egbeola-Martial J, Kluger MD, Roudot-Thoraval F, Grimbert P. Opioids and nonopioids for postoperative pain control in patients with chronic kidney disease. J Opioid Manag. 2017;13(1):17-25. PMID: 28345743

Najjar M, Taylor A, Agrawal S, Fojo T, Merkler AE, Rosenblum MK, Lennihan L, Kluger MD. Anti-Hu paraneoplastic brainstem encephalitis caused by a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor presenting with central hypoventilation. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. 2017;40:72-73. PMID: 28256369

Hecht EM, Liu MZ, Prince MR, Jambawalikar S, Remotti HE, Weisberg SW, Garmon D, Lopez-Pintado S, Woo Y, Kluger MD, Chabot JA. Can diffusion-weighted imaging serve as a biomarker of fibrosis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma? J Magn Reson Imaging. 2017;46(2):393-402. PMID: 28152252

Yeh R, Steinman J, Luk L, Kluger MD, Hecht EM. Imaging of pancreatic cancer: what the surgeon wants to know. Clinical Imaging. 2016;7(42):203-217. PMID: 28110203

Leinwand JC, Chabot JA, Kluger MD. Preventing recurrence of diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy. 2016;16(9):989-95. PMID: 27486718

Parekh M, Kluger MD, Griesemer A, Bentley-Hibbert S. Regenerative liver surgeries: the alphabet soup of emerging techniques. Abdominal Radiology. 2016;41(1):162-73. PMID: 26830622

Kluger MD, Epelboym I, Schrope BA, Mahendararaj K, Hecht EM, Susman J, Weintraub JL, Chabot J. Single institution experience with irreversible electroporation for T4 pancreatic cancer: first 50 patients. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2016;23: 1736-1743. PMID: 26714959

Santambrogio R, Savino B, Kluger MD, Costa M, Salceda J, Belli A, Laurent A, Barabino M, Opocher E, Azoulay D, Cheraui D. Laparoscopic ablation therapies of hepatic resection in cirrhotic patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma. Digestive and Liver Disease. 2016;48(2):189-96. PMID: 26675381

Lee SY, Kingham TP, LaGratta MD, Jessurun J, Cherqui D, Jarnagin WR, Kluger MD. PET-avid hepatocellular adenomas: incidental findings associated with HNF1-α mutated lesions. HPB. 2016;18(1):41-8. PMID: 26472264

Sugahara KN, Scodeller P, Braun GB, Hurtado T, Yamazaki C, Kluger MD, Kitayama J, Alvarez E, Howell S, Teesalu T, Ruoslahti E, Lowy AM. A tumor-penetrating peptide enhances circulation-independent targeting of peritoneal carcinomatosis. Journal of Controlled Release. 2015;212:59-69. PMID: 26071630

Kluger MD, Salceda JA, Laurent A, Tayar C, Duvoux C, Decaens T, Luciani A, Van Nhieu JT, Azoulay D, Cherqui D. Liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in a western series of 313 patients: tumor biology and underlying liver rather than tumor size drive prognosis. J Hepatol. 2015; 62(5):1131-1140. PMID: 25529622

Afaneh C, Gerszberg D, Slattery E, Seres DS, Chabot JA, Kluger MD. Pancreatic Cancer Surgery and Nutrition Management: A Review of the Current Literature. Hepatobiliary Surgery and Nutrition. 2015;4(1):59-71. PMID: 25713805

Kluger MD, Halazun KJ, Barroso R, Fox AN, Olsen SK, Madoff DC, Siegel AB, Weintraub JL, Susman J, Brown RS, Cherqui D, Emond JC. Bland- versus chemo-embolization of hepatocellular carcinoma prior to transplantation. Liver Transplantation. 2014; 20(5): 536-543. PMID: 24493271

Belin LJ, Neely R, Kluger MD. Techniques for safe organ recovery after endovascular aortic and bariatric surgery. Liver Transplantation. 2014; 20(5): 619-623 PMID: 24493164

Kluger MD. Laparoscopic liver resection: basic skills for peripheral lesions (manuscript and video). Hepatobiliary Surgery and Nutrition. 2014; 3(1):44-46. PMID 24696837

Lee SY, Mooney M, Inra M, Juluru K, Fox AN, Olsen SK, Brown RS, Emond JC, Cherqui D, Kluger MD. Exposure to ionizing radiation during liver transplantation evaluation, waitlisting, and post-operatively: a cause for concern. Hepatology. 2014; 59(2):496-504. PMID: 23904338

Afaneh C, Kluger MD. Laparoscopic liver resection: lessons at the end of the second decade. Semin Liver Dis. 2013;33(3):226-35. PMID: 23943103

Kluger MD, Tayar C, Belli A, Salceda JA, Van Nhieu JT, Luciani A, Cherqui D. A foregut cystic neoplasm with diagnostic and therapeutic similarities to mucinous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. JOP. 2013; 14(4):446-449. PMID: 23846945

Eveno C, Karoui M, Gayat E, Luciani A, Auriault ML, Kluger MD, Baumgaertner I, Baranes L, Laurent A, Tayar C, Azoulay D, Cherqui D. Liver resection for colorectal liver metastases with peri-operative chemotherapy: oncological results of R1 resections. HPB. 2013; 15(5):359-364. PMID: 23458567

Lee SY, Cherqui D, Kluger MD. Extended right hepatectomy in a liver with a non-bifurcating portal vein: the hanging maneuver protects the portal system in the presence of anomalies. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 2013; 17:1494-1499. PMID: 23404171

Barrault C, Roudot-Thoraval F, Tran Van Nhieu J, Atanasiu C, Kluger MD, Medkour F, Douvin C, Mallat A, Zafrani ES, Cherqui D, Duvoux C. Non-invasive assessment of liver graft fibrosis by transient elastography after liver transplantation. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol. 2013; 37(4):347-52. PMID: 23318116

Kluger MD, Cherqui D. Laparoscopic resection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent Results Cancer Res. 2013;190:111-26. PMID: 22941017

Santambrogio R, Salceda J, Costa M, Kluger MD, Barabino M, Laurent A, Opocher E, Azoulay D, Cherqui D. External validation of a simplified BCLC staging system for early hepatocellular carcinoma. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2013;39(8):850-7. PMID: 23726257

Santambrogio R, Kluger MD, Costa M, Belli A, Barabino M, Laurent A, Opocher E, Azoulay D, Cherqui D. Hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with Child-Pugh's A cirrhosis: is portal hypertension a contraindication? HPB, 2013; 15(1): 78-84. PMID: 23216782

Kluger MD, Vigano L, Barroso R, Cherqui D. The learning curve in laparoscopic major liver resection. J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Sci, 2013;20(2):131-6. PMID: 23064988

Goyer P, Karoui M, Vigano L, Kluger M, Luciani A, Laurent A, Azoulay D, Cherqui D. Single-center multidisciplinary management of patients with colorectal cancer and resectable synchronous liver metastases improves outcomes. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol. 2013;37(1):47-55. PMID: 22521121

Kluger MD, Guarrera J, Olsen S, Brown R, Emond J, Cherqui D. Safety of blood group A2−to−O liver transplantation. Transplantation, 2012; 94(5): 526-531. PMID: 22874840

Duvoux C, Roudot-Thoraval F, Decaens T, Pessione F, Badran H, Wolf P, Francoz C, Compagnon P, Vanlemmens C, Dumortier J, Dharancy S, Gugenheim J, Bernard P, Adam R, Radenne S, Muscari F, Conti F, Hardwigsen J, Pageaux G, Chazoullières O, Salame E, Hilleret M, Lebray P, Abergel A, Debette-Gratien M, Kluger MD, Mallat A, Azoulay D, Cherqui D. Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a model including alpha-fetoprotein improves the performance of Milan criteria. Gastroenterology, 2012; 143(4):986-994. PMID: 22750200

Memeo R, Belli A, Kluger MD, Tayar C, Laurent A, Cherqui D. Duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction during complex hepatectomy: A useful technique in selected cases. World Journal of Surgery, 2012; 36(1):129-35. PMID: 22037690

Kluger MD, Memeo R, Laurent A, Tayar C, Cherqui D. Survey of adult liver transplantation techniques (SALT): an international study of practices in full graft transplantation. HPB, 2011; 13(10):692-8. PMID: 21929669

Hurtova M, Bachir D, Lee K, Calderaro J, Decaens, Kluger MD, Zafrani E, Cherqui D, Mallat A, Galacteros F, Duvoux C. Transplantation for liver failure in patients with sickle cell disease: challenging but feasible. Liver Transplantation, 2011; 17(4): 381-392. PMID: 21445921

Tayar C, Kluger MD, Laurent A, Cherqui D. Optimizing outflow in piggyback orthotopic liver transplantation: the 3-vein technique. Liver Transplantation, 2011; 17(1):88-92. PMID: 21254349

Vigano L, Kluger MD, Laurent A, Tayar C, Merle JC, Lauzet JY, Andreoletti M, Cherqui D. Liver resection in obese patients: results of a case-control study. HPB, 2011; 13(2):103-11. PMID: 21241427

Binhas M, Roudot-Thoraval F, Bonnet F, Lory C, Guerineau S, Jeanblanc G, Kluger MD, Marty J. Use of a validated reference tool to evaluate postoperative pain management through a quality-assurance program in a university hospital. Journal for Healthcare Quality, 2011; 33(1):7-13. PMID: 21199068

Kluger MD, Taub RN, Hesdorffer M, Chabot JA. Two-stage operative cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy for diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: morbidity, mortality and survival in Phase I and II trials. European Journal of Surgical Oncology, 2010; 36(10):997-1003. PMID: 20674253

Weiss L, McCoy K, Kluger M, Finkelstein R. Access to and use of health care: perceptions and experiences among people who use heroin and cocaine. Addiction Research and Theory, 2004; 12(2):155-165. DOI:10.1080/1606635031000155099Kluger MD, Sofair AN, Heye CJ, Meek JI, Sodhi RK, Hadler JL. Retrospective validation of a surveillance system for unexplained illness and death: New Haven County, Connecticut. American Journal of Public Health, 2001;91:1214-1219. PMID: 11499106

Editorials & Letters

Kluger MD, Rosin RD. The Caribbean: A model for implementation of minimally invasive surgery in resource-poor regions. Int J Surg. 2019; 72S:1-2. PMID: 31669772.

Kluger MD, Chabot JA, Schrope BA. Locally advanced pancreas cancer: Staging and goals of therapy. Surgery. 2019; 166(5): 951. PMID: 30665618.

Lee SY, Kluger MD. Laparoscopic liver resection in patients with clinically significant cirrhosis: an Eastern perspective. Hepatobiliary Surg Nutr. 2015;4(6):371-2. PMID: 26734620

Kluger MD, Xu EX. Professor Daniel Cherqui: my experiences with laparoscopic liver resection. Hepatobiliary Surg Nutr. 2015 Dec;4(6):422-5. PMID: 26734628

Emond JC, Kluger MD. International perspectives on advanced liver surgery. Semin Liver Dis. 2013;33(3):187-8. PMID: 23943099

Abstracts

Bates GE, Taub RN, Jin Z, Ramos-Jimenez E, Ali SI, Hashmi AK, Bressler Y, Bressler T, Hedorffer M, Kluger MD. Survival and fertility in women with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2016;34(3)111.

Bates GE, Kluger MD, Jin Z, Chabot JA, Leinwand J, Bressler T, Rae M, Taub RN, Borczuk AC, Hesdorffer M. Long-term outcomes of cytoreduction and HIPEC for malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2015;33(15):e4111.

Heller D, Kluger MD, Greene A, Leinwand J, Bates GE, Chabot JA, Taub RN. Recurrence of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: Novel insights based on standardized second look procedures. American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2015;33(15):e15204.

Kluger MD, Chabot JA. Hesdorffer ME, DeRosa CM, Taub RN. Influence of microscopic malignant peritoneal mesothelioma on posttreatment survival. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2009;27:e15534.

Kluger MD, Taub RN, Batista L, DeRosa CM, DiGiorgi M, Hesdorffer ME, Leinwand J, Chabot JA. Operative morbidity and mortality in 54 consecutive patients undergoing operative cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal mesothelioma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2008;26:e15537.