Biography

Farzaneh Banki, M.D., Professor of Surgery and the Director of the Esophageal Disease Center at Memorial Hermann Southeast, focuses on the treatment of benign and malignant diseases of the esophagus and lungs. Her clinical interests include the diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), esophageal motility disorders, malignant diseases of the esophagus and stomach as well as benign and malignant disease of lungs and airway. Her focus of research includes the role of plasma DNA in the screening and diagnosis of primary, metastatic and recurrent esophageal cancer, diagnosis and treatment of complex hiatal hernias, and treatment of achalasia.

Dr. Banki, obtained her medical degree from the University of Montreal, Canada in 1996. She subsequently completed her internship and general surgery residency at the University of Southern California (USC), including a year of clinical research in the esophageal motility laboratory. She then acquired further experience in the treatment of esophageal disease during her thoracic and foregut fellowship at USC. Subsequently, she worked for a year as a clinical fellow in Response Genetics, Inc. to identify the role of plasma DNA as a diagnostic tool in the treatment of patients with esophageal cancer.

She completed her training in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Washington, Seattle in 2007, and joined the Department of surgery at USC from July 2007-2009. She then joined the faculty at McGovern Medical School (UTHealth), at Houston in July 2009.

Education

Undergrad
BS, Chemistry, University of Montreal,1989-1992
Graduate
MD, University of Montreal, 1991-1996
Residency
General Surgery, University of Southern California, 1996-2003
Fellowship
Thoracic Foregut Surgery, University of Southern California, 2003-2004
Fellowship
Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Washington, 2005-2007

Areas of Interest

Research Interests

  1. Thoracic and Foregut Surgery, esophageal motility lab at The University of Southern California. 2000-2001.
  2. Thoracic and Foregut genetic research in “Response Genetics Inc” at The University of Southern California. Research project: Role of plasma DNA as a Tumor Marker in Esophageal Cancer. 2004-2005.
  3. Research Projects:
    1. Plasma DNA Level in the Blood of Patients with Thoracic Malignancies;principle investigator. 07/2010.
    2. Pneumomediastinum in a Civilian Population in Houston; principle investigator. 07/2010.
    3. Management Strategies of Esophageal Perforation; co-investigator. 07/2010.
    4. Serological Markers of Inflammation in Aortic Disease; co-investigator. 01/2010-present.
    5. A Surgical Team with Focus on Staff Education in a Community Hospital Improves Outcomes, Costs and Patient Satisfaction; principle investigator. 01/2014.
    6. Elevation of Liver Enzymes Following Antireflux Surgery: Etiology and Clinical Guidance for Management; principle investigator. 11/2012.
    7. Plasma DNA and Diagnosis of Organ Malperfusion in Patients with Aortic Disease; principle investigator. 10/2012-present.
    8. New Chapter in Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Hiatal Hernia: Is Collis Gastroplasty a Procedure of the Past?; principle investigator. 11/2014.
    9. Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy; one simple intervention for treatment of all stages of achalasia; principle investigator. 01/2016.
    10. Large Hiatal Hernia; safe and effective repair by laparoscopic approach with out the need for esophageal lengthening and with rare symptomatic recurrence; principle investigator. 01/2016.
    11. Laparoscopic redo hiatal hernia repair, a safe procedure with high patient satisfaction and low morbidity; principle investigator. 01/2016.
    12. Esophageal stent placement in treatment of benign and malignant gastroesophageal disease; principle investigator. 01/2016.
    13. Type IV hiatal hernia: clinical management, laparoscopic repair with Toupet fundoplication and outcomes; principle investigator. 01/2016.
    14. Acell mesh vs. Vicryl mesh for crural closure and reinforcement in patients with large hiatal hernia; principle investigator. 07/2016.

Publications

Original Articles in Journals
  1. Hofstetter WL. Peters JH. DeMeester TR. Hagen JA. DeMeester SR. Crookes PF. Tsai P. Banki F. Bremner CG. Long-term outcome of antireflux surgery in patients with Barrett’s esophagus. Annals of Surgery. 2001 Oct; 234(4):532-8.
  2. Banki F. Mason RJ. Hagen JA. Bremner CG. Streets CG. Peters JH. DeMeester TR. The crura and crura-sphincter pressure dynamics in patients with isolated upright and isolated supine reflux. American Surgeon. 2001 Dec; 67(12):1150-6.
  3. Balaji NS. Crookes PF. Banki F. Hagen JA. Ardill JE. DeMeester TR. A safe and noninvasive test for vagal integrity revisited. Archives of Surgery. 2002 Aug; 137(8):954-8; discussion 958-9.
  4. Banki F. Mason RJ. DeMeester SR. Hagen JA. Balaji NS. Crookes PF. Bremner CG. Peters JH. DeMeester TR. Vagal-sparing esophagectomy: a more physiologic alternative. Annals of Surgery. 2002 Sept ; 236(3):324-35.
  5. Banki F, DeMeester SR, Mason RJ, Campos G, Hagen JA, Peters JH, Bremner CG, DeMeester, TR. Barrett’s esophagus in females : a comparative analysis of risk factors in females and males: Am J Gastroenterol. 2005 Mar; 100(3):560-567.
  6. Banki F, Velmahos G. Pulmonary torsion after Tractotomy without Pulmonary Resection. J Trauma. 2005 Aug; 59(2):478-81.
  7. Vallbohmer D, DeMeester SR, Oh DS, Banki F, Kuramochi H, Shimizu D, Hagen JA, Danenberg KD, Danenberg PV, Chandrasoma PT, Peters JH, DeMeester TR. Antireflux surgery normalizes cyclooxygenase-2 expression in squamous epithelium of the distal esophagus. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Jul;101(7):1458-66.
  8. Banki F, Mason RJ, Oh D, Hagen JA, DeMeester SR, Lipham JC, Tanaka K, Danenberg KD, Yacoub WN, Danenberg PV, DeMeester TR. Plasma DNA as a molecular marker for completeness of resection and recurrent disease in patients with esophageal cancer. Arch Surg. 2007 Jun;142(6):533-8.
  9. Banki F, J.A. Hagen, R.J. Mason, S.R. DeMeester, D. Oh , W.N. Yacoub, P.V. Danenberg, T.R. DeMeester. Plasma DNA: A Molecular Marker for the pattern of dissemination of esophageal cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, Volume 25, No18S, 2007 June, Page 730s.
  10. Banki F, Douglas E. Wood, Carinal Pneumonectomy. Operative Techniques in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2007 Sept; 12(3):194-209.
  11. Banki F, Rodney J. Mason, Jeffrey A. Hagen, Steven R. DeMeester, John C. Lipham, Kathleen Danenberg, Peter Danenberg and Tom DeMeester. Plasma DNA: a molecular marker of surgical insult and post operative recovery in esophageal cancer. Eur Surg Res 2008 Jan; 40(3):273-8.
  12. Banki F, Wael N. Yacoub, Jeffrey A. Hagen, Rodney J. Mason, Shahin Ayazi, Steven R. DeMeester, John C. Lipham, Kathleen Danenberg, Peter Danenberg and Tom DeMeester. Plasma DNA is more sensitive than CEA in diagnosis of recurrent esophageal cancer. Journal of Am Coll Surgeons, 2008 July; 207(1):30-5.
  13. Arzu Oezcelik, Jeffrey A Hagen, James M Halls, Jessica M Leers, Emmanuele Abate, Shahin Ayazi, Steven R DeMeester, Banki F, John C Lipham, Tom R DeMeester. An Improved Method of Assessing Esophageal Emptying Using the Timed Barium Study Following Surgical Myotomy for Achalasia. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 2008 Oct; 13(1):14-8.
  14. Banki F, S. Ayazi, J. A. Hagen, S. R. DeMeester, J. C. Lipham, J. M. Leers, K. Danenberg, P. Danenberg, T. R. DeMeester. Predictive Value of Preoperative Plasma DNA Level for Early Recurrence after Resection in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2008 ;26:15 ,4545.
  15. Shahin Ayazi, John C. Lipham, Giuseppe Portale, Christian G. Peyre, Christopher G. Streets, Jessica M. Leers, Steven R. DeMeester, Banki F, Linda S. Chan, Jeffrey A. Hagen and Tom R. DeMeester. Bravo Catheter-Free pH Monitoring: Normal Values, Concordance, Optimal Diagnostic Thresholds, and Accuracy. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology, 2009 Jan;7(1):60-7.
  16. Jessica M Leers , Shahin Ayazi , Jeffrey A Hagen , Sergei Tertov , Nancy Klipfel, Arzu Oezcelik, Emmanuele Abate, Banki F, John C Lipham MD, Steven R DeMeester, Tom R DeMeester . Survival in lymph node negative adenocarcinoma of the esophagus after R0 resection with and without neoadjuvant therapy: evidence for downstaging of N status. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 2009 Apr; 208(4):553-6.
  17. Chiu PW, Ayazi S, Hagen JA, Tang Al, Zehetner J, Leers JM, Oezcelik A, Abate E, Banki F, DeMeesetr SR, DeMeesetr TR. Esophageal pH exposure and epithelial cell differentiation. Dis Esophagus 2009 Apr; 22(7):596-9.
  18. A. Oezcelik, F. Banki, J. Leers, E. Abate, S.Ayazi, J.A. Hagen, S.R. DeMeester, J. Lipham, T.R. DeMeester. Delayed esophagogastrostomy: a safe strategy for management of patients with ischemic gastric conduit at time of esophagectomy. J Am Coll Surg. 2009 Jun; 208(6):1030-4.
  19. Emmanuele Abate, Banki F, Jeffrey A. Hagen and Nancy Klipfel. Giant Cell Tumor of the Sternum: A case report. Annals of Thoracic Surgery 2009, Aug; 88(2):645-7.
  20. Ayazi S, Hagen JA, Chan LS, DeMeester SR, Lin MW, Leers JM, Oezcelik A, Banki F, Lipham JC, DeMeester TR, Crookes PF. Obesity and Gastroesophageal Reflux: Quantifying the Association Between Body Mass Index, Esophageal Acid Exposure, and Lower Esophageal Sphincter Status in a Large Series of Patients with Reflux Symptoms. J Gastrointest Surg, 2009 Aug; 13(8):1440-7.
  21. Ayazi S, Lipham JC, Hagen JA, Tang AL, Zehetner J, Leers JM, Oezcelik A, Abate E, Banki F, Demeester SR, Demeester TR. A New Technique for Measurement of Pharyngeal pH: Normal Values and Discriminating pH Threshold. J Gastrointest Surg. 2009 Aug; 13(8):1422-1429.
  22. Ayazi S, Leers JM, Oezcelik A, Abate E, Peyre CG, Hagen JA, DeMeester SR, Banki F, Lipham JC, DeMeester TR, Crookes PF. Measurement of gastric pH in ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring. Journal of Surgical Endoscopy. 2009 Sept; 23(9):1968-73.
  23. Leers JM, DeMeester SR, Chan N, Ayazi S, Oezceik , Abate E, Banki F, Lipham JC, Hagen A, and DeMeester TR. Clinical characteristics, biologic behavior, and survival after esophagectomy are similar for adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction and the distal esophagus. J Thoracic Cardiovasc Surg. 2009 Sep;138(3):594-602.
  24. Ayazi S, Hagen JA, Zehetner J, Ross O, Wu C, Oezcelik A, Abate E, Sohn HJ, Banki F, Lipham JC, Demeester SR, Demeester TR. The Value of High-Resolution Manometry in the Assessment of the Resting Characteristics of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter. J Gastrointest Surg, 2009 Dec; 13(12): 2113-20.
  25. Banki F, Luketich JD. Chen H, Christie N, Pennathur A. Review article. Stereotactic Radiosurgery for lung cancer. Minerva Chir, 2009 Dec; 64(6):589-98.
  26. Oezcelik A, Banki F, Ayazi S, Abate E, Zohetner J, Chen W, Hagen JA, DeMeester SR, Lipham J, Palmer S, DeMeester TR. Detection of Gastric Conduit Ischemia or Anastomotic Breakdown Following Cervical Esophagogastrostomy: The Use of CT Scan vs. Early Endoscopy. Surg Endosc, 2010 Feb; 24(8):1948-51.
  27. Joerg Zehetner, John C. Lipham, Shahin Ayazi, Arzu Oezcelik, Emmanuele Abate, Weisheng Chen, Steven R. DeMeester, Banki F , Jeffrey A. Hagen, Melissa Dickey, Tom R. DeMeester, A Simplified Technique for Intrathoracic Stomach Repair: Laparoscopic Fundoplication with Vicryl Mesh and BioGlue Crural Reinforcement, Journal of Surgical Endoscopy. 2010 March; 24(3):675-9.
  28. Abate E, Oezceik A, DeMeester SR, Banki F, Ayazi S, Zehetner J, Chen W, Hagen A, Lipham C and Tom DeMeester. Recurrence after esophagectomy for adenocarcinoma: defining optimal follow-up intervals and testing. J Am Coll Surg. 2010 Apr; 210(4):428-35.
  29. Banki F, Patrick Flanagan, Joerg Zehetner, Raina Sinha, Analisa Armstrong, Peter Crookes, Jeffrey A. Hagen, Steven R. DeMeester, Emmanuele Abate, Shahin Ayazi, Arzu Oezcelik, John Lipham and Tom R. DeMeester. Progressive mucosal injury in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease is associated with increasing peripheral blood eosinophil counts. Archives of Surgery. 2010 Apr; 145(4):363-6.
  30. Banki F, Kamal Khalil, Marylee M Kott, and Ana Lucia Cota. Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the thymus gland, a rare tumor. Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 2010 Oct; 90(4), e56-58.
  31. Banki F. Pulmonary Assessment for General Thoracic Surgery. Surgical Clinics of North America, 2010 Oct; 90(5):969-84.
  32. Zehetner J, Lipham JC, Ayazi S, Banki F, Oezcelik A, Demeester SR, Hagen JA, Demeester TR. Esophagectomy for cancer in Octogenarians. Disease of Esophagus. 2010 Nov; 23(8):666-9.
  33. Ayazi S, Hagen JA, Zehetner J, Banki F, Augustin F, Ayazi A, Demeester SR, Oh DS, Sohn HJ, Lipham JC, Demeester TR. Day-to-day discrepancy in Bravo pH monitoring is related to the degree of deterioration of the lower esophageal sphincter and severity of reflux disease. Surg Endosc. 2011 Feb; 25(7):2219-23.
  34. Cen P, Banki F, Cheng L, Amato R, Khalil K, Kaiser LR. Dynamic changes in age, stage distribution, and survival of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma over three decades in the United States. Annals of Surgical Oncology 2011 Dec.
  35. Banki F, Kaiser LR. Mediastinal Mature Teratoma in a Jehovah’s Witness Patient: Discrepancy between Imaging and Intraoperative Findings: Case report. International Journal of Surgery Case Reports. 2012; 3(2):49-51.
  36. Banki F. Pneumomediastinum: Etiology and a Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment. American Journal of Surgery. 2013 Dec; 206(6):1001-1006.
  37. Banki F. A Surgical Team with Focus on Staff Education in a Community Hospital Improves Outcomes, Costs and Patient Satisfaction. American Journal of Surgery. 2013 Dec; 206(6):1007-1015.
  38. Atay S, Banki F, Floyd C. Empyema Necessitans Caused by Actinomycosis: A Case Report. International Journal of Surgery Case Reports. 2016 Apr; 23: 182-185.
  39. Santamaria J, Banki F, Rajendran S, Floyd C. Hemangioma of the Cervical Esophagus: A Rare Case of Dysphagia Mimicking a Large Esophageal Polyp on Endoscopy. Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery. 2016 Sept; 152(3): e59-e61.
  40. Banki F, Roife D, Kaushik C, Chawla M, Cassimir R, Miller C. Laparoscopic Reoperative Antireflux Surgery: a Safe Procedure with High Patient Satisfaction and Low Morbidity. American Journal of Surgery. 2016 Dec; 212(6): 1115-1120.
  41. Banki F, Weaver, M. Failed Fundoplication and Complications of Antireflux Surgery: Radiographic, Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Views. JSM General Surgery: Cases and Images. 2017 Apr; 2(1): 1021.
  42. Gams K, Shewale J, Demian N, Khalil K, Banki F. Characteristics, Length of Stay and Hospital Bills Associated with Severe Odontogenic Infections in Houston, Texas. Journal of the American Dental Association. 2017 Jan 24, in PubMed.
  43. Banki F. Giant paraesophageal hiatal hernia: A complex clinical entity. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2017 Apr; 154(2): 752-753.
  44. Banki F, Weaver M, Roife D, Khanna A, Ochoa K, Miller C. Laparoscopic Reoperative Antireflux Surgery is More Cost Effective than Open Approach. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2017 Aug; 225(2):235-242.
  45. Santamaria-Barria J, Chandni K, Roife D, Miller C, Banki F. Crural Closure Reinforcement with Biologic Porcine Mesh Results in Fewer Radiographic Recurrence and Higher Patient Satisfaction Compared to Synthetic Mesh, in the Short-term, Following Laparoscopic Repair of Large Hiatal Hernias. Submitted to the Journal of American College of Surgeons, 2017 Sep.
  46. Banki F, Kaushik C, Roife D, Chawla M, Miller C. Laparoscopic Repair of Large Hiatal Hernia Without the Need for Esophageal Lengthening With Low Morbidity and Rare Symptomatic Recurrence. Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2017 Sep.
Book Chapters
  1. Farzaneh Banki, Jeffrey A. Hagen. Benign strictures of the Esophagus. In: Current Therapy in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Mosby, Inc, 2004. Pages 422- 424
  2. Farzaneh Banki, Christopher T. Salerno, Gordon A. Cohen. Congenital Anomalies of the Coronary Arteries. In: The Johns Hopkins Manual of Cardiothoracic Surgery. 2007 McGraw- Hill companies. Pages 1329-1336.
  3. Wael N. Yacoub, Farzaneh Banki. Thoracic Emergencies. In: The Manual of Surgical Emergencies. LAC-USC Medical Center. 2008
  4. Farzaneh Banki, Douglas E. Wood. Inflammatory diseases of the Trachea. In: Pearson’s Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery. Third edition. 2008. Pages 294-298. Churchill, Livingstone, Elsevier.
  5. Farzaneh Banki, Douglas E. Wood. Endoscopic surgery of the esophagus. In: Shields General Thoracic Surgery. 2008.
  6. Farzaneh Banki, Tom R DeMeester. Treatment of complications of gastroesophageal reflux disease and failed anti reflux surgery. In: A Companion to Specialist Surgical Practice: Oesophagogastric Surgery. Michael Griffin, Fourth Edition, 2009, pages 277-289.
  7. Cheong Edward, Farzaneh Banki, Arjun Pannathur, James Luketich. Esophageal cancer. In: The Pittsburgh Manual of Surgical Oncology. 2010
  8. Farzaneh Banki, Tom DeMeester. Paraesophageal Hiatal Hernia. In: John Cameron, Current Surgical Therapy, Tenth edition, 2011, pages 33-38.
  9. Farzaneh Banki, Larry R. Kaiser. Diagnostic and Staging Procedures in Thoracic Surgery. In: American College of Surgeons, Guidelines. 2012.
  10. Farzaneh Banki, Tom DeMeester. Surgery for Achalasia and Other Motility Disorders. In: Mastery of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Larry R. Kaiser, Irving L. Kron, Thomas L. Spray, Third edition, 2013, pages 199-212.