Dr. Llaguna

10/26/2025

Instagram for the win! I love seeing patients take charge of their health by seeking solutions on platforms like Instagram. It’s inspiring to witness stories of resilience and proactivity. Stay tuned for more of her story in the coming days.

10/25/2025

Another successful liver ablation performed by my partner Dr. Christopher Gannon.

Histotripsy is a non-invasive therapeutic ultrasound technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to mechanically disrupt tissue. The method involves delivering ultrasonic pulses to a specific target area. These pulses create microbubbles in the tissue, which then collapse, leading to high-energy shockwaves that fragment the tissue.

Currently histotripsy is being used to treat liver cancers by fragmenting tumor tissue. Kidney treatment is also being explored for kidney tumors, allowing for potential preservation of healthy tissue. Additiinally, clinical trials have demonstrated the feasibility of using histotripsy for treating localized prostate cancer, providing an alternative to traditional surgery or radiation.

10/17/2025

What is Histotripsy?

Histotripsy is a revolutionary out-patient procedure that uses high-frequency ultrasound waves to precisely target and break down liver tumors without damaging surrounding structures.

At Memorial, we are dedicated to bringing advanced care to our community. By incorporating Histotripsy into our treatment options, we aim to improve patient outcomes and enhance the overall healthcare experience.

If you or someone you know could benefit from this innovative therapy, contact us today to learn more about how Memorial is leading the way in modern medicine!

09/25/2025

In this episode of SurgOnc Today, SSO Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Disease Site Working Group members Dr. Alissa Greenbaum and Dr. Omar Llaguna moderate a discussion with Dr. Maheswari Senthil of UC Irvine and Dr. Richard Alexander of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey to dive deep into the history of the development of regional therapies such as HIPEC and PIPAC in the United States. The expert discussants answer tough questions regarding the ethical considerations of modern clinical trials and the implementation of experimental therapies into practice. Link above

08/30/2025

Family photo shoot 📸

08/12/2025

Mandatory first day of school pic!

08/01/2025

Today marks a significant milestone for our new interns as they celebrated their White Coat Ceremony! This tradition symbolizes their transition into the medical profession, representing compassion, responsibility, and dedication to patient care.

During the ceremony, our interns proudly donned their white coats and took the Hippocratic Oath, committing to uphold the ethical standards of medicine. We are thrilled to welcome them to the Memorial Community, where they will embark on this incredible journey of learning and service.

07/20/2025

Congratulations to our resident who is presenting our research at the ACS Quality and Safety Conference. A huge shoutout to all the co-authors for their hard work!

07/17/2025

Family trip to Spain 🇪🇸. La Tiera Madre

07/11/2025

Girls first concert… Morgan Wallen concert

07/11/2025

06/26/2025

Congrats to our resident Dr. Bhatt and co-authors for our recent publication which offers new insights into peritoneal mesothelioma (PM)!

Our A study analyzed data from the National Cancer Database (2006-2019) to identify factors influencing long-term survival (LTS) in PM patients. Out of 3,636 patients, 17.8% achieved LTS, with a median survival of about 92 months compared to 11.7 months for non-long-term survivors. Key predictors of LTS included being female, younger age, private insurance, treatment at academic institutions, and receiving radical surgery and chemotherapy. This research underscores the potential for personalized treatment strategies to enhance survival rates.