Mark B Orringer, MD

Mark B. Orringer, M.D. is the Cameron Haight Distinguished University Professor of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Pittsburgh undergraduate school in 1963 and an Alpha Omega Alpha graduate of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School in 1967. He completed his general surgery and thoracic surgery residency training at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1973. During his surgery residency, while at the Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, England under the mentorship of Mr. Ronald Belsey, he gained additional exposure to the field of general thoracic surgery, particularly the surgical treatment of esophageal disease.

Dr. Orringer joined the faculty of the Section of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan in 1973 as an Assistant Professor. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1976 and to Professor of Surgery in 1980. He became Head of the Section in 1985 and served in this capacity until 2011. Dr. Orringer was the John Alexander Distinguished Professor of Thoracic Surgery from 1997 until 2011 and served as the Thoracic Surgery Residency Program Director for 21 years (1985-2006).

As one of the country's current leaders in the field of thoracic surgery, Dr. Orringer has focused much of his academic career on the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant esophageal disease. He has developed two leading esophageal operations: the transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy and the combined Collis-Nissen hiatal hernia repair. Dr. Orringer’s bibliography includes more than 250 journal articles, and 110 book chapters. He has edited five books, served on the editorial boards of several journals, and has been an invited speaker/participant or visiting professor throughout the country and the world. At the national level, his commitment to residency education is documented nationally by his involvement with the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association, of which he is past President, and The American Board of Thoracic Surgery on which he served as a director from 1988 - 1995. He has played a major role in developing a structured curriculum and current efforts to implement innovative educational tools for thoracic surgery residents. He is a past President of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and served as Chairman of the Finance Committee and Nominating Committee of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. He has served on the Board of Governors and the Advisory Council of Cardiothoracic Surgery of the American College of Surgeons, as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of CTSNet and on the Residency Review Committee (RRC) for Thoracic Surgery.

At Michigan Medicine, Dr. Orringer has served a leadership role in a variety of committees including the Executive Committee on Clinical Affairs, the Hospital Executive Board, the Clinical Delivery System Executive Committee and the Faculty Group Practice Board of Directors. At the University level, he was a member and then Chair of the Development Advisory Committee of the Senate Assembly. Dr. Orringer has received numerous honors and awards throughout his career: He is a member of multiple major national/international professional organizations including the American College of Surgeons; the Society of Thoracic Surgeons; The John Alexander Society; the American College of Chest Physicians; the American Association for Thoracic Surgery; The Society of University Surgeons; The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract; The International Society of Surgery; The Central Surgical Association; The American Surgical Association; Thoracic Surgery Directors Association; and the Halsted Society.

Lung cancer surgery, esophageal cancer surgery, surgery for esophageal disease (cancer, gastroesophageal reflux, achalasia, diverticulum, stricture), thoracic oncology, esophageal resection and reconstruction (replacement), diagnosis and treatment of lung and chest wall tumors, lung transplantation, surgery for emphysema (lung volume reduction surgery), and thoracoscopic surgery.

University of Michigan Health participates with most health insurance plans.

Dr. Orringer is currently collaborating with David Beer, Ph.D., Director of the Thoracic Surgery Tumor Biology Program to define unique genetic markers in thoracic malignancies which may ultimately have both prognostic and therapeutic implications. This collaborative effort involves harvesting of fresh tumor tissue for DNA and RNA analysis in the thoracic surgery laboratory and concurrent correlation between clinical tumor stage, the presence of particular genetic markers, and prognosis.

Dr. Orringer is involved in a variety of clinical research projects involving assessment of the long-term efficacy of antireflux operations, particularly the combined Collis-Nissen repair, and optimal methods of resection and replacement of the esophagus, particularly using transhiatal esophagectomy and a cervical esophagogastric anastomosis for both benign and malignant disease. In addition, as Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program of the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Dr. Orringer coordinates several multidisciplinary clinical research protocols for the treatment of thoracic malignancies.