Specialty:

General Surgery, Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery

Degrees:

Bachelor of Sciences, Magna Cum Laude

Major - Chemistry

Birmingham-Southern College

Birmingham, AL 1991-1995

Doctor of Medicine,
University of Alabama School of Medicine

Birmingham, AL 1995-1999

Internship, Residency, & Fellowship:

General Surgery Internship & Residency

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School

1999-2004

Fellow in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Carolinas Laparoscopic and Advanced Surgery Program

Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC

Research Fellow 2004 -2005

Clinical Fellow 2005 – 2006

Licensure:

Alabama Medical License #00027428 (active)

Texas Medical License (inactive)

North Carolina Medical License (inactive)

Specialty Certifications:

American Board of Surgery certification 2005

Academic Appointments:

Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery
College of Community Health Sciences
University of Alabama School of Medicine
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 2006 - present

Hospital Staff Appointments:

Professional Societies:

American College of Surgeons – Associate member (2006 to present)

SAGES – Member (2003 to present)

Southeastern Surgical Congress – Member (2004 to present)

Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract – Member (2005 to present)

American Medical Association (1995 to present)

Tuscaloosa County Medical Association (2006 to present)

Medical Association of the State of Alabama (2006 to present)

Texas Medical Association (1999 to 2004)

Harris County Medical Society (1999 to 2004)

Committees & Activities:

Awards & Honors:

Gold Medal Forum Paper, Southeastern Surgical Congress, Lake Buena Vista, FL, February 2006

Karl Storz Award Session, European Association for Endoscopic Surgery, Venice, Italy, June 2005

SSAT 2005 USC/Norris Cancer Hospital & Ethicon Endo-Surgery Resident/ Fellows Research Conference, Chicago, IL, May 2005.

Best Resident/Fellow presentation – American Hernia Society, San Diego, CA, February 2005

Phi Beta Kappa – Birmingham-Southern College

Omicron Delta Kappa – Birmingham Southern College

Valedictorian – Meridian High School, Meridian, MS, 1991

Community Service:

Sunday School Teacher, Calvary Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Christian Medical Dental Association, Tuscaloosa Chapter

Publications:

Harrell AG, Roberts BW.  A Proton NMR Study of the Relative Strength of Ortho-Para Directors, in Southern Academic Review, Spring 1994.  No. 8, p45-66, Birmingham Southern College

Harrell AG, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Energy sources in laparoscopy.  Seminars in Laparoscopic  Surgery. 2004 Sep; 11(3):201-9.

Sing RF, Harrell AG, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Questions about early experience with retrievable inferior vena cava filters in high-risk trauma patients. J Am Coll Surg,2005 Apr; 200(4):634.

YW Novitsky, MJ Rosen, AG Harrell, RF Sing, KW Kercher, BT Heniford. Evaluation of the Efficacy of the Electrosurgical Bipolar Vessel Sealer (LigaSure^TM) Devices in Sealing of Porcine Lymphatic Vessels. Surgical Innovations, 2005 Jun;12(2):155-60.

Harrell AG, Heniford BT. Minimally invasive surgery: Lux et Veritas Past, Present, and Future.  American Journal of Surgery, 2005 Aug;190(2):239-43.

YW Novitsky, KW Kercher, AG Harrell, WS Cobb, MJ Rosen, RF Sing, BT Heniford. Laparoscopic expertise increases hospital volume of adrenal surgery. J Am Coll Surg, 2005 Sep; 201(3):S96-97.

Novitsky YW, Kercher KW, Cobb WS, Harrell AG, Kuwada TS, Sing RF, Heniford BT. Thrombosis in the portal venous system after elective laporoscopic splenectomy.
Surg Endosc. 2005 Oct;19(10):1420-1.

Harrell AG, Sing RF, Novitsky YW, Kercher KW, Kuwada TS, Heniford BT.  A Re-evaluation of Vagotomy and Gastrojejunostomy for Benign Gastric Outlet Obstruction.  J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech. 2006 Feb; 16(1):77-8.

Harrell AG, Novitsky YW, Kercher KW, Foster M, Burns J, Kuwada TS, Heniford BT.  In-Vitro Infectability of Prosthetic Mesh by Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Hernia. 2006 Feb 2;:1-5.  Epub 2006 Feb 2.

Harrell AG, Lincourt AE, Novitsky YW, Rosen MJ, Kuwada TS, Sing RF, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  The Advantages of Laparoscopic Appendectomy in the Elderly.  

Am Surg. 2006 Jun; 72(6): 474-80.

Novitsky YW, Kercher KW, Harrell AG, Sing RF, Heniford BT. Laparoscopic expertise increases hospital volume of adrenal surgery. Surg Innov. 2006 Jun; 13(2):109-14.

Harrell AG, Novitsky YW, Peindl RD, Cobb WS, Austin CE, Cristiano JA, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.   Prospective Evaluation of Adhesion Formation and Shrinkage of Intra-abdominal Prosthetics in a Rabbit Model.  Am Surg. 2006 Sep; 72(9): 808-13; discussion 813-4.

Paton BL, Novitsky YW, Zerey M, Harrell AG, Norton HJ, Asbun H, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Outcomes of adrenal cortical carcinoma in the United States. Surgery. 2006 Dec; 140(6):914-20; discussion 919-20. Epub 2006 Oct 19.

Lincourt AE, Harrell AG, Cristiano JA, Sechrist C, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Retained Foreign Bodies after Surgery. J Surg Res. 2007 Apr:138(2):170-4. Epub 2007 Feb 1.

Novitsky YW, Harrell AG, Cristiano JA,  Paton BL,  Norton HJ, Peindl RD, Kercher KW,

 Heniford BT.  Comparative evaluation of adhesion formation, strength of ingrowth, and textile  properties of prosthetic meshes after long-term intra-abdominal implantation in a rabbit. J Surg Res. 2007 Jun 1:140(1):6-11.

Harrell AG, Novitsky YW, Cristiano JA,  Gersin KS,  Norton HJ, Kercher KW,

 Heniford BT. Prospective histological evaluation of intra-abdominal prosthetics four months  after implantation in a rabbit model.  Surg Endosc. 2007 Jul:21(7): 1170-4. Epub 2007 Feb 7.

Novitsky YW, Harrell AG, Hope WW, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Meshes in Hernia Repair. Surg Technol Int. 2007;16:123-7.

Novitsky YW, Cristiano JA, Harrell AG, Newcomb W,  Norton HJ, Kercher KW,

 Heniford BT.  Immunohistochemical analysis of host reaction to heavyweight-, reduced-weight, and expanced polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE)-based meshes after short- and long-term intraabdominal implantations.  Surg Endosc. 2008 Apr;22(4):1070-6. Epub 2008 Jan 11.

Oral Presentations:

Harrell AG, Novitsky YW, Foster M, Burns J, Matthews BD, Kercher KW, Heniford BT. Prosthetic Mesh Biomaterial Susceptibility to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Adherence in an In-Vitro Model. American Hernia Society. San Diego, CA, February 2005

Rosen MJ, Kercher KW, Novitsky YW, Cobb WS, Harrell AG, Matthews BD, Kuwada TS, Sing RF, Heniford BT. Laparoscopic Heller myotomy for the treatment of achalasia: experience with 100 consecutive cases. Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. Ft. Lauderdale, FL, April 2005

Novitsky YW, Kercher KW, Harrell AG, Rosen MJ, Jyothinagaram S. Heniford BT. Clinical outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for lateralizing nodular hyperplasia. American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, Cancun, Mexico, April 2005

Harrell AG, Novitsky YW, Lincourt A, Rosen MJ, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  The Advantages of Laparoscopic Appendectomy in the Elderly of North Carolina.  Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. Chicago, IL, May 2005

Harrell AG, Kercher KW, Cobb WS, Rosen MJ, Novitsky YW, Kuwada TS, Heniford BT. Laparoscopic Simple Cecectomy for cecal polyps. European Association for Endoscopic Surgery, Venice, Italy, June 2005.

Novitsky YW, Czerniach DR, Kercher KW, Harrell AG, Rosen MJ, Kuwada TS, Litwin DEM, Heniford BT.  Severely Disordered Esophageal Peristalsis is Not a Contraindication to Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication.  European Association for Endoscopic Surgery,  Venice, Italy, June 2005.

Harrell AG, Novitsky YW, Lincourt A, Rosen MJ, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Advantages of Laparoscopic Appendectomy in the Elderly.  European Association for Endoscopic Surgery, Venice, Italy, June 2005.

Harrell AG, Kercher KW, Cobb WS, Rosen MJ, Novitsky YW, Kuwada TS, Heniford BT. Laparoscopic Simple Cecectomy: Minimally Invasive Therapy for Cecal Polyps. North Carolina Chapter of American College of Surgeons, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC, July 2005.

Novitsky YW, Kercher KW, Harrell AG, Cobb WS, Rosen MJ, Sing RF, Heniford BT. Laparoscopic expertise increases hospital volume of adrenal surgery. American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, Surgical Forum, San Francisco, CA October 2005.

Novitsky YW, Harrell AG, Zerey M, Paton BL, Cristiano JA, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Comparative evaluation of adhesion formation, strength of ingrowth, and textile properties of various prosthetic biomaterials one-year after intra-abdominal implantation in a rabbit.  Association for Academic Surgery, San Diego, CA, February 2006.

Heniford BT, Lincourt AE, Harrell AG, Cristiano JA, Sing RF, Kercher KW.  Retained Foreign Bodies after Surgery.  Association for Academic Surgery, San Diego, CA, February 2006.

Harrell AG, Novitsky YW, Cobb WS, Austin CE, Cristiano JA, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Prospective Evaluation of Adhesion Formation and Shrinkage of Intra-abdominal Prosthetics in a Rabbit Model.  Southeastern Surgical Congress, Lake Buena Vista, FL, February 2006.

Harrell AG, Novitsky YW, Cristiano JA, Connoy-Beltz A, Norton HJ, Kercher KW,  Heniford BT. Prospective histological evaluation of intra-abdominal prosthetics four months after implantation in a rabbit model.  SAGES, Dallas, TX, April 2006.

Harrell AG, Novitsky YW, Peindl RD, Zerey M, Paton BL, Norton HJ, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Comparative evaluation of adhesion formation, strength of ingrowth, and textile properties of prosthetic biomaterials at 4 months and one year after intra-abdominal implantation in a rabbit. American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, Surgical Forum, Chicago, IL, October 2006.

Poster Presentations:

Harrell AG, Rosen MJ, Kercher KW, Sing RF, Heniford BT.  Acellular Dermal Matrix for Complicated Ventral Hernia Repairs.  American Hernia Society.  San Diego, CA, February 2005.

Novitsky YW, Rosen MJ, Harrell AG, Thrasher BB, Eskind LB, Heniford BT, Kercher KW. Transplantation of laparoscopically-procured right versus left kidneys: comparative analysis of intraoperative graft ischemia and postoperative graft function and survival. Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. Ft. Lauderdale, FL, April 2005.

Harrell AG, Kercher KW, Cobb WS, Rosen MJ, Novitsky YW, Kuwada TS, Heniford BT. Laparoscopic Simple Cecectomy: Minimally invasive therapy for cecal polyps. Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. Ft. Lauderdale, FL, April 2005

Harrell AG, Kercher KW, Cobb WS, Heniford BT.  Composix^® Separation: a report of three cases.  Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. Ft. Lauderdale, FL, April 2005

Novitsky YW, Harrell AG, Rosen MJ, Cobb WS, Sing RF, Kercher KW, Heniford BT. Evaluation of the Efficacy of LigaSure^TM Devices in Sealing of Porcine Lymphatic Vessels. Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. Ft. Lauderdale, FL, April 2005

Novitsky YW,  Kaban GK, Harrell AG, Rosen MJ, Kuwada TS, Kercher KW, Litwin DEM, and Heniford BT.  Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication in Patients with Severe Esophageal Dysmotility.  Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. Chicago, IL, May 2005.

Novitsky YW, Kuwada TS, Harrell AG, Head MC, Coumas JM, Heniford BT, Sing RF.  Prospective evaluation of the long-term changes in body composition in morbidly obese patients undergoing gastric bypass.  Association for Academic Surgery, San Diego, CA, February 2006.

Paton BL, Novitsky YW, Zerey M, Harrell AG, Sing RF, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Utility of Capsule endoscopy in evaluating surgical diseases of the small intestine.  SAGES, Dallas, TX, April 2006.

Novitsky YW, Harrell AG, Paton BL, Irby PB, Heniford BT, Teigland CM, Kercher KW.  Favorable outcomes of simultaneous bilateral laparoscopic hand-assisted nephrectomies.  SAGES, Dallas, TX, April 2006.

Harrell AG, Kercher KW, Ramshaw B, Cobb WS, Heniford BT. Composix^® Separation: a report of seven cases.  3^rd International Hernia Congress, American Hernia Society, Boston, MA, June 7-11, 2006.

Novitsky YW, Harrell AG, Peindl RD, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  Anisotropy of common hernia meshes: orientation at implantation affects prosthetic compliance.  3^rd International Hernia Congress, American Hernia Society, Boston, MA, June 7-11, 2006.

Zerey M, Harrell AG, Paton BL, Novitsky YW, Peindl RD, Norton HJ, Cristiano JA, Kercher KW, Heniford BT.  What is the optimal animal model for abdominal wall reconstruction?  3^rd International Hernia Congress, American Hernia Society, Boston, MA, June 7-11, 2006.

Video Presentations

Harrell AG, Jacobs D, Joel C, Cobb WS, Sing RF, Heniford BT.  Laparoscopic splenectomy after trauma. American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, San Francisco, CA, October 2005.

Harrell AG, Paton BL, Rosen MJ, Kercher KW, Heniford BT. Two Stage Laparoscopic Management of Perforated Sigmoid Diverticulitis.  SAGES, Dallas, TX, April 2006.

Harrell AG, Kuwada TS, Taylor D, Heniford BT, Sing RF. Retrievable Vena Cava Filters in Bariatric Patients. American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, Surgical Forum, Chicago, IL, October 2006.