Department of Surgery Faculty
H. David Root, M.D.
Professor
Division: Trauma
Email: root@uthscsa.edu
Board Certifications:
American Board of Surgery
Education:
1961 PhD, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
1953 MD, Cornell Medical College, New York
Postgraduate training:
1954-61, Residency, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
1954-53, Intership, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Research interests: The effects of shock on liver function; detection of intraabdominal injuries; shear forces in vascular graft patency; pulmonary function with high PEEP conditions
Clinical interests: Cardiovascular diseases, intraluminal stents, carotid artery disease management, Gastrointestinal diseases, esophageal disease, and surgical management; Traumatic injuries and management
Publications:
Myers JG, Dent DL, Stewart RM, Gray GA, Rhodes JE, Root HD, Pruitt BA
Jr: Nonoperative Management of Blunt Splenic Injuries: Dedicated Trauma
Surgeons Can Achieve High Rates of Success in Patients of All Ages. J
Trauma, 2000;48:801-806: J Trauma
Pittman-Waller VA, Myers JG, Stewart RM, Dent DL, Page CP, Gray GA, Pruitt BA, Root HD. Appendicitis: why so complicated? Analysis of 5755 consecutive appendectomies. Am Surg 2000 Jun;66(6):548-554
Stewart RM, Myers JG, Dent DL, Ermis P, Gray GA, Villareal R, Blow O, Woods B, McFarland M, Garavaglia J, Root HD, Pruitt BA; Jr. 753 consecutive deaths in a level 1 trauma center: the argument for injury prevention. J Trauma, 2003; 54:1, 66-71.
McKnight ST, Blow O, Dent DL, Goff HW, Myers J, Root HD, Stewart RM, Pruitt BA, Myers JG. Right ventricular air embolism during radiographic evaluation of a pediatric patient for blunt vehicular trauma. J Trauma 2004 Oct;57(4):890-891.
Dent DL, Alsabrook G, Erickson BA, Myers JG, Wholey MH, Stewart RM, Root HD, Ferral H, Postoak DW, Napier DH, Pruitt Jr BA. Blunt splenic injuries: high nonoperative management rate can be achieved with selective embolization J Trauma 2004 Jan;56(5):1063-1067.
Mejia A, Myers JG, Stewart RM, Dent DL, Root HD, Pruitt Jr BA. Air gun injuries to the abdominal aorta: report of two cases and review of the literature. J Trauma 2003 Jun;54(6):1235-1238.
Stewart RM, Johnston J, Geoghegan K, Anthony T, Myers JG, Dent DL, Corneille MG, Danielson DS, Root HD, Pruitt BA, Cohn SM. Trauma surgery malpractice risk: perception versus reality. Ann Surg 2005 Jun;241(6):969-975.
Percutaneous tracheostomy: one center's experience with a new modality. Lillian Liao, MD, MPH, John Myers, MD, Joe Johnston, MD, Michael Corneille, MD, Daren Danielson, MD, Daniel Dent, MD, Ronald Stewart, MD, Basil Pruitt, MD, H. David Root, MD, Stephen Cohn, MD. Manuscript recd April 8, 2005, revised manuscript Aug 8, 2005. Presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Surgical Congress, San Antonio, Texas, April 10-12, 2005. American Journal of Surgery.
Biosketch: Dr. Root completed his undergraduate degree then his medical degree at Cornell Medical School in 1953 and his residency at the University of Minnesota in 1961. He joined the faculty of UTHSC in 1966 and is a founder of the Department of Surgery. His many offices at the University, each held for over 20 years, have included Emergency Center Medical Director, Trauma Director, Chief of Vascular Surgery, Surgical Residency Director and Deputy Surgery Chairman. During his career he has been Governor-at-large from South Texas on the ACS Board of Governors, been a member of the ACS Committee on Trauma Verification Review, and served as President of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. He is currently on the editorial board, Journal of Trauma; a national consultant to the ACS Verification Review Committee; and a reviewer for the American Journal of Surgery. He continues to take trauma call and serves as advisor and mentor to students, residents, fellows and faculty.
Awards:
2010, San Antonio Magazine 'Best Doctors'
1997 - Scudder Orator, American College of Surgeons
2005 - Award of Recognition, American College of Surgeons, Trauma Dept.
Professional societies:
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the History of Medicine
American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST)
American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP)
American College of Surgeons (ACS), Fellow
American College of Surgeons, Committee on Trauma
American Society of Preventive Oncology
American Surgical Association
American Trauma Society
Eastern Association for Surgery of Trauma (Honorary)
Halsted Society
International Federation of Surgical Colleges
International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery, North American Chapter
Society Internationale de Chirurgie, North American Chapter
Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract
Society of Nuclear Medicine
Society of University Surgeons
Society for Vascular Surgery
Southern Surgical Association
Texas Surgical Association
Western Surgical Association
