Omar H. Llaguna, MD, FACS, FSSO
Dr. Omar H. Llaguna is a surgical oncologist at Memorial Healthcare System in Broward County, Florida, where he serves as Chief of the Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program.[1] He specializes in a complex surgical procedure that combines cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy known as CRS with HIPEC, which improves the prognosis and quality of life for patients diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma.
Dr. Llaguna also treats patients with a variety of gastrointestinal malignancies including cancers of the pancreas, gallbladder, liver, and appendix. His goal is for every patient to walk away understanding their treatment plan, why it’s best for them, and how they can help the plan succeed. He wants his patients to feel confident in the multidisciplinary approach that Dr. Llaguna and his team pursue.[1]
Dr. Llaguna is also an assistant professor of surgery at Florida International University Wertheim College of Medicine. At Memorial, he serves as faculty for the general surgery residency training program.
Education and Career
Dr. Llaguna graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor’s degree in health science and exercise physiology. After earning his master’s degree in physical therapy from Nova Southeastern University, he earned his medical degree from the Ross School of Medicine. He completed General Surgery residencies at Maimonides Medical Center and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai/Beth Israel in New York before completing a fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[1]
After completing his medical education and training, Dr. Llaguna practiced at Baptist Health South Florida and the Miami Cancer Institute before accepting a role with the Memorial Healthcare System.
Professional Memberships and Activities
Dr. Llaguna is actively involved in several professional medical organizations, including:[1]
- Society of Surgical Oncology
- American College of Surgeons
- Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association
- American Society of Peritoneal Surface Malignancy
- American Board of Surgery
Research
Dr. Llaguna’s research focuses on health outcomes, measuring the link between treatments or interventions delivered and the actual outcomes achieved.
Some of his recent publications include:[2]
Impact of Minimally Invasive Approach on Attainment of a Textbook Oncologic Outcome Following Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: A Review of the National Cancer Database. Azalia Avila, Megan A Cibulas, Shenae K Samuels, Christopher J Gannon, Omar H Llaguna>; The American Surgeon. 2024 Apr 1
Influence of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy on textbook outcome attainment at time of mastectomy. Gabriela L Aitken, Shenae Samuels, Christopher J Gannon, Omar H Llaguna>; American Journal of Surgery. 2024 Jan 1
Impact of Palliative Interventions on Survival of Patients with Unresected Pancreatic Cancer: Review of the 2010-2016 National Cancer Database. Gabriela L Aitken, Monique Motta, Shenae Samuels, Patrick T Reynolds, Christopher J Gannon, Omar H Llaguna>; The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care. 2023 Dec 1
He has also been invited to present his research findings at professional meetings. His notable presentations include:[1]
- Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in the Management of GI Malignancies, Baptist Health International, 2019
- Pancreatic cancer: A review of its management and recent advances, Medical Association of the Bahamas (MAB) 45th Annual Scientific Conference, 2017
- Surgical management of gastric cancer, Baptist Health International, 2015
- The evolving role of robotic surgery in the management of gastrointestinal malignancies, Baptist Health International, 2014
