My name is Moh'd Abu Hilal, I am the Director of the Surgical Department at the Fondazione Poliambulanza Hospital Institute in Brescia where I also direct the General Surgery Operating Unit. I am also Professor of Hepato-biliary-pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University of Southampton. I am a specialist in General Surgery and have acquired additional sub-specialisation in Hepatic, Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery.
I have a particular interest in minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery and am considered one of the world experts in Minimally Invasive Surgery. I have conducted several researches in this field and in the last 15 years I have accumulated a vast experience at international level. I have played an active role in the publication of a large number of scientific articles and in the elaboration and description of many innovative surgical techniques. In addition, I have participated in the specialized training of more than 450 surgeons worldwide. Currently, I perform 95% of my surgeries with minimally invasive technique (laparoscopic and robotic): from the simplest surgeries, such as hernia repair or cholecystectomy, through the most complex ones, such as gastro-intestinal resections (removal of the stomach, intestine or colon), to the most complex pancreatic and hepatic resections (including duodenocephalopancreasectomy, or Whipple's surgery, and major hepatectomies).
I have experienced over the years the significant advantages offered by minimally invasive surgery over the traditional open surgical technique. Patient-perceived benefits in various aspects of the postoperative experience range from a shorter hospital stay, early functional recovery, and lower complication rates.
In 2014 I represented the UK at the writing of the latest guidelines on Laparoscopic Liver Surgery held in Japan. In 2016 I was part of the expert panel during the Laparoscopic Pancreas Surgery Conference held in Amsterdam, during the Minimally Invasive Pancreatic Surgery Congress held in Sao Paulo (Brazil) and during the International Consensus Conference on Laparoscopic Hepato-biliary Pancreatic Surgery held in Coimbatore (India).
In February 2017, I had the honor of hosting at the University of Southampton and chairing the international expert committee for the development of guidelines in the field of Laparoscopic Liver Surgery. During this meeting the first European guidelines on Laparoscopic Liver Surgery were presented. These guidelines were published in the well-known surgical journal "Annals of Surgery" under the name of "The Southampton Guidelines for Laparoscopic Liver Surgery".
Finally, in 2019 in Miami (USA), I chaired as co-Chairman the drafting of the first International Guidelines for Minimally Invasive Pancreatic Surgery. These guidelines were also published by the prestigious journal "Annals of Surgery".
Philosophy
My philosophy is that each case should be fully and accurately evaluated according to its specificity. In complex cases, an appropriate management plan should be outlined after multidisciplinary consultation between the surgeon and the team of specialists from various fields, including Radiology, Oncology, Radiation Therapy, Pathology, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy. This team is referred to as a MultiDisciplinary Team (MDT). This approach is essential to ensure a careful evaluation of the case, a correct diagnosis and an appropriate management plan.
In this website you will find generic information that can help to address many of your queries regarding hepatobiliary pancreatic diseases and surgery. However, the website should be considered only as an informative source and cannot replace a specialist assessment and opinion.
Important roles within International and European Organizations
I hold a number of positions of both local and international importance including:
Chair of the international consortium for minimally invasive surgery of the pancreas (I-MIPS)
Chair of the International Consortium for the Study of Ampulla of Vater Cancer (ISGACA)
President of the European Consortium for Minimally Invasive Pancreatic Surgery (E-MIPS)
Chairman of the Innovation and Development Committee of the European Association for Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery (E-AHPBA).
Chair of the membership committee of the International Association for Minimally Invasive Liver Surgery
Board member of the European Pancreatic-Hepatobiliary Association (E-AHPBA)
Member of the European Association for Education and Training in Endoscopic Surgery
Member of the Association of the European Training Committee on Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery
Coordinator of the European Registry for Laparoscopic Liver Surgery
Coordinator of the European Registry for Laparoscopic Surgery of the Pancreas
Member of the Consortium of Precision Anatomy for Minimally Invasive Hepatobiliary Surgery
I strongly believe in evidence-based medicine and have a very active academic profile. I have published more than 200 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, as well as hundreds of abstracts and oral presentations presented at congresses worldwide.
I am regularly invited to national and international congresses to give presentations on minimally invasive surgery of the liver and pancreas or to perform live surgery.
Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery (HPB) is a complex branch of Surgery and only a few centers in Europe are able to provide specialized interventions of such complexity at a high level.
