Our Faculty

Dr. Bohdan Pomahac is Division Chief of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Pomahac joined the Yale Surgery and Smilow Cancer Hospital community from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where he was the Roberta and Stephen R. Weiner Distinguished Chair in Surgery and Director of Vascular Composite Allograft Transplantation program.A pioneer in his field, Dr. Pomahac’s team performed the first three full-face transplant procedures in the United States, and the first successful bilateral upper extremity transplantation in the Northeast. Dr. Pomahac made Brigham and Women’s Hospital the world leader in vascularized composite transplantation completing 10 face and 3 bilateral hand transplants.Dr. Pomahac’s expertise adds to a growing portfolio of destination programs in the Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Yale, which has grown into a multidisciplinary enterprise—with novel programs across Connecticut, including wound healing, craniofacial surgery, melanoma treatment, targeted muscle reinnervation, breast reconstruction, and cutting-edge research in machine learning and 3D printing.

A native of Connecticut, Dr. Michael Alperovich is a Board Certified plastic surgeon, full-time faculty member, and Director of the Craniofacial Fellowship at Yale University. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard University, attended the University of Oxford for graduate school receiving Distinction honors, and graduated Alpha Omega Alpha from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Alperovich completed a plastic surgery residency and a craniofacial fellowship at New York University's Department of Plastic Surgery. He has clinical expertise in facial, breast and body aesthetic surgery. Notably, Dr. Alperovich is a national leader in gender affirming facial surgery and previously taught one of the first courses in the United States on this topic. Watch a video with Dr. Michael Alperovich>> Dr. Alperovich has been named to Connecticut Magazine's "Top Doctors" list for consecutive years and to New York Magazine's New York Metro "Top Doctors" list. He has been invited nationally and internationally as a visiting professor and guest faculty to speak about craniofacial, gender affirming and aesthetic surgery. Dr. Alperovich has authored over one hundred and fifty peer-reviewed publications and multiple plastic surgery book chapters. He serves on the Editorial Board of plastic surgery journals as well as contributes as an ad hoc reviewer for several other journals.

Dr. Stephan Ariyan is the Frank F. Kanthak Professor Emeritus of Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Surgical Oncology, and Otolaryngology at Yale University School of Medicine. He received his medical degree from New York Medical College and completed his training in general surgery as well as plastic surgery at Yale, becoming certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery.  He was then asked to join the faculty at Yale in 1976, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2 years, appointed Chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the 3rd year, and rose to the rank of tenured full Professor in another 2 years.  He served as Associate Chief of the Department of Surgery from 2007-2013.  In 1976 he founded the Yale Melanoma Program, the first multidisciplinary team at the Yale Cancer Center, and served as its Director until his retirement in 2017. Dr. Ariyan is an internationally known surgeon specializing in the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and malignant melanoma.  He has been recognized for the origination and development of several myocutaneous flaps for reconstructions of the head and neck- most notably the Pectoralis Major Flap, which has become the most commonly used flap for head and neck reconstruction worldwide.  He established the Microsurgery Service at Yale in 1976, performing the first replantations of fingers and free flaps in Connecticut.  He developed and performed the first composite microvascular free flap reconstruction of the jaw using the anterior vascular supply to the rib, and proved with fluorochrome markers that bone can be transferred on its periosteal blood supply.  Following the devastating earthquake in Armenia in December 1988, he was asked by the government of the then Soviet Union to help care for the many victims. During that visit, and after meeting with the Minister of Health, he noted the absence of trained reconstructive surgeons in Armenia. He therefore selected a team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses from Armenia, which he trained at Yale from 1990-1991, with the joint collaborative efforts of the USAID, the ECFMG, the RRC for Plastic Surgery, the Yale School of Medicine, and the Yale-New Haven Hospital. That team returned to Armenia in 1992, formed the Armenian Board of Plastic Surgeons, and established a certifying examination for the many plastic surgeons they have trained.  The success of this effort has been cited by the USAID as the model for the implementation of health care education in the redevelopment of other countries. He was recognized for this service by a Presidential Award of the Republic of Armenia. He has served as Vice-Chairman of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, President of 6 national surgical societies, and Founding President of the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons. Dr. Ariyan has been awarded numerous recognitions including the Medal of Honor from New York Medical College, the Scholar Award from the American College of Surgeons, the Presidential Award from the Society of Head and Neck Surgeons, the Presidential Citation from the American Head and Neck Society, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New England Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, and the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who’s Who.  He has authored or co-authored more than 300 scientific papers, and five surgical books (one of them, The Hand Book, has been published in three editions in English, Spanish, and Japanese).  He has served on the editorial boards of two surgical journals. He is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of Yale Surgical Videos. His former residents have honored him with the endowed ARIYAN LECTURESHIP for an annual lecture in the Department of Surgery.

Haripriya Ayyala, MD is an Assistant Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the Department of Surgery and cares for patients as part of the Center for Breast Cancer at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center. She graduated Alpha Omega Alpha from the George Washington University School of Medicine and completed her residency in plastic surgery at Rutgers followed by a fellowship in reconstructive microsurgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Ayyala’s clinical interests include post-oncologic reconstruction focusing on microsurgical techniques. Her research interests include the evaluation of outcomes after complex reconstruction, innovation in microsurgery, and operative efficiency. She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications, serves on multiple national committees, and is committed to mentorship in surgical education.

Dr. Paris D. Butler is an Associate Professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery at the Yale University School of Medicine. He is also the inaugural Yale Department of Surgery Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).  After completing his undergraduate education as a student athlete (basketball) at Roanoke College, he attended medical school at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He completed a general surgery residency at the University of Virginia and subsequently completed his plastic surgery training at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). He is board certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).  Dr. Butler has clinical interests in breast reconstruction, breast reductions, breast lifts, post bariatric body contouring, scar/wound management, breast implant removal, and aesthetic surgery (abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, liposuction, etc.).  During his general surgery training, he completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford University where he studied keloid biology. Additionally, he obtained a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from Univ. of California-Berkeley in health policy and management with special certificate in minority health. Dr. Butler is nationally recognized for his dedication to reducing healthcare disparities along ethnic lines – something he has approached with research, policy, and teaching in mind. Prior to being recruited to Yale, Dr. Butler served for 6 years on the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania.  In addition to his clinical appointment,  he also served as the Associate Designated Institutional Official (DIO) of Underrepresented in Medicine (UIM) Affairs in UPenn’s Graduate Medical Education office. He has received numerous teaching awards in addition to recognition for his work with mentoring residents, medical, undergraduate, and high school students aspiring to enter the field. Dr. Butler has authored over 75 publications in peer-reviewed journals and the lay press. He serves on the American College of Surgeons’ (ACS) Committee on Healthcare Disparities, Society of Black Academic Surgeons’ (SBAS) Membership, Financial, and Health Equity Committees, the American Board of Surgery’s (ABS) Governance Committee, the Association of Academic Surgeons’ (AAS) Diversity Committee, the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons’ (ACAPS) DEI Committee, and is Chair of the American Society of Plastic Surgery’s (ASPS) Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Dr. James Clune is an Assistant Professor of Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Clune specializes in the treatment of patients with melanoma, merkel cell carcinoma, sarcoma, and complex cutaneous malignancies. In addition to treating patients with cutaneous tumors he specializes in procedures for the treatment of tumors of the upper extremity, brachial plexus tumors, brachial plexus reconstruction and   peripheral nerves. Research interests include  targeted muscle reinnervation after tumor extirpation or amputation and isolated limb perfusion of the extremities for soft tissue tumors and understanding the tumor microenvironment of desmoplastic melanoma. Dr. Clune graduated from Wesleyan University and attained his medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine. He then completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at Children's Hospital Boston in craniofacial reconstruction. His specialty training in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery was completed at Yale with a special research focus in melanoma, followed by a fellowship in upper extremity surgery at the University of California and Shriners Hospital for Children Los Angeles with Dr. Neil Ford Jones where he focused on reconstruction of the upper extremity, soft tissue tumors of the extremities and peripheral nerve and brachial plexus reconstruction. After completion of fellowship in California additional training was completed in Madrid, Spain in adult and pediatric brachial plexus reconstruction at the Hospital Universitario La Paz with Dr. Aleksandar Lovic and reconstructive microsurgery in Santander, Spain with Dr. Francisco Pinal.

Dr. David Colen is a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Yale School of Medicine who specializes in upper and lower extremity reconstruction. Dr. Colen is fellowship-trained in Hand Surgery and Microsurgery, and has a passion for treating a variety of congenital and acquired disorders of the hand and wrist as well as traumatic and oncologic defects of the extremities.Dr. Colen attended the University of Virginia where he obtained undergraduate degrees in Neuroscience and Spanish linguistics, as well as his Doctor of Medicine. He then matriculated into the integrated Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency at the University of Pennsylvania, a program renowned for Reconstructive Microsurgery and Orthoplastic Surgery. At Penn, Dr. Colen was an active member of the Hand Transplantation Program who took part in three bilateral hand transplants, including the world's first and only bilateral pediatric hand transplant, during his tenure. Following residency, Dr. Colen completed a one-year fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston Children's Hospitals at Harvard Medical School, where he focused on adult orthopedic and congenital pediatric hand surgery as well as reconstructive microsurgery of the extremities. Dr. Colen strives to obtain the best functional outcomes for his patients, and is committed to both patient care and the furthering of the field of reconstructive surgery through academic and clinical research. The author of various textbook chapters and research articles regarding hand and extremity reconstruction, Dr. Colen's research interests include optimizing outcomes following traumatic and congenital hand reconstruction and improving hand function after tendon injury or infection.

Dr. Hill is an Assistant Professor of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Yale School of Medicine. She specializes in peripheral nerve and brachial plexus injury, and hand and upper limb reconstruction.Originally from the UK, Dr. Hill obtained her medical education and foundational research training at The University of Manchester in the UK. Her interest in nerve injury and recovery led her to undertake her Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery training at Washington University in St. Louis, under the leadership of nerve surgery pioneer Dr. Susan Mackinnon. She then sought international fellowship training in Microsurgery and Extremity Reconstruction at Oxford University in the U.K. at the Nuffield Orthopedic Hospital, and Brachial Plexus, Peripheral Nerve and Microsurgery with Dr. Jayme Bertelli, a prolific nerve surgeon and scientist, in Brazil. To further broaden her skills, she returned to Washington University in St. Louis and undertook an Orthopedic Hand & Microsurgery Fellowship, before beginning her career at Yale. Dr. Hills's surgical specialization is in management of complex nerve injuries and paralysis, such as peripheral nerve or brachial plexus trauma. Her practice includes care for compression neuropathies such as carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel, pronator syndrome, radial tunnel syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome. She also cares for patients with upper or lower limb nerve injuries, offering reconstruction through combinations of nerve grafting, nerve transfers, tendon transfers and joint fusions. She is a strong advocate for collaboration with other disciplines, such as neurology, physiatry, orthopedics, and pain management, to deliver bespoke and cutting edge care for her patients.  Dr. Hill has a particular clinical and research interest in nerve regeneration and surgical outcomes after nerve transfers for patients with paralysis of the upper limb, including in tetraplegia and spinal cord injury. She has collaborated internationally on the topic, and published extensively. Dr. Hill is also a passionate educator, with a PhD in surgical education from Maastricht University, a leading European center for medical education research and innovation. She has undertaken research into surgical culture and identity, and the underrepresentation of women in surgery, which has been published and presented internationally. She has maintained international research and education collaborations during her time in the USA, acting as a Ed.D supervisor at London South Bank University, and as a stipendiary lecturer of medicine at Harris Manchester College, Oxford University. She also engages in policy work, and participated in the Commission for Continuing Certification for the American Board of Medical Specialties (AMBS) and received a Distinguished Service Award for her contributions.

Dr. Henry Hsia is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon at Yale School of Medicine who has dedicated his professional life to finding innovative wound treatments for patients through basic and clinical research. Graduating magna cum laude from Harvard University, Dr. Hsia received a scholarship to study at Cambridge University (Trinity College) in England before returning to the US to pursue his medical degree at Yale University, where he also completed an American Heart Association Research Fellowship. He then went on to complete his surgical residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital before receiving his certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery and admission as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.Learn more about Dr. Hsia>>Dr. Hsia's clinical training at Yale provided a strong foundation to understand how the body responds to injury from illness and trauma as well as firsthand knowledge of the limitations of current therapies for treating difficult wounds and the great challenges in developing novel treatments that can be widely adopted by practitioners. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental biological processes underlying wound healing, Dr. Hsia upon completing his surgical training became a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University where he was funded by the National Institutes of Health. He subsequently became a member of the surgical faculty at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ, where he practiced for several years performing plastic and reconstructive surgery, in addition to teaching and training surgical residents and medical students as well as running a funded research laboratory that focused on issues related to wound healing and regenerative healing.Dr. Hsia is credentialed at Yale-New Haven Hospital and the West Haven campus of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and is leading ongoing collaborative efforts by the Yale-New Haven Health System and Yale School of Medicine in conjunction with the VA Connecticut Healthcare System to develop an expanded program in wound care and regenerative healing.

Dr. Angie Paik is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She is fellowship-trained in hand and microsurgery with a clinical focus on upper and lower extremity reconstruction and gender affirmation surgery. Her additional interests include aesthetic surgery and body contouring. Dr. Paik attended Cornell University for her undergraduate degree, majoring in biological sciences. She attained her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School where she also served as a Research Fellow with their Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She completed her Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery training at Brown University – a program offering a robust trauma experience and hands-on aesthetic training. Following residency, she pursued a Hand and Microsurgery fellowship at The Buncke Clinic in San Francisco, California, one of the leading microsurgery centers in the country. During fellowship, she gained experience in a wide array of complex reconstruction following burn, trauma, and malignancy as well as training in the phalloplasty procedure from leaders in the field. Dr. Paik has a commitment to providing quality surgical care to her patients. She has published in peer-reviewed journals, has contributed book chapters, and has presented nationally. In addition to her clinical practice, she also remains dedicated to teaching and mentorship.

Dr. John A. Persing is a doubly Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Neurological Surgeon. He is passionate about improving the quality of life of children born with craniofacial defects and individuals affected by cancer, trauma, deformities, and aesthetic concerns. He believes that all people deserve a chance at a better life, regardless of economic and world boundaries. Dr. Persing earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont in 1974. He has been President of the Plastic Surgery Foundation, the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, the Association of Academic Chairmen of Plastic Surgery, the American Association of Pediatric Plastic Surgeons, among others, and served as Chair of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is past President of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, and received the Clinician of the Year Award in 2010, as well as the James Barrett Brown award for the best journal article published in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery in 2015. Dr. Persing has a focus on improving the quality of patients’ lives regardless of whether this is a cosmetic or reconstructive concern. His clinical interests are craniofacial deformities, vascular malformations, and cosmetic surgery of the face and body. Connecticut Magazine named Dr. Persing among the best in the state in its annual "Top Doctors" issue in the 2016 edition, along with America's Best Doctors (Castle-Connolly) and Who's Who in Medicine.Learn more about the Section Chief of Yale Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Adnan Prsic is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He is a fellowship-trained hand surgeon who specializes in disorders of the hand, wrist, and forearm caused by congenital differences or trauma. Dr. Prsic has a unique training background with both Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as advanced training in the care of the upper extremity at an Orthopaedic Hand Surgery Fellowship.He attended Bowdoin College and Harvard Medical School. His love of New England led him to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Training at New England’s oldest plastic surgery residency at Brown University. In search of complete training of the hand and upper extremity Dr. Prsic joined the University of Washington Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine as a hand and microsurgery fellow. There he trained with leaders in hand surgery and focused on traumatic injuries as well as acquired and congenital complex hand and wrist problems. His training was completed at Harborview Medical Center, one of the busiest trauma hospitals in the United States. At Harborview Medical Center he also became a research fellow in the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center (HIPRC) and studied brachial plexus injuries. He has authored several book chapters and research studies on traumatic injuries of the hand.  Dr. Prsic’s research interests are in hand trauma, 3D printed medical devices and medical education. He is a dedicated and passionate medical educator and was recognized with prestigious awards like the Alpha Omega Alpha and The Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award

Dr. J. Grant Thomson, a Board-Certified Hand Surgeon and a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, is deeply interested in helping children and adults with congenital and acquired hand and upper extremity issues, and individuals whose bodies have been changed by cancer treatment. Dr. Thomson earned his medical degree from McGill University in 1983. He specializes in hand, wrist, and upper extremity surgery.Dr. Thomson's special interests include endoscopic carpal tunnel release, trigger finger treatment, Dupuytren’s contracture, arthritic hand reconstruction, brachial plexus reconstruction, peripheral nerve surgery, occupational disorders of the upper extremity, and trauma-related pain. His clinical practice also includes reconstructive microsurgery. He uses his expertise to reach across borders to children and adults in developing countries.Since 1998, Dr. Thomson has been leading groups of professionals on volunteer surgical expeditions, and these teams have affected the lives of over 800 individuals. His research interests include flap physiology, microsurgery, tendon repair, and breast reconstruction.Patient Care Yale Craniofacial Program Yale Hand and Microsurgery ProgramPlease call 203.785.2571 to contact Dr. Thomson.

Dr. Vasquez is a board-certified Plastic Surgeon and Assistant Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at the Yale School of Medicine with special interests in aesthetic surgery, cancer and trauma reconstruction.  He completed a general surgery residency, an independent plastic surgery residency, an orthopaedic hand and upper extremity fellowship, as well as served in the U.S. Navy as Battalion Surgeon. Dr. Vasquez is the current President of the Medical Staff of Bridgeport Hospital.  He is an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) as well as the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and served on several professional committees.  He has developed a strong reputation in the greater Fairfield community.