Skandan Shanmugan, MD

Scott R. Steele, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS

Dr. Skandan Shanmugan is a colon and rectal surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. Skandan was born in Sri Lanka, but was raised in Los Angeles, CA since the age of 6 years. He received his undergraduate degree at Swarthmore College in history and international relations. Following this, he received his medical school degree at the Temple University School of Medicine, and subsequently performed his general surgery residency training there as well. He went on to complete his colon and rectal surgery residency at the Case University Medical Center in Cleveland, OH, under the guidance of Conor Delaney and Bradley J. Champagne. Following this, Skandan returned east to Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania, where he currently serves as the Section Chief, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and the associate program director for the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship. Currently, his practice covers the entire gamut of colorectal surgery with a niche in minimally invasive surgery including laparoscopy, robotics, and transanal minimally invasive surgery.

In addition to mentoring and inspiring future colorectal surgeons, Skandan remains a busy clinician and academic surgeon, as well as an active researcher. His research interests include outcomes research, quality improvement initiatives (i.e., enhanced recovery after surgery, bundles), and colorectal cancer. He has numerous peer-reviewed publications evaluating quality metrics and preventing complications in colorectal surgery, is an active participant in multiple surgical societies, and reviews several peer-reviewed journals.

Away from medicine, he enjoys all sports, traveling, good company with food and wine, and staying active in many forms—most recently taking up mixed martial arts.

On behalf of the readers and staff of Clinics of Colon and Rectal Surgery, I sincerely thank Dr. Shanmugan for serving as a guest editor and for providing us with a superb issue on “Complications and Dilemmas in Colorectal Surgery.”