Dr. Michael A. Tyner

I have the privilege of treating patients with both benign and malignant conditions of the chest. While in college at Georgia Tech, I envisioned a career as a biomedical engineer. What I quickly learned, however, was that I was more interested in patients and their medical problems than developing the technology to care for them. During my medical education and training, I learned not only how to become a surgeon, but also learned the value of teamwork and family in caring for patients. As a thoracic surgeon, one of the best and most important aspects of my job is being able to establish a relationship with my patients and their families, working together to help them through their illness. Dr. Tong is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Vagotomy. Her top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Lung Nodules, Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Vagotomy, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.

I’m a general surgeon that specializes in operating on the upper abdomen as well as treating complicated abdominal wall problems like large hernias. The benefits of getting treatment at Duke are the extensive resources available that providers like myself can use. When necessary, we collaborate with other specialists and research experts at Duke in a seamless way, so the patient will get the benefit of all that we have to offer. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and our three daughters. Dr. Pappas is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Vagotomy. His top areas of expertise are Hernia, Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor (GEP-NET), Umbilical Hernia, Appendectomy, and Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

The impact I have on my patients is what I enjoy most about being a weight loss surgeon. It is amazing that we can do an operation that not only helps a patient lose weight, but also fixes their diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol, along with giving them a better quality of life. There are a lot of options these days for people who are considering weight loss surgery. It’s important for patients to take into account each institution and what resources they have available. Duke is fully equipped to take care of complex cases in a safe manner. We have a multi-institutional team that’s been around the Triangle the longest and has the most experience. Almost every patient comes back after surgery and we see some of their previous medical conditions go away. That’s a good definition of success. Dr. Portenier is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Vagotomy. His top areas of expertise are Obesity, Hernia, Short Bowel Syndrome, Gastric Bypass, and Sleeve Gastrectomy.