Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital

PERSONAL

Business address: Department of Pediatric Surgery

Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital

8950 Euclid Ave/R3

Cleveland OH 44106

Contact:  Cell: 216-630-8833

Email: difiorj@ccf.org

EDUCATION

1976-1980  Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains, NY Valedictorian

1980-1984  Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.

BA awarded, cum laude in Chemistry, June 1984

1984-1988  Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons,

New York, NY;  MD awarded May 1988

RESIDENCY TRAINING

1988-1989                               Surgical Intern, New England Deaconess Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

1989-1991                               Surgical Resident, New England Deaconess Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

1994-1995                               Senior Surgical Resident, New England Deaconess Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

1995-1996                               Chief Surgical Resident, New England Deaconess Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

1991-1994                               Research Fellow in Surgery

The Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

FELLOWSHIP TRAINING

1996-1997                               Associate Chief Resident in Pediatric Surgery

The Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

1997-1998                               Chief Resident in Pediatric Surgery

The Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

1989-1991                               Clinical Fellow in Surgery

Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

1991-1994                               Research Fellow in Surgery

Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

1994-1996                               Clinical Fellow in Surgery

Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

1996-1998                               Assistant in Surgery

Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

1998-2014                               Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

1998-2014                               Staff Surgeon: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Department of Pediatric Surgery

2005-2014                               Surgical Director: Fetal Care Center at Cleveland Clinic

2006- 2014                               Director: Center of Excellence for the Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum, Cleveland Clinic

2009- 2014                               Director: Surgical Education, Pediatric Surgery, Cleveland Clinic

2014-2016                               Staff Pediatric Surgeon, Levine Children’s Hospital, Charlotte NC

2016-present                            Staff Pediatric Surgeon, Cleveland Clinic

HONORS & AWARDS

1980-1984                               Charles Collis Scholar:  Financial award for “exceptional academic effort and performance.”

1981-1982                               Rufus Choate Scholar:  Top 5% of class of 1,050

1983                                        William B. Parker Memorial Prize:  “To the student who through his activities in both science and the arts best exemplifies the belief that living and learning go together.”

1991                                        American College of Surgeons, Resident Research Scholarship, First Alternate

1991                                        Society of University Surgeons, Resident Research Scholarship, First Alternate

1994. Jens G. Rosenkrantz Resident Research Award in Pediatric Surgery

1998.    Sidney Farber Award for Outstanding House Officer

Children’s Hospital, Boston

CERTIFICATIONS

Board Certifications:              American Board of Surgery: General Surgery and Pediatric                                                             Surgery

Active Medical Licenses:        Ohio, North Carolina

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

American College of Surgeons – Fellow (2003)

American Pediatric Surgical Association – Full Member (2002)

American Academy of Pediatrics –Fellow  (2002)

Ohio Chapter, American College of Surgeons (1998)

Founding Member, 1996-present: Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Study Group

Northern Ohio Pediatric Society (October 2004)

Central Surgical Association (2006)

International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society- Member (2007)

Chairman, Membership and Credentials Committee, American Pediatric Surgical Association

(2007-2009)

Committee Member: American College of Surgeons, Committee on Membership (2007)

American College of Surgeons Bylaws Committee (2013 – 2016)

OTHER

2014-2016 : Medical Correspondent Fox Sports, multiple television appearances on NASCAR Race Hub-

PUBLICATIONS

1. Wilson JM, DiFiore JW and Peters CA. Experimental fetal tracheal ligation prevents the pulmonary hypoplasia associated with fetal nephrectomy.  Possible application for congenital diaphragmatic hernia.  J Pediatr Surg 28: 1433-1440, 1993.
2. DiFiore JW, Fauza DO, Slavin R, Peters CA, Fackler JC and Wilson JM: Experimental fetal tracheal ligation reverses the structural and physiological effects of pulmonary hypoplasia in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.  J Pediatr Surg 29: 248-257, 1994.
3. DiFiore JW and Wilson JM. Lung development.  Seminars in Pediatric Surgery 3:221‑232, 1994.
4. DiFiore JW and Wilson JM. Lung liquid from fetal lambs with tracheal occlusion is mitogenic to pulmonary cells in vitro.  Surgical Forum  Volum XLV: 666-668, 1994.
5. Fauza DO, DiFiore JW, Hines MH, Fackler JC, Slavin R, Hirschl R, Wilson JM. Continuous intrapulmonary distention with perfluorocarbon accelerates postnatal lung growth:  possible application for congenital diaphragmatic hernia.  Surgical Forum Volume XLVI: 667-669, 1995.
6. DiFiore JW and Wilson JM. Lung liquid, fetal lung growth and congenital diaphragmatic hernia.  Pediatric Surgery International 10:2-9, 1995.
7. DiFiore JW, Fauza DO, Slavin R and Wilson JM. Experimental fetal tracheal ligation and congenital diaphragmatic hernia:  A pulmonary vascular morphometric analysis.  J Pediatr Surg 30: 917‑924, 1995.
8. Wilson JM and DiFiore JW. Respiratory physiology and care in Pediatric Surgery.  By O’Neil, Rowe Grosfeld, Fonkalsrud, and Coran.  Mosby 1998, pp.77-81.
9. Nobuhara KK, DiFiore JW, Ibla JC, Siddiqui AM, Ferretti M, Schnitzer JJ, Wilson JM. Insulin‑like growth factor I gene expression in three models of accelerated lung growth.  J Pediatr Surg  33:1057-1061, 1998.
10. Nobuhara KK, Fauza DA, DiFiore JW, Hines MH, Fackler JC, Slavin R, Hirschl R, Wilson JM. Continuous intrapulmonary distention with perfluorocarbon accelerates neonatal but not adult lung growth.  J Pediatr Surg  33:292-298, 1998.
11. DiFiore, JW.   Semin Pediatr Surg 8:214-220, 1999
12. Carrico CW, Fenton LZ, Taylor GA, DiFiore JW, Soprano JV. Impact of sonography on the diagnosis and management of acute lower abdominal pain in children and young adults.  Am J Roentgenol 172: 513-516, 1999
13. DiFiore, JW. Pediatric Puzzler:  Inflammatory pseudotumor in Pediatric Perspectives, June 1999.
14. Alexander F, Magnuson D, DiFiore J, Jirousek K, Secic M. Specialty versus generalist care of children with appendicitis: An outcome comparison.  J Pediatr Surg 2001.
15. DiFiore, JW, Alexander F. Congenital bronchobiliary fistula in association with right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia.  J Pediatr Surg 37:  1208-1209, 2002.
16. DiFiore JW, Reid JR, Drummond-Webb J. Thoracic outlet syndrome in a child – transaxillary resection of anomalous first rib.  J Pediatr Surg 37:  1220-1222, 2002.
17. Stallion A, Kou D, Berger D, Knotts M, Dudgeon D, DiFiore J, Alexander F, Levine A. “DNA Microarray Analysis Reveals Variable Immune and Neuroendocrine Gene Expression in Chronically Inflamed Ganglionic Bowel of Hirschsprung’s Disease,” The Cleveland Clinic Foundation 21^st Annual Research Day, Abstract No. 188, October 25, 2001.
18. Stallion A, Kou D, Berger D, Knotts M, Dudgeon D, DiFiore J, Alexander F, Levine A. “Intestinal Expression of Interleukin 6 After Intestinal Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury:  A Primary Mediator of Multi-System Organ Failure,” The Cleveland Clinic Foundation 21^st Annual Research Day, Abstract No. 189, October 25, 2001.
19. Reid JR, DiFiore J, Morrison SC.  Thoracic outlet syndrome with subclavian aneurysm in a very young child:  The complimentary value of MRA and 3D-CT in diagnosis.  Pediatric Radiology (2002) 32:  22-24.
20. DiFiore JW, Goldblum JR. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the small intestine.  J Am Coll Surg 2002 Apr;194(4):502-506.
21. Alexander F, DiFiore J, Stallion A. Triangular tapered duodenoplasty for the treatment of congenital duodenal obstruction.  J Pediatr Surg 2002 Jun;37(6): 862-864.
22. Alexander F, Sarigol S, DiFiore J, Stallion A, Cotman K, Clark H, Lydzinski B, Fazio V. Fate of the pouch in 151 pediatric patients after ileal pouch anal anastomosis.  J Pediatr Surg, Vol 38, No 1 (January), 2003 pp 78-82.
23. O’Keefe P, Reid J, Morrison S, Vidimos A and DiFiore JW. Unexpected diagnosis of superficial neurofibroma in a lesion with imaging features of a vascular malformation.  Pediatric Radiology 2005; 35(12): 1250-3.
24. Wilson JM and DiFiore JW. “Respiratory physiology and Care” in Pediatric Surgery/Sixth Edition.  By O’Neil, Rowe Grosfeld, Fonkalsrud, and Coran.  Mosby 2005.
25. Mahajan LA, Hupertz V, Mahajan S, Feinberg L and DiFiore JW. The Appendix: A Possible Reservoir for Clostridium difficile. Amer J Gastroenterology Supplement 101/9: S392 , Abstract 992, 2006
26. Hodges K, Najm H and DiFiore JW. Repair of Pectus Excavatum at the Time of Reoperative Cardiac Surgery. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery Vol 109, Issue 5. 2019
27. DiFiore JW and Sung W. Next Day Discharge After The Nuss Procedure Using Intercostal Nerve Cryoablation, Intercostal Nerve Blocks and an Enhanced Recovery Pathway. Journal of Pediatric Surgery, Vol 57, pp 213-218. 2022
28. DiFiore JW, Robertson JO and Sung W. Sensory Recovery Following Intercostal Nerve Cryoablation for the Nuss Procedure. Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 2024. In Press