John B. Ortolani MD
John B. Ortolani
MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Colon & Rectal Surgery, Assistant Program Director, General Surgery Residency Program
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Colon and Rectal Surgery; Surgery
Contact Information
Patient Care
Patient Care
This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.
View this physician on UBMDEducation and Training:
- Fellowship, Colon & Rectal Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (2017)
- Residency, General Surgery, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Carilion Clinic (2016)
- MD, University at Buffalo (2011)
- BA, Chemistry/Pre-Medical Program, College of the Holy Cross, Cum Laude (2007)
Employment:
- Assistant Program Director, General Surgery Residency, Surgery, University at Buffalo (2024-present)
- Member, Great Lakes Health Colon & Rectal Cancer Workgroup, Commission on Cancer (2021-present)
- Staff, Colorectal Surgeon, GI Lab, Center for Ambulatory Surgery, West Seneca, NY (2021-present)
- Surgical Leader, Colon Surgical Site Infection Committee, Buffalo General Medical Center/Kaleida Health (2021-present)
- Faculty, UB Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship (2020-present)
- Medical Malpractice In-House Expert, Academic Group, Buffalo, NY (2018-present)
- Member, Great Lakes Health Cancer Committee (2018-present)
- Staff, Colorectal Surgeon, Surgery, Buffalo General Medical Center, Kaleida Health (2018-present)
- Staff, Colorectal Surgeon, Surgery, Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo, NY (2018-present)
- Committee Member, Surgery, Surgical Clerkship Curriculum Committee
- Faculty Senator, Representing the Jacobs School of Medicine, University at Buffalo
- Staff, Colorectal Surgeon, Surgery, Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center, Amherst, NY (2024-present)
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Surgery, UB Jacobs School of Medicine Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2017-present)
- Clinical Investigator, Activ Surgical, AS201 ActivSight FDA Summative Study (2020)
Awards and Honors:
- Top Doctor (2020)
- VTC-Carilion Research Day Award (2016)
- Bruce D. Baird, MD Research Award (2016)
- Gold Medal Forum Research Award (2016)
- Bruce D. Baird, MD Research Award (2015)
- VTC-Carilion Research Day Award (2015)
- Meritorious Resident Research Award (2015)
- Gold Medal Forum Research Award (2015)
- Gold Medal Paper (2015)
- Resident Academic Award (Highest Cumulative Exam Percentage) (2014)
- Junior Resident Presentation (2013)
Journal Articles:
- Ortolani JB, Tershak DR, Ferrara JJ, Paget CJ. (2016) The Goalposts Have Moved: Can Surgery Residents Meet Updated Quality Benchmarks for Adenoma Detection Rate in Colonoscopy?. Am Surg (Sep), 82(9): 835-838.
- Ortolani JB, Zhong X, Tershak DR, Ferrara JJ, Paget CJ. (2015) Quality Metrics in Surgery Resident Performance of Screening Colonoscopy. Am Surg (Jul), 81(7): 710-713.
Abstracts:
- Sciacca J, Harvey J, Mills J, Martinolich J, Adams T, Visco J, Harvey B, Ortolani J, Falvo M, Barone S. (2026) Evaluating the Impact of Extracellular Matrix Products on Primary Closure Outcomes in Pilonidal Disease Excision- A Pilot Study. 2026 ASCRS Annual Meeting. Tampa, FloridaUnited States (May) Poster
- Loo J, Chu J, Markus A, Ortolani J. (2026) Concrete Divisions: The Lasting Effects of Residential Segregation on Colorectal Cancer Detection in Buffalo, NY. 2026 ASCRS Annual Meeting. Tampa, FloridaUnited States (May) Poster
- Elnagar J, Falvo M, Visco J, Adams T, Barone S, Mills J, Ortolani J, Martinolich J, Hwang Kim J,. (2024) Colorectal Balloon Tube as an Alternative to Temporary Ileostomy Following Proctectomy- A Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label, Non-Inferiority Trial. 2024 ASCRS Annual Meeting. Baltimore, MarylandUnited States (Jun) Poster
- Mehrotra S, Savulionyte G, Yu I, Ortolani JB. (2023) Effects of Race and Income on Adenoma Detection Rates (ADRs) in Screening Colonoscopies. ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting. Seattle, Washington (Jun) Poster
- Savulionyte G, Mehrotra S, Ortolani JB. (2022) Income-Based Analysis of Adenoma Detection Rates in Screening Colonoscopy. ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting. Tampa Bay, Florida (Apr) Poster
- Sanders CM, Nwaiwu CA, Liu Y, Panchal AN, Butsch JL, Hoffman AB, Posner AR, Falvo MA, Visco J, Ortolani JB, Barone S. (2021) ActivSight⢠Dye-less Visualization of Tissue Perfusion in MIS Surgery: Interim Analysis of First Clinical and Preclinical Studies with ICG Comparison. World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery/European Association for Endoscopic Surgery. Barcelona, Spain (Nov) Oral
- Ortolani JB, Stratton MD, Werner AM, Grimes WR. (2017) Adenoma Detection Rate in Surveillance Colonoscopy following Colon Resection for Benign and Malignant Disease. (Jun)
Professional Memberships:
- American College of Surgeons
- American Medical Association
- American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons
Presentations:
- "Updates in Colon, Rectal, & Anal Cancer" UB Department of Internal Medicine Grand Rounds (2024)
- "Managment of Colon, Rectal, and Anal Cancer" UB Department of Surgery Oncology Lecture Series (2023)
- "Income-Based Analysis of Adenoma Detection Rates in Screening Colonoscopy" UB Department of Surgery Research Day (2022)
- "Management of Colovesical and Rectovaginal Fistula" UB Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology Grand Rounds (2021)
- "Management of Iatrogenic Small Bowel Injuries" UB Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology Grand Rounds (2021)
- "Operative Standards in Colon & Rectal Cancer" Commission on Cancer Initiative, Great Lakes Cancer Care Collaborative (2021)
- "Surgical Management of Crohn's Disease" UB Division of Gastroenterology Grand Rounds (2020)
- "Surgical Management of Crohn's Disease" UB Department of Surgery Grand Rounds (2020)
- "Colon & Rectal Cancer" UB Department of Surgery Oncology Lecture Series (2019)
- "Colon Cancer" UB Department of Family Medicine Grand Rounds (2019)
- "Enhanced Recovery Pathways in Surgery" UB Department of Surgery Grand Rounds (2018)
- "Adenoma Detection Rate in Surveillance Colonoscopy following Colon Resection for Benign and Malignant Disease" American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons 2017 Annual Scientific Meeting (2017)
- "The Goalposts Have Moved: Can Surgery Residents Meet Updated Quality Benchmarks for Adenoma Detection Rate in Colonoscopy?" Berry Society Resident Research Day (2016)
- "The Goalposts Have Moved: Can Surgery Residents Meet Updated Quality Benchmarks for Adenoma Detection Rate in Colonoscopy?" Southeastern Surgical Congress (2016)
- "Quality Metrics in Surgery Resident Performance of Screening Colonoscopy" Berry Society Resident Research Day (2015)
- "Quality Metrics in Surgery Resident Performance of Screening Colonoscopy" Carilion Clinic Research Day (2015)
- "Quality Metrics in Surgery Resident Performance of Screening Colonoscopy" Gold Medal Forum, Southeastern Surgical Congress (2015)
- "Parkland Protocol: Pharmacologic VTE Prophylaxis after TBI" Trauma & Critical Care Conference (2014)
- "Quality Performance Measures in Screening Colonoscopy" Berry Society Resident Research Day (2013)
- "Breast Cancer Progression: A Shifting Paradigm" General Surgery Grand Rounds (2013)
Service Activities:
- UB Jacobs School of Medicine Annual Research Forum; Poster/Presentation Judge (2025)
- tasked with writing questions (including stems and potential multiple choice answers) for the next iteration of the ABCRS Written Exam. 3 of my submitted questions were accepted into the test pool.; American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery, Written Exam Subcommittee (2024–present)
- General Surgery Residency; Assistant Program Director (2024–present)
- served on committee tasked with filling in a grid of topics/brief questions stems for the ABCRS Written Boards (to facilitate improved breadth of the exam, and maintain an appropriate question bank for future exams); Written Exam Committee, Blueprint Project (American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery) (2024–present)
- ; Committee Member, American Board of Surgery Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) Project (2023–present)
- ; Senator (2023–present)
- ; Surgery Clerkship Curriculum Committee (2023–present)
- Coffee with Surgeons (UB Surgery Residency): an open forum where residents can informally discuss pertinent career and life topics with a member of the faculty; Lecturer (2023)
- Colorectal Cancer Awareness; Interview, WGRZ Studio 2 Medical Edition (2023–present)
- ; Reviewer, Scientific Reports (2023–present)
- ; Reviewer, Surgical Innovation (2023–present)
- ; Faculty Mentor to MD/PhD Candidate (2022–2023)
- Development and administration of mock oral board exam for colorectal surgery fellow; Mock Oral Coordinator and Examiner (2022–present)
- Medical Student Annual Research Forum; Judge (2021–present)
- Colorectal Cancer Awareness; Interview, Kaleida Health Medical Minute (2020–present)
- Develop 350-400 questions for the CARSEP program/curriculum (designed for practicing colorectal surgeons); served two full 3-year terms; American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons Self-Assessment Committee (2019–present)
- Colon Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Interview, Great Lakes Health Radio Show (2019–present)
- Advisor to general surgery residents to ensure they are reaching appropriate clinical milestones (per ACGME); Faculty Advisor (2018–present)
- Colon Cancer Screening; Interview, Great Lakes Health Radio Show (2018–present)
- ; Reviewer, Surgical Endoscopy (2018–present)
- Serve as examiner for mock oral board exam for general surgery residents; Mock Oral Examiner (2017–present)
- International Healthcare Volunteer Surgeon, Hospital Socorro De Lo Alto Sula, Santa Barbara, Honduras; Volunteer Surgeon (2015–present)