UH Plastic Surgeon Turns Childhood Trauma into a Calling

UH Clinical Update | February 2024

Joseph Khouri, MD

When he was a young boy, Joseph Khouri’s family owned several restaurants around Greater Cleveland, and it seemed clear that the family business started by his father, who emigrated from Syria, by way of Lebanon, would be where his future lay.

But when Joseph was 7, a drunk driver hit the family car, and he was ejected from the car, suffering significant traumatic injuries. He spent weeks in the hospital and had a number of reconstructive surgeries.

The plastic surgeon who operated on him – and there were many operations, including skin grafts – made a particularly strong impression. As Joseph got older, he thought more and more about becoming a physician. And he did – becoming Joseph Khouri, MD, in 2011.

“That surgeon was the reason I became enamored of medicine,” Dr. Khouri says. “And for me, the interest in plastic surgery from the beginning also was that it is one of the rare specialties where we work from the outside in. It affects how people feel about themselves – people who have had devastating injuries, who need reconstruction or who have bodily deformities.”

Exemplary Work

UH CEO Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair, recently recognized Dr. Khouri with a Cliff Appreciates/Dinner with the Doc honor, calling out his exceptional leadership and his role as a mentor in the newly formed Plastic Surgery APP Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Team.

He was nominated by Joseph Sabik, MD, Chair, Department of Surgery and Sally and Bob Gries Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Surgery, who cited his commitment to value.

“From the very outset of his involvement with our team, which is comprised mostly of recent graduates with limited experience in surgical services, Dr. Khouri impressed us with his unwavering dedication and patience,” wrote Dr. Sabik. “I have worked with him closely in various settings, including the operating theater, outpatient clinic and inpatient care.

“Despite facing challenges, such as severe understaffing, Dr. Khouri has shown an unwavering commitment to improving patient care and the overall work environment within UH Cleveland Medical Center. He actively sought input from colleagues and APPs, fostering open and honest dialogue about practice conditions and the challenges we face. Through his efforts, he bolstered morale and prioritized the well-being of his colleagues.”

Path to UH

After graduating from St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Dr. Khouri received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, followed by a master’s in medical science from the Boston University School of Medicine, and then his medical degree from the Wayne State University School of Medicine. He did his residency in plastic surgery at the University of Rochester and a fellowship in hand and microvascular surgery at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He joined UH in 2018.

It was an easy decision for him to come back to Cleveland.

“For me, there was no place like home,” he says. “I interviewed at several medical centers in Cleveland, but, to me, UH is the place that takes care of Cleveland. UH has allowed me to be the first to perform many surgeries for the first time here – new and groundbreaking surgeries – and it is clearly a very collegial and supportive environment.”

Practice Details

Initially, his surgical focus at UH was hand and complex nerve surgery, but now he is performing more breast reconstruction, body contouring for patients who have had massive weight loss, cosmetic surgery and adult gender affirmation surgery.

Dr. Khouri’s experience as a microsurgeon made the latter an ideal fit. “We deal with every tissue type – muscle, skin, nerve, tendon – so I was able to step in and provide care for these patients,” he says. Because the forearms and the thighs are donor sites, the delicate skills of a surgeon like Dr. Khouri are crucial.

“I quickly realized I got a lot out of adult gender affirmation surgery,” he adds. “We did a great job for these patients and they were very happy. There’s been a lot of growth - we are the largest center in Ohio and the Midwest who provides this type of surgery, and we have patients coming from all over the country.”

Dr. Sabik says in this arena too, Dr. Khouri’s dedication is noteworthy.

“It extends beyond the workplace, as he has been instrumental in promoting and expanding our UH LGBQT care, demonstrating a profound commitment to inclusivity and diversity.”

To nominate a physician for this honor, please click here. The next deadline is May 2.