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Home > IA Providers > Surgical Oncologists

Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC

(629 Ratings)

Specializes in: Surgical Oncology (Cancer Surgery)

McGill University Faculty of Medicine (2007)

Professional interests include: pancreatic cancer, minimally invasive surgery, melanoma, and more.

200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242

(319) 356-2649

Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC is a surgical oncologist in Iowa City, IA specializing in surgical oncology (cancer surgery). He graduated from McGill University Faculty of Medicine in 2007 and has 18 years of experience. Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC is affiliated with University of Iowa and University of Iowa Health Care.

Office Locations

Address:

200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242

Some issues Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC can help you with:

Gallbladder Removal Surgery (Cholecystectomy)

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of the upper abdomen, underneath the liver. Its purpose is to store bile, which is used to digest fat. Occasionally, the gallbladder can develop mineral stones, called gallstones. If they are large enough, gallstones can block the ducts in the gallbladder and cause swelling and infection. Gallstones can be treated with lifestyle changes and medication, but sometimes this is not enough. In these cases, it is best to remove the gallbladder before it can cause more serious problems. The surgical removal of the gallbladder is called a cholecystectomy.

Today, most gallbladder surgeries are done laparoscopically. Four tiny incisions are made in the abdomen, and small tools are inserted through these tiny incisions to perform the surgery. Because the incisions are much smaller, recovery time is much faster with this type of surgery. Patients are usually discharged from the hospital the same day. Sometimes, open surgery is used to remove a gallbladder. In this type of surgery, a cut about six inches long is made in the upper right abdomen. After the gallbladder is removed, it is sutured or stapled closed. With open surgery, patients usually stay in the hospital for two to three days to recover before they are discharged.

Gallbladder removal, like any surgery, carries some risks, such as bleeding, infection, or the development of blood clots. Doctors will tell patients how to minimize their risk for complications. After surgery, patients are advised to avoid strenuous activity for several days. They should not soak in a bath until their sutures or staples have been removed. Patients should wash hands before touching the area around the incision. It will take a couple of days until patients feel like themselves again and a few weeks until their scar has healed and faded.

Pancreatectomy (Pancreas Removal)

Pancreatectomy is surgery to remove part or all of the pancreas to treat pancreatitis, tumors, or cancer. The pancreas is located behind the stomach and near the small intestine and spleen. There are three sections of the pancreas:

The head, which is the portion closest to the intestines
The body, which is the middle portion of the pancreas
The tail, which is the portion nearest the spleen

Pancreas removal procedures differ based on how much of the pancreas and surrounding organs are removed. There are three types of pancreatectomy:

Distal pancreatectomy removes the tail and body of the pancreas. This procedure treats tumors confined to these areas.
Pancreaticoduodenectomy, or the Whipple procedure, removes the pancreas, duodenum, bile duct, and, sometimes, part of the stomach. The Whipple procedure is used for pancreatic tumors that have not spread past the head of the pancreas and for other conditions affecting the pancreas, duodenum, and bile duct.
Total pancreatectomy removes the whole pancreas along with the duodenum, gallbladder, parts of the stomach and bile duct, surrounding lymph nodes, and, potentially, the spleen. Rarely performed, total pancreatectomy treats conditions that involve the entire pancreas, such as tumors found in multiple sites on the pancreas, or for rare tumors such as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN).

Pancreatectomy can be done by open or minimally invasive surgery. During a laparoscopic pancreatectomy, the surgeon will use tiny incisions to insert a thin tube with a camera, or laparoscope, into the abdomen. Open surgery, or a laparotomy, is performed through a larger incision on the abdomen. If additional organs are removed, some procedures may require that the small intestine be reconnected to the stomach.

The hospital for pancreatectomy stay may be between 1-3 weeks. Generally, laparoscopic surgeries require shorter recovery periods. Whether patients undergo an open or laparoscopic procedure is determined by factors such as their condition and the extent of their procedure. For example, open surgery tends to be more common for distal pancreatectomies. If patients have difficulty eating, they may require a nasogastric tube, inserted through the nose, to carry food to their stomachs. A catheter can be inserted into the bladder if patients have trouble urinating. Full recovery may take about two months.

doctor visit	106

**Gender**
Male	39
Female	43

**Age**
From 65 to 74	34
From 75 to 84	34
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	40
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	40
Asthma	26
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	24
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	37
Dementia	0
Cancer	41

doctor visit	142

**Gender**
Male	42
Female	61

**Age**
From 65 to 74	43
From 75 to 84	44
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	74
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	44
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	40
Dementia	0
Cancer	47

doctor visit	134

**Gender**
Male	48
Female	61

**Age**
From 65 to 74	57
From 75 to 84	41
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	32
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	40
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	40
Dementia	10
Cancer	39

doctor visit	147

**Gender**
Male	62
Female	66

**Age**
From 65 to 74	64
From 75 to 84	47
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	49
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	9
Diabetes	40
Dementia	0
Cancer	40

abdominal surgery	11
doctor visit	136
endocrine surgery	11
gastrointestinal procedures	11
open surgery	11

**Gender**
Male	48
Female	67

**Age**
From 65 to 74	56
From 75 to 84	43
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	42
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	40
Dementia	0
Cancer	37

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2016 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC treated as a surgical oncologist in Iowa City, IA were open surgery, endocrine surgery, abdominal surgery and gastrointestinal procedures.

abdominal surgery	10
doctor visit	161
endocrine surgery	10
gastrointestinal procedures	10
open surgery	10

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2016 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC.

**Gender**
Female	29
Male	23

**Age**
85 and over	0
75 to 84	20
Less than 65	0
65 to 74	25

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC From 2016 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease and cancer.

Hypertension	34
High Cholesterol	27
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	16
Depression	13
Chronic Kidney Disease	21
Asthma	2
Osteoporosis	0
Heart Failure	9
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	19
Atrial Fibrillation	5
Cancer	20
Dementia	1

Education & Training

Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC graduated from McGill University Faculty of Medicine in 2007. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and has a state license in Iowa.

Medical School: McGill University Faculty of Medicine (2007)

Board Certification: American Board of Surgery

Licensed In: Iowa

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

University of Iowa

University of Iowa Health Care

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.84 out of 5 stars based on 629 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC from all over the web to help you find the right in Iowa City, IA.

4.84

Overall Rating

(629 Ratings)

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc.	$67 Endoscopy Other $67
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation	$38 KEYTRUDA $38

**Types of Payments**
Travel and Lodging	$67
Food and Beverage	$38

Research Payments

Dr. Carlos Hou Fai Chan, PHD, MD, FRCSC has received 2 research payments totaling $35,889.

Biography

Dr. Carlos Chan's area of specialization is surgical oncology (cancer surgery). Dr. Chan is a graduate of McGill University Faculty of Medicine. His areas of expertise include the following: cancer surgery, peritoneal cancer, and ablation. Patient reviews placed him at an average of 5.0 stars (out of 5). Dr. Chan (or staff) speaks the following languages: French and Cantonese. Dr. Chan is affiliated with the University of Iowa Health Care.