About Dr. Joe Colella

Joseph J. Colella, M.D., F.A.C.S., is an internationally recognized robotic and bariatric surgeon, having performed more than 4,000 bariatric surgical procedures. He is currently the Director of Robotic Surgery at Magee Women's Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. He is a founding member on the Board of the Clinical Robotic Surgery Association, an international association of the world's premier robotic surgeons. Dr. Colella has published numerous professional articles on topics including anorexia nervosa, traumatic vascular injuries, infertility, and bariatric surgery and nutrition.

Dr. Colella is one of the few weight loss surgeons in the world with his surgical training and experience. In addition to bariatric weight loss procedures, he has performed more than 1,000 vascular operations, 2,500 abdominal operations involving the liver, pancreas, spleen, intestines, gallbladder, and major blood vessels, and over 700 oncologic-related operations. This training and experience give him a unique perspective on human anatomy, physiology, and disease processes. His unique specialties are the management of the extreme, super-obese patient (body mass index greater than 60) and the management of the most complicated of all weight loss patients: those who have failed previous bariatric surgeries.

Dr. Colella is a member of the following organizations:

American College of Surgeons, Fellow
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Clinical Robotic Surgery Association, Founding Board Member
American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine

Dr. Colella has lectured nationally on topics ranging from traumatic vascular injuries to robotics in surgery, and this past Fall gave the opening address on “Standardization of Outcomes in Surgery: Why Robotics, Why Now?” at the Clinical Robotic Surgery Association (CRSA) annual meeting in Chicago.