Education

• MD, University of Nebraska Medical School, Omaha, NE, 1977
• Residency, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI, 1977-1980, 1981-1983
• Research Fellow, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA, 1980-1981
• Senior Registrar, Surgery, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester, England, 1983-1984

Clinical Specialties

Dr. Harms is certified by the American Board of Surgery with a certificate of added qualifications in surgical critical care. Dr. Harms is the chief of the Department of Surgery’s section of colorectal surgery and vice-chief of the Division of General Surgery. Dr. Harms specializes in colorectal surgery with special interests in inflammatory bowel disease and reconstructive colorectal surgery.

Dr. Harms provides a wide range of services including Abdominoperineal Resection, Abscess Drainage, Appendectomy, Endorectal Advancement Flap, Excision / Fulguration of Condyloma, Fistulotomy, Flap Repair, Hemorrhoid Banding, Hemorrhoidectomy, Ileal Pouch Reconstruction, Ileocolic Resection, Laparoscopic and Open Partial Colectomy, Laparoscopic and Open Rectopexy, Laparoscopic and Open Sigmoid Resection, Laparoscopic and Open Total Colectomy, Laparoscopic Groin Hernia Repair, Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy, Lower Anterior Resection (LAR), Open Groin Hernia Repair, Pilonidal Cyst Excision, (show all). Small Bowel Resection, Sphincter Repair (overlapping sphincteroplasty), Total Proctocolectomy, Transanal Proctosigmoidectomy, and Ventral / Abdominal Hernia Repair.

Research Interests

Dr. Harms maintains a basic science laboratory that investigates the pulmonary microcirculation and pathophysiology of post-traumatic pulmonary injury. Clinical research projects include the factors important for successful reconstructive surgery for inflammatory bowel disease.

Recent Publications

• Predictors of mortality after emergent surgery for acute colonic diverticulitis: analysis of National Surgical Quality Improvement Project data.
  Ballian N, Rajamanickam V, Harms BA, Foley EF, Heise CP, Greenberg CC, Kennedy GD
  J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2013 Feb; 74(2):611-6.
  [PubMed ID: 23354259]
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• Comparable postoperative morbidity and mortality after laparoscopic and open emergent restorative colectomy: outcomes from the ACS NSQIP.
  Ballian N, Weisensel N, Rajamanickam V, Foley EF, Heise CP, Harms BA, Kennedy GD
  World J Surg 2012 Oct; 36(10):2488-96.
  [PubMed ID: 22736343]
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• Visceral obesity is associated with outcomes of total mesorectal excision for rectal adenocarcinoma.
  Ballian N, Lubner MG, Munoz A, Harms BA, Heise CP, Foley EF, Kennedy GD
  J Surg Oncol 2012 Mar 15; 105(4):365-70.
  [PubMed ID: 21751219]
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• Computed tomographic colonography.
  Philip AK, Lubner MG, Harms B
  Surg. Clin. North Am. 2011 Feb; 91(1):127-39.
  [PubMed ID: 21184904]
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• Bacteremia does not affect cellular uptake of ultrafine particles in the lungs of rats.
  Conhaim RL, Dovi WF, Watson KE, Spiegel CA, Harms BA
  Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2011 Mar; 294(3):550-7.
  [PubMed ID: 21337717]
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