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Home Find a Doctor Tan Ek Khoon

Clin Asst Prof Tan Ek Khoon

MBBS, MMed, MPH, FRCSEd, FAMS

Senior Consultant

Singapore General Hospital Singapore General Hospital

Specialty: Surgery ＆ Surgical Oncology, Hepato-pancreato-biliary and Transplant Surgery

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Conditions Treated By This Doctor

Cholangiocarcinomas (Bile Duct Cancer) Choledochal Cyst Gallstones Gallstones ＆ Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cancers Liver Cancer Liver Transplantation Liver Tumours Pancreatic Cancer Pancreatic Endocrine Tumors Pancreatic Tumours Primary Liver Cancer Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Clinical Interests

Hepato-pancreato-biliary and Transplant Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Transplantation

Clinical Appointments

Senior Consultant

Hepato-pancreato-biliary and Transplant Surgery

Academic Appointments

Clinical Asst Professor, Duke-NUS Medical School

Clinical Asst Professsor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medcine, National University of Singapore

Adjunct Instructor

Surgery Academic Clinical Programme

Content Expert, Clinical Teacher, and Clinical Practice Facilitator, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Nanyang Technological University

About

Dr Tan is a Senior Consultant Surgeon with the Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary and Transplant Surgery. 

He graduated from the National University of Singapore in 2008 and completed his General Surgery training at the Singapore General Hospital. During his training, he was awarded the National Medical Research Council Overseas Research Training Fellowship to study the effects of ischemia-reperfusion injury on hepatic oval cells with Dr Ari Cohen at the Ochsner Clinic, USA. He holds a Master of Medicine (Surgery) from the National University of Singapore, and a Master of Public Health from the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) and the Academy of Medicine (Singapore). Upon completing his specialist training he underwent further subspecialty training at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, USA), completing an American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) accredited 2-year fellowship program in abdominal organ transplantation. 

Dr Tan’s clinical practice involves looking after patients who have general surgical ailments and subspecialty conditions involving the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and biliary tract. His special interest is in transplant oncology and in the surgical treatment of advanced cancer, both of which may involve complex resection and reconstructive techniques. He believes in delivering individualized patient-centric care through the use of minimally-invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) approaches, and is a firm advocate for collaborative, well-rounded multi-disciplinary care. He is a nationally-gazetted liver transplant surgeon and is presently the only ASTS Transplant Accreditation & Certification Council (TACC) Certified Abdominal Transplant Surgeon in Singapore. 

He is committed to providing an up-to-date and academic surgical practice, with active research interests in tumour biology, immunology, and novel therapeutics in the treatment of cancer. He is engaged in health policy and the use of data analytics to guide decision-making for clinicians to improve healthcare standards. He is also involved in undergraduate and graduate medical education and serves as a core faculty member of the PGY-1 program.

Education and Training

  • Certified Abdominal Transplant Surgeon (American Society of Transplant Surgeons)
  • Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship (Mayo Clinic, Rochester)
  • Master in Public Health (Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University)
  • Certificate in Health Finance and Management (Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University)
  • Fellowship Diploma of the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh)
  • Master in Medicine (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore)
  • Membership Diploma of the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh)
  • Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore)

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships

  • Member, Advisory Committee on Transplant 2023-present
  • Chairperson, National Organ Transplant Unit Liver Sub-committee 2023-present
  • Director of Research, SingHealth Duke-NUS Transplant Centre 2023-present
  • Co-opted Board member, Chapter of General Surgeons, College of Surgeons Singapore 2021-present
  • Clinical Core Faculty Member (PGY 1) 2021-present
  • Fellow, Academy of Medicine Singapore 2021-present
  • Executive Committee, Hepatopancreatobiliary Association (Singapore) 2021-present
  • Member, International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association 2021-present
  • Member, National Organ Transplant Unit Liver Sub-committee 2020-present
  • Member, Mayo Clinic Alumni Association 2019-present
  • Member, American Society of Transplant Surgeons 2017-present
  • Life Member, Hepatopancreatobiliary Association (Singapore) 2017-present
  • Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) 2016-present

Awards

  • Singapore Health Quality Service Award (Star), SingHealth 2023
  • Singapore Health Quality Service Award, SingHealth 2021
  • Service with a Heart Award, SingHealth 2020
  • 10 year Long Service Award, SingHealth 2019
  • Young Investigator Award, Asia-Pacific Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association 2019
  • Course Sponsorship Award, SingHealth Surgery Academic Clinical Program 2016
  • Overseas Research Training Fellowship, National Medical Research Council Singapore 2013
  • Best Clinical Tutor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore 2013
  • Best Medical Officer Award, National University Hospital 2010
  • Best House Officer Award, Singapore Health Services 2009
  • Excellence Award (Community Service), National University of Singapore Medical Society 2006

Publications

  1. Masuda Y, Yeo MHX, Burdio F, Sanchez-Velazquez P, Perez-Xaus M, Pelegrina A, Koh YX, Martino MD, Goh BKP, Tan EK, Teo JY, Romano F, Famularo S, Ferrari C, Griseri G, Piardi T, Sommacale D, Gianotti L, Molfino S, Baiocchi G, Ielpo B. Factors affecting overall survival and disease-free survival after surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma: a nomogram-based prognostic model- A Western European multicenter study. Updates Surg 2023 PMID:37839048
  2. Tan EK, Mayya R, Kruger D, Siriwardena AK, Goh BKP. Validation of VIBe bleeding sceale amongst hepatopancreatobiliary surgeons: results from an IHPBA survey. HPB (Oxford) 2023 PMID:37210330
  3. Linn YL, Chong Y, Tan EK, Cheow PC, Chung AYF, Chan CY, Jeyaraj PR, Goh BKP. Early experience with pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy: comparison with open donor hepatectomy and non-donor laparoscopic hepatectomy. ANZ J Surg 2023 PMID:37069484
  4. Guo YX, Linn YL, Koh YX, Tan EK, Teo JY, Cheow PC, Jeyaraj PR, Chow PKH, Ooi LLPJ, Chung AYF, Chan CY, Goh BKP. Preoperative predictors for early recurrence after liver resection for multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma. J Gastrointest Surg 2023 PMID:36857014
  5. CHOLECOVID Collaborative. Global overview of the management of acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic (CHOLECOVID study). BJS Open 2022 PMID:35511954
  6. Tan LLY, Chew VTW, Syn N, Tan EK, Koh YX, Teo JY, Cheow PC, Jeyaraj PR, Chow PKH, Chan CY, Chung AYF, Ooi LLPJ, Goh BKP. Intraoperative blood transfusion does not impact overall and recurrence-free survival after curative hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity-score-matched and inverse probability of treatment-weighted study. J Surg Oncol 2023:127(4):698-606 PMID:36354172
  7. Chin JLJ, Allen JC Jr, Koh YX, Tan EK, Teo JY, Cheow PC, Jeyaraj PR, Chow PKH, Ooi LLPJ, Chung AYF, Chan CY, Goh BKP. Poor utility of current nomograms assessing the risk of intraoperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma and proposal of a new model. Surgery 2022;172(5):1442-47 PMID:36038372
  8. Beumer BR, van Vugt JLA, Sapisochin G, Yoon P, Bongini M, Lu D, Xu X, De Simone P, Pintore L, Golse N, Nowosad M, Bennet W, Tsochatzis E, Koutli E, Abbassi F, Claasen MPAW, Merli M, O’Rourke J, Gambato M, Beinto A, Majumdar A, Tan EK, Ebadi M, Montano-Loza AJ, Berenguer M, Metselaar HJ, Polak WG, Mazzaferro V, IJzermans JNM, Collaborators. Impact of muscle mass on survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation beyond the Milan criteria. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2022;13(5):2372-82 PMID:36622940
  9. Wee IJY, Moe FNN, Sultana R, Ang RWT, Quek PPS, Goh BKP, Chan CY, Cheow PC, Chung AYF, Jeyaraj PR, Koh YX, Mack POP, Ooi LLPJ, Tan EK, Teo JY, Kam JH, Chua JSS, Ng AWY, Goh JSQ, Chow PKH. Extending surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma beyond Barcelona Clinic for Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A: a novel application of the modified BCLC staging system. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2022;17(9):839-51 PMID:35999856
  10. Tan LLY, Chew VTW, Syn N, Tan EK, Koh YX, Teo JY, Cheow PC, Jeyaraj PR, Chow PKH, Chan CY, Chung AYF, Ooi LLPJ, Goh BKP. Effect of age on the short- and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing curative liver resection for HCC. Eur J Surg Oncol 2022;48(6):1339-47 PMID:34972621
  11. Yeow M, Soh S, Starkey G, Perini MV, Koh YX, Tan EK, Chan CY, Raj P, Goh BKP, Kabir T. A systematic review and network meta-analysis of outcomes after open, mini-laparotomy, hybrid, totally laparoscopic, and robotic living donor right hepatectomy. Surgery 2022;172(2):741-50 PMID:35644687
  12. Benavides X, Rogers RT, Tan EK, Merzkani MA, Thirunavukkarasu S, Yigitbilek F, Smith BH, Rule AD, Kukla A, Chow GK, Heimbach JK, Taner T, Dean PG, Prieto M, Stegall MD. Complications after hand-assisted laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy. Mayo Clin Proc 2022;97(5): 894-904 PMID:35483987
  13. Duarte-Rojo A, Heimbach JK, Borja-Cacho D, Barone GW, Shaheen MF, Lamps LW, Graham RP, Tan EK, Concepcion W, Kim WR. Usefulness of controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness measurement for the identification of extended-criteria donors and risk-assessment in liver transplantation. Transplantation 2022;106(2):318-27 PMID:33675319
  14. Raghupathy J, Lee CY, Huan SKW, Koh YX, Tan EK, Teo JY, Cheow PC, Ooi LLPJ, Chung AYF, Chan CY, Goh BKP. Propensity-score matched analyses comparing clinical outcomes of minimally invasive versus open distal pancreatectomies: a single center experience. World J Surg 2022;46(1):207-14 PMID:34508282
  15. Linn YL, Chua DW, Koh YX, Tan EK, Teo JY, Cheow PC, Jeyaraj PR, Chow PKH, Ooi LLPJ, Chung AYF, Chan CY, Goh BKP. Preoperative predictors of early recurrence of AJCC T4 hepatocellular carcinoma. Surg Oncol 2021;39:101671 PMID:34775234
  16. Tan BK, Fong HC, Tan EK, Raj JP. Strategies for a successful hepatic artery anastomosis in liver transplantation: a review of 51 cases. Ann Acad Med Singap 2021;50(9):679-85 PMID:34625755
  17. Tan EX, Quek WL, Suryadi, Chahed H, Iyer SG, Jeyaraj PR, Lee GH, Chan A, Cheng S, Hoe J, Tan EK, Chew LY, Fung J, Chen M, Muthiah MD, Huang DQ. Impact of COVID-19 on Liver Transplantation in Hong Kong and Singapore: A Modelling study. Lancet Reg Health West Pac 2021;16:100262 PMID:34514452
  18. Goh BKP, Chua DW, Koh YX, Tan EK, Kam JH, Teo JY, Cheow PC, Jeyaraj PR, Chow PKH, Chan CY, Chung AYF, Ooi LLPJ. Continuous improvements in short and long-term outcomes after partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma in the 21st century: Single-institution experience with 1300 resections over 18 years. Surg Oncol 2021;38:101609 PMID:34126522
  19. Ng KYY, Chow EWX, Jiang B, Lim C, Goh BKP, Lee SY, Teo JY, Tan DMY, Cheow PC, Ooi LLPH, Chow PKH, Lee JJX, Kam JH, Koh YX, Jeyaraj PR, Tan EK, Choo SP, Chan CY, Chung AYF, Tai D. Resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma: An Asian institution’s experience. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2021;4(5):e1393 PMID:33939335
  20. HC Fong, EK Tan, KY Chew, P Raj, BK Tan. Hepatic Artery Reconstruction in Living Donor Liver Transplantation with the Radial Artery Interpositional Graft. Trans Proceedings 2021;53(5): 1659-64 PMID:33641934
  21. EK Tan, BK Tan, HC Fong, D Chua, KY Chew, YX Koh, AYF Chung, SY Lee, JY Teo, PC Cheow, CY Chan, BKP Goh, PR Jeyaraj. Impact of microsurgical anastomosis of hepatic artery on arterial complications and survival outcomes after liver transplantation. Trans Proceedings 2021;53(1): 65-72 PMID:32951861
  22. EK Tan, YX Koh, T Kee, JB Juhari, TE Tan, DKL Sim, AYL Ho, L Krishnan, PS Tee, TL Krishnamoorthy, BKP Goh, BH Tan, SJ Chung, GC Phua, PR Jeyaraj. Waitlisted transplant candidates’ attitudes and concerns toward transplantation during COVID-19. Ann Transplant 2020 PMID:33289727
  23. Chan KS, Srinivasan N, Koh YX, Tan EK, Teo JY, Lee SY, Cheow PC, Jeyaraj PR, Chow PKH, Ooi LLPJ, Chan CY, Chung AYF, Goh BKP. Comparison between long and short-term venous patencies after pancreatoduodenectomy or total pancreatectomy with portal/superior mesenteric vein resection stratified by reconstruction type. PLoS One 2020;15(11):e0240737 PMID:33151977
  24. JY Teo, AFW Ho, H Bulluck F Gao, J Chong, YK Koh, EK Tan, JB Abdul Latiff, SH Chua, BKPH Goh, CY Chan, AYF Chung SY Lee, PC Cheow, LLPK Ooi, BR Davidson, PR Jeyaraj, DJ Hausenloy. Effect of remote ischemic preconditioning on liver injury in patients undergoing liver resection: the ERIC-LIVER trial. HPB (Oxford) 2020;22(9):1250-1257 PMID:32007393
  25. EK Tan, T Taner, JK Heimbach, GJ Gores, CB Rosen. Liver Transplantation for peri-hilar cholangiocarcinoma. J Gastrointest Surg 2020;24(11):2679-2685 PMID:32671802
  26. BKP Goh, RHS Park, YX Koh, JY Teo, EK Tan, PC Cheow, CH Thng, AS Low, DM Tan, PKH Chow, CY Chan, AYF Chung, LLPJ Ooi. Changing trends in the clinicopathological features, practices and outcomes in the surgical management for cystic lesions of the pancreas and impact of the international guidelines: Single institution experience with 462 cases between 1995-2018. Pancreatology 2020;20(8):1786-1790 PMID:33008749
  27. JS Chung, EK Tan, T Kee, TL Krishnamoorthy, GC Phua, DW Sewa, BH Ong, TE Tan, C Sivathasan, VHL Gan, BKP Goh, PR Jeyaraj, BH Tan. Practical considerations for solid organ transplantation during the COVID-19 global outbreak: the experience from Singapore. Transplant Direct 2020;8(6):e554 PMID:32607420
  28. EK Tan, CB Rosen, JK Heimbach, GJ Gores, D Zamora-Valdes, T Taner. Living donor liver transplantation for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma – outcomes and complications. J Am Coll Surg 2020;231(1):98-110 PMID:32035181
  29. HL Tan, EK Tan, JY Teo, JH Jam, SY Lee, PC Cheow, PR Jeyaraj, PK Chow, AY Chung, LL Ooi, CY Chan, BKP Goh. Outcome of minimally-invasive versus open pancreatectomies for solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas: a 2:1 matched case-control study. Ann Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg 2019;23(3):252-257 PMID:31501814
  30. YX Guo, EK Tan, NL Syn, TL Krishnamoorthy, CK Tan, R Lim, SY Lee, CY Chan, PC Cheow, AYF Chung, PR Jeyaraj, BKP Goh. Repeat liver resection versus salvage liver transplantation for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score-adjusted and –matched comparison analysis. Ann Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg 2019;23(4):305-312 PMID:31824994
  31. EK Tan, AJ Bentall, PG Dean, MF Shaheen, MD Stegall, CA Schinstock. Use of eculizumab for active antibody-mediated rejection that occurs early post-kidney transplantation: A consecutive series of 15 cases. Transplantation 2019;103(11):2397-2404 PMID:30801549
  32. YX Guo, EK Tan, TL Krishnamoorthy, CK Tan, BH Tan, TT Tan, SY Lee, CY Chan, PC Cheow, AYF Chung, PR Jeyaraj, BKP Goh. Outcomes of salvage liver transplant for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: A comparison with primary liver transplant. Ann Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg 2019;23(1):1-7 PMID:30863801
  33. SY Lee, BKP Goh, G Sepideh, JC Allen, RP Merkow, JY Teo, D Chandra, YX Koh, EK Tan, JH Kam, PC Cheow, PKH Chow, LLPJ Ooi, AYF Chung, MI D’Angelica, WR Jarnagin, TP Kingham, CY Chan. Laparoscopic liver resection difficulty score – a validation study. J Gastrointest Surg 2019;23:545 PMID:30421119
  34. EK Tan, BKP Goh, SY Lee, TL Krishnamoorthy, CK Tan, PR Jeyaraj. Liver transplant waitlist outcomes and the allocation of HCC MELD exception points at a low-volume center. Transplant Proc 2018;50(10):3564-70 PMID:30577239
  35. D Chua, A Low, YX Koh, PC Cheow, JH Kam, JY Teo, EK Tan, A Chung, LL Ooi, CY Chan, SY Lee. A retrospective review of correlative radiological assessment and surgical exploration for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Ann Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg 2018;22(3):216-22 PMID:30215043
  36. Chin KM, Allen JC, Teo JY, Kam JH, Tan EK, Koh YX, Goh KPB, Cheow PC, Raj P, Chow KHP, Chung YFA, Ooi LL, Chan CY, Lee SY. Predictors of post-hepatectomy liver failure in patients undergoing extensive liver resections for hepatocellular carcinoma. Ann Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg 2018;22(3):185-96 PMID:30215040
  37. Ye QJ, Desai SR, EK Tan. A case of melioidosis presenting as acalculous cholecystitis. Cureus 2018;22(10):e2864 PMID:30148016
  38. EK Tan, M Shuh, H Francois-Vaughan, J Sanders, AJ Cohen. Negligible oval cell proliferation following ischemia/reperfusion injury with and without partial hepatectomy. Ochsner J 2017;17(1):31-37 PMID:28331445
  39. EK Tan, M Shuh, AJ Cohen. Liver injury models for induction of hepatic oval cells in rodents. J Liver Res Disord Ther 2015;1(1):00005 DOI:10.15406/jlrdt.2015.01.00005
  40. VG Shelat, EK Tan, LT Teo, V Appasamy, MT Chiu. Outcomes of Nonoperative Management of Blunt Splenic Injury – Asian Experience. Int Surg 2015;100(9-10):1281-6 DOI:10.9738/INTSURG-D-14-00160.1
  41. EK Tan, SG Tan. The Permanent Catheter. Hemodial Int 2014;18(2):522-4 PMID:24164973
  42. EK Tan, VTW Lee, SKY Chang, IS Ganpathi, K Madhavan. Laparo-endoscopic single-site minor hepatectomy for liver tumors. Surgical Endoscopy 2012; 26(7): 2086-91 PMID:22234591
  43. EK Tan, VG Shelat, LT Teo, MT Chiu. Peritoneo-cutaneous fistula secondary to skin excoriation from a large chronic incisional hernia. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2010;39:872-3 PMID:21165530
  44. EK Tan, PJLL Ooi. Colorectal cancer liver metastases – understanding the differences in the management of synchronous and metachronous disease. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2010; 39: 719-33 PMID:20957308
  45. EK Tan, WL Chung, YJ Lew, A Tan, MY Chan, BC Tai, WP Koh. Characteristics, control and complications of hypertensive patients in primary care – a community-based study in Singapore. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2009;38:5806 PMID:19890575
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