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Clin Asst Prof Tan Ek Khoon

Clin Asst Prof Tan Ek Khoon

​MBBS, MMed, MPH, FRCSEd, FAMS

Consultant

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

Sub-specialties: Hepato-pancreato-biliary and Transplant Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Transplantation

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 Endocrine Tumours, Pancreatic Tumours, Primary Liver Cancer / Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Clinical Appointments

  • Consultant Hepato-pancreato-biliary and Transplant Surgery Singapore General HospitalSingapore General Hospital
  • Consultant Division of Surgery & Surgical Oncology National Cancer Centre SingaporeNational Cancer Centre Singapore

Academic Appointments

  • Duke-NUS Medical School
  • Yong Loo Lin School of Medcine, National University of Singapore
  • Adjunct Instructor SingHealth Duke-NUS Surgery Academic Clinical Programme

Profile

Dr Tan is a 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. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh), and of the Academy of Medicine Singapore. Upon completing his specialist training he underwent further subspecialty training with an American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) accredited 2-year fellowship program in abdominal organ transplantation at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester), USA, and received further recognition as an ASTS Transplant Accreditation & Certification Council Certified Abdominal Transplant Surgeon.

Dr Tan’s clinical practice is focused on abdominal organ transplantation and conditions involving the liver, pancreas, and biliary tract. He is a minimally-invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgeon who adopts a collaborative multi-disciplinary approach to deliver individualized care to each patient. His clinical efforts are directed primarily at improving outcomes after organ transplantation, and in the treatment of advanced cancer.

He is committed to an academic surgical practice, with active interests in tumour biology, immunology, and novel therapeutics in the treatment of cancer. He also has research interests in health policy and data analytics, which he believes can guide decision-making for clinicians to improve healthcare standards. He is engaged in medical education and the training of budding surgeons through the use of technology and adaptive learning methods.

Education

  • 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

  • Fellow, Academy of Medicine Singapore
  • Member, American Society of Transplant Surgeons
  • Member, Mayo Clinic Alumni Association
  • Member,  International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association
  • Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh)
  • Life Member, Hepatopancreatobiliary Association (Singapore)

Awards

  • Singapore Health Quality Service Award, SingHealth 
  • Service with a Heart Award, SingHealth 
  • 10 year Long Service Award, SingHealth 
  • Young Investigator Award, Asia-Pacific Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association 
  • Course Sponsorship Award, SingHealth Surgery Academic Clinical Program
  • Overseas Research Training Fellowship, National Medical Research Council Singapore
  • Best Clinical Tutor AY12/13, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
  • Best Medical Officer Award, National University Hospital
  • Best House Officer Award, Singapore Health Services
  • Excellence Award (Community Service), National University of Singapore Medical Society

Research Interests

Publications

  • 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 2022 PMID:36354172
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 2922;46(1):207-14 PMID:34508282
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Ye QJ, Desai SR, EK Tan. A case of melioidosis presenting as acalculous cholecystitis. Cureus 2018;22(10):e2864 PMID:30148016
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • EK Tan, SG Tan. The Permanent Catheter. Hemodial Int 2014;18(2):522-4 PMID:24164973
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

Research Trials