Surgery: Matthew J. Finnegan, M.D.
With Scalpel and Intellect, He Takes on Toughest of Cases
In the fast-paced, high-energy world of Matthew J. Finnegan, M.D., satisfaction can be found in a swift run down a steep Pocono ski slope or in the almost hopeless case of a 450-pound ICU patient suffering from septic syndrome—an infection of the entire body.
Matthew J. Finnegan, M.D., F.A.C.S, F.C.C.W.S.
He easily forgets the rare skiing adventures, but the septic case is vivid in his memory as he vigorously tackles a cafeteria salad during a break from a lengthy operating room schedule.
"The patient was 38, at very high risk, and without a very difficult procedure to remove all dead skin and tissue they may not have made it off the (O.R.) table," recalled the member of Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center Surgical Associates. "After four operations and one month in the hospital and rehab, the patient survived what others believed was not survivable."
Dressed in scrubs and surgical cap, he stopped eating for a second to reflect on the long-shot case that typifies his career.
"No, it doesn't always work," he said. "But when you are able to save a life, words can't express the feeling of satisfaction for patient, staff and physician. It is why we do what we do."
Matthew Finnegan is a general surgeon, a demanding, high-workload position that has him quick-stepping throughout Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center to assess and treat patients of all kinds. He handles many types of cases but especially thrives on the complicated and challenging—complex abdominal hernia with colostomy closure, for example, or a stubborn gastrointestinal problem that did not respond well to previous surgeries. (See his explanation of general surgery.)
He is developing a major presence as a gastrointestinal and colorectal surgeon at Lourdes, but his wide-ranging activities defy a simple description. His rapid-fire conversation can barely keep up with his racing mind, so he often speaks in bullet points.
One example of Dr. Finnegan's "spin-off" intellect: As a favor, he once reviewed 200 case files from a nursing home where care was deficient. His report uncovered a need that drove him to specialize in wound management and he has trained two nurse practitioners who treat the elderly and "have grown to be a huge part of my practice" (He's also developed a wound management fellowship for surgeons.)
Remembering the statement of a professor back in the 80s ("You must optimize your patient for surgery"), Dr. Finnegan also focuses on nutrition as it relates to major surgical patients. Noting that "obesity and poor nutrition are off the charts," he delivers a concise four-point package of advice to patients facing surgery.
Dr. Finnegan explained in no uncertain terms why his three-physician surgical practice recently moved to Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center.
"It's simple," he said. "I came here because I think it is one of the finest hospitals in the country that provides excellent bedside care in an advance setting." (See Why a Top Surgeon Chose Lourdes.)
He and his two colleagues bring 80 years of surgical experience to Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center. He praised the "wisdom and experience" of his father, Dr. James O. Finnegan, whose surgery skills were honed at the University of Pennsylvania and on the battlefields of Vietnam. (For his part, the elder Finnegan said he was "amazed" that his son turned out to be "marvelously dexterous" in the operating room.)
The third partner, Brian C. Smeal, M.D., is a general surgeon with extensive experience in breast oncology and gastro-intestinal surgery, said Dr. Finnegan. "Dr. Smeal also has an interest in lower extremity wound healings. He assists in our efforts to salvage lower extremity infection and non-healing wound in patients who would normally end up with amputations."
