Dr. Matthew Christophersen arrived in the Quad Cities from the Michigan State University Surgical Residency Program to join the Davenport Surgical Group in 2001.
He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the American Medical Society, and served as Chief of Surgery for four years at Genesis Medical Center.
Since joining Davenport Surgical Group, Dr. Christophersen has served as a Surgical Consultant for the Kenneth H. McKay M.D. Center for Breast Health and as a Trauma Surgeon at Genesis Medical Center in addition to serving as Bariatric Surgeon and Medical Director for the Genesis Center for Weight Management.
He was instrumental in the planning stages of the Genesis Center for Weight Management, also known as CWM. Since 2003, Dr. Christophersen and the CWM team have helped obese patients with their weight loss needs utilizing a multidisciplinary approach.
He has kept pace with the exciting growth of minimally invasive surgery, performing the Quad Cities' first laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the first LAP-BAND, and the first laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedures at Genesis. He also performs complex hernia repairs, spleen and adrenal removals, and other general surgical procedures using the latest minimally invasive techniques, including Robotic Surgery.
His other professional interests include thyroid and other endocrine surgeries, breast surgery, hernia repairs, and surgery of the foregut, including the stomach, esophagus and duodenum. Dr. Christophersen regularly attends professional meetings and courses to bring home advancements in patient care and surgical techniques.
He and his wife, Jamie, grew up in Illinois and moved to the Quad Cities to be close to their family and friends. They have two children and are grateful for the education and values that are part of life here.
He reflects on his surgical practice: "The mantra as you go through residency is that 'It takes a number of years to learn how to operate, but one of the most important things is learning when not to operate.'"
He knows that "the real challenge is making timely, appropriate decisions on when to take a patient to surgery," and he has the opportunity to make these decisions daily as part of Genesis Health Group, Davenport Surgical.
