Summary
Dr Simillis qualified in medicine with MBBS from Imperial College London in 2005, where he also achieved a BSc in Surgery and Anaesthesia with First Class Honours. He completed his speciality training in General Surgery and Colorectal Surgery in the North West London surgical rotation and trained in leading university teaching hospitals in the UK. He undertook subspecialty training in advanced colorectal cancer at the world-renowned St Mark’s Hospital and the Royal Marsden Hospital. After completion of his speciality surgical training in 2017, he was awarded Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) by the UK General Medical Council (GMC).
He specialises in abdominal and gastrointestinal surgery, oncological surgery, advanced colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, hernia surgery, and proctology. He is proficient in advanced minimally invasive surgery, including laparoscopic and robotic surgery. Following a pan-European competitive selection process, he was awarded the prestigious European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) Robotic Surgery Fellowship which was fully funded by Intuitive. He is an accredited endoscopist by the UK Joint Advisory Group (JAG), in both upper (gastroscopy) and lower (colonoscopy) gastrointestinal endoscopy. He was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FRCS), Fellowship of the European Board of Surgery (FEBS), and Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).
He has been awarded a Doctorate in Medicine from University College London for his research into the optimal surgical management of colorectal cancer liver metastases. He has a strong interest and knowledge of evidence-based medical practice demonstrated by a Postgraduate Certificate in Evidence-Based Healthcare from University College London. He has completed a Master's Degree in Healthcare Ethics and Law, at Manchester University, School of Law, which provided him with in-depth analysis and extensive understanding of every day moral and legal issues faced by a surgeon.
He has an impressive academic record and has published extensively in the scientific literature with over 100 peer-reviewed international journal publications and book chapters, and with over 4000 citations. He has given numerous national and international presentations at scientific conferences, and he acts as a reviewer for several high-impact peer-reviewed journals. He is committed to undergraduate and postgraduate surgical education and he regularly supervises the research projects of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
He maintains an active research programme and his clinical research interests include evidence synthesis and advanced database analytics to develop evidence-based patient-centred guidelines, perioperative integration of digital technology into surgical practice, and development of novel rapid diagnostic techniques for early detection of colorectal cancer and personalised cancer treatment.
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Simillis C, 2019, Open vs laparoscopic vs robotic vs transanal mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis, Annals of Surgery, ISSN:0003-4932
Simillis C, Tekkis PP, 2018, Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Surgery for Rectal Cancer: An Evidence-based Approach., Annals of Surgery, ISSN:0003-4932
Simillis C, Afxentiou T, Pellino G, et al. , 2018, A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing adverse events and functional outcomes of different pouch designs after restorative proctocolectomy, Colorectal Disease, Vol:20, ISSN:1462-8910, Pages:664-675
Simillis C, Baird DL, Kontovounisios C, et al. , 2016, A Systematic Review to Assess Resection Margin Status After Abdominoperineal Excision and Pelvic Exenteration for Rectal Cancer, Annals of Surgery, ISSN:1528-1140
Simillis C, Hompes R, Penna M, et al. , 2016, A systematic review of transanal total mesorectal excision: is this the future of rectal cancer surgery?, Colorectal Disease, Vol:18, ISSN:1463-1318, Pages:19-36
Simillis C, Thoukididou SN, Slesser AAP, et al. , 2015, Systematic review and network meta-analysis comparing clinical outcomes and effectiveness of surgical treatments for haemorrhoids, British Journal of Surgery, Vol:102, ISSN:0007-1323, Pages:1603-1618
Simillis C, Yamamoto T, Reese GE, et al. , 2008, A meta-analysis comparing incidence of recurrence and indication for reoperation after surgery for perforating <i>Versus</i> nonperforating Crohn's disease, American Journal of Gastroenterology, Vol:103, ISSN:0002-9270, Pages:196-205