Bio
Dr. Hanna is a thoracic surgeon with interest in advanced robotic and endoscopic techniques. He runs the highest volume robotic lung cancer surgery program in Canada, and along with his team has pioneered many innovations in this field. He joined SJHH 4 years ago and holds the rank of Assistant Professor in Surgery at McMaster University. Dr. Hanna’s research lab employs many students and volunteers working on academic degrees in science and technology.
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Professional Organizations
Professional Affiliations
2016 – present Director, Communications, Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons
2011 – present Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery
2011 – present Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada
2010 – present Member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons
2009 – present Member of the American College of Surgeons
2009 – present Member of the Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons
2008 – present Member of the Canadian Association of General Surgeons
2005 – present Member of the Canadian Medical Association
2005 – 2011 Member of the College des Medecins du Quebec
Editorial Contributions
2015- present Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
2015- present Reviewer, Respiration
2013- present Reviewer, Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
2013 - present Reviewer, Journal of Surgical Research
2013 - present Reviewer, Diseases of the Esophagus
2011 - present Reviewer, Annals of Thoracic Surgery
Research Interests
- Robotic Thoracic Surgery
- Endobronchial Thoracic Surgery
- Lung Surgery
- Esophageal Surgery
- Chest Wall Surgery
Awards
2016 First Place, Capstone Proposal, GCSRT, Harvard Medical School
2016 Top Performance Award, Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
2015 Top Performance Award, Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
2014 Top Performance Award, Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
2015 Royal College of Surgeons of Canada Professional Development Grant
2014 F. Griffith Pearson Traveling Fellowship- AATS
2014 Graduate of the Leadership Academy- AATS
2013 Fazel Award for Outstanding Resident Surgeon and Investigator
2013 F.G. Pearson Best Resident Teacher Award, University of Toronto
2012 Astral Media Fellowship
2012 RJ Ginsberg Research Award, Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons
2012 Board of Directors Recognition Award, McGill University Health Centre
2012 Best Presentation- Ontario Thoracic Cancer Conference
2012 Best Presentation- FG Pearson Thoracic Surgery Research Day
2011 General Surgery Leadership Award, McGill University
2010 Best Presentation- LD MacLean Surgical Research Day
2008 Summa cum laude- HEC MBA
2008 Samcon Academic Achievement Award- HEC MBA
2008 First Prize- HEC Challenge
2007 Desmarais Entrance Scholarship- HEC MBA
2006 Best Presentation- Canadian Association of General Surgeons
2005 Elisabeth Munroe Gordon Award for Professionalism in Medicine
2005 Ronald Douglas Naymark Award for Services to Class Life
2004 Cushing Family Memorial Prize for Highest Standing in Pediatrics
2004 Campbell Howard Award for Highest Standing in Internal Medicine
2002 - 2004 Summer Research Bursary- McGill Medicine
2001 Stephen J. Penrose Award- the most presitigious graduation award at the
American University of Beirut
2001 Magna cum laude- American University of Beirut
1998 - 2001 Dean’s Honor List- American University of Beirut
Appointments
Hospital Appointments
2014 – Present Scientist, Research Institute of St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
2013 – Present Active Staff, Thoracic Surgery, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
2013 – Present Active Staff, Thoracic Surgery, Hamilton Health Sciences
2013 – Present Active Staff, Thoracic Surgery, Juravinski Cancer Centre
2013 – Present Associate Staff, Niagara Health System
2013 – Present Associate Staff, Brant Community Health System
Administrative Roles
2017 – 2019 Program Committee, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Annual Meeting, Toronto, ON
2016 – 2017 Program Committee, Canadian Surgery Forum, Victoria, BC
2016 – 2017 Organizing Committee, Ontario Thoracic Cancer Conference, Niagara on the Lake, ON
2016 – present Communications Director, Executive Committee, Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons.
2016 – present Director, Malignant Pleural Effusion Program, McMaster University
2016 – present Director, Interventional Thoracic Surgery Suite, McMaster University
Featured Publications
Hanna WC. Stuck between a rock and hard place: ILD + NSCLC = LIM. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2017 May 18. [Epub ahead of print]
Hanna WC. The enemy of good is better. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2017 May 18. pii: S0022-5223(17)30927-3.[Epub ahead of print]
Fahim C, Hanna WC, Waddell T, Shargall Y, Yasufuku K. Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for lung resection: the first Canadian series. Can J Surg. 2017 Jun 1;60(4):5316
Nguyen NA, Isfahanian N, Pond G, Hanna WC, Cutz JC, Wright J, Swaminath A, Shargall Y, Chow T, Wierzbicki M, Okawara G, Quan K, Finley C, Juergens R, Tsakiridis T.A Novel Neoadjuvant Therapy for Operable Locally Invasive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Phase I Study of Neoadjuvant Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy. LINNEARRE I (NCT02433574). Clin Lung Cancer. 2017 Jul;18(4): 436-440.
Donahoe LL, de Valence M, Atenafu EG, Hanna WC, Waddell TK, Pierre AF, Yasufuku K, de Perrot M, Cypel M, Keshavjee S, Darling GE. High Risk for Thoracotomy but not Thoracoscopic Lobectomy. Ann Thorac Surg. 2017 Mar 26. Vernon J and Hanna WC. Response to Screening for Brain Metastases in Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. J Thorac Oncol. 2017 Mar;12(3):e22.
Agzarian J, Linkins LA, Schneider L, Hanna WC, Finley CJ, Schieman C, De Perrot M, Crowther M, Douketis J, Shargall Y. Practice patterns in venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in thoracic surgery: a comprehensive Canadian Delphi survey. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jan;9(1):80-87.
Hanna WC. Imagine your Operation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Nov;152(5):1400
Vernon J, Andruszkiewicz N, Schneider L, Schieman C, Finley CJ, Shargall Y, Fahim C, Farrokhyar F, Hanna WC. Comprehensive clinical staging for resectable lung cancer: Clinico-pathological correlations and the role of brain. J Thorac Oncol. 2016 Nov;11(11):1970-1975
Hanna WC. Blue is the New Black. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Aug;152(2): 545.
Hanna WC. Y-en-Y airway stents: A complex solution for a complex problem J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Aug;152(2):564.
Hanna WC. Adults are big children. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Oct;152(4):1018
Shargall Y, Hanna WC, Schneider L, Schieman C, Finley CJ, Tran A, Demay S, Gosse C, Bowen JM, Blackhouse G, Smith K. The Integrated Comprehensive Care (ICC) program: A novel home care initiative after major thoracic surgery. Semin Thoracic Surg. 2016 Summer;28(2):574-582
Agzarian J, Fahim C, Shargall Y, Yasufuku K, Waddell TK, Hanna WC. The Use of Robotic-Assisted Thoracic Surgery for Lung Resection: A Comprehensive Systematic Review. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Spring;28(1):182-92.
Agzarian J, Hanna WC, Schneider L, Schieman C, Finley CJ, Peysakhovich Y, Schnurr T, Nguyen-Do D, Linkins LA, Douketis J, Crowther M, De Perrot M, Waddell TK, Shargall Y. Postdischarge venous thromboembolic complications following pulmonary oncologic resection: An underdetected problem. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Apr;151(4):992-9.
Hanna WC. N2 is not N2 is not N2. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2015 Dec;150(6): 1494-5.
Hanna WC. Surveillance with Low Dose CT should be standard of care after resection for lung cancer. Transl Lung Cancer Res. 2015 Aug;4(4):476-8
Yeung JC, Finley C, Hanna WC, Miller L, Ferri L, Urbach DR, Darling GE. Treatment Choices and Outcomes of Patients with Manometrically Diagnosed Achalasia. Diseases of the Esophagus. Dis Esophagus. 2016 Jul;29(5):472-8
Vernon J, Schieman C, Schneider L, Hanna WC. A Rare Case of Thymic Carcinoma of the Middle Mediastinum. Journal of Surgical Case Reports. 2015 Mar;3:1-2.