Riad Azar, M.D.

Riad Azar, M.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine

Director, Endoscopic Ultrasound

Dr. Azar joined the Division of Gastroenterology as Assistant Professor of Medicine in October 2002. Dr. Azar attended Saint Joseph University School of Medicine, Lebanon and graduated in June 1994; he then did his Internship in Internal Medicine at the University of Connecticut. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Dr. Azar then joined Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston where he trained in advanced therapeutic endoscopy. Dr. Azar is part of the Interventional Endoscopy team and the Director of Endoscopic Ultrasound Program at the Washington University School of Medicine.

Dr. Azar has clinical and research interests in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy, pancreaticobiliary endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography, cancer staging and endoscopic palliation of gastrointestinal malignancies.

"I have a strong interest in the use of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in the staging and detection of gastrointestinal malignancies as well as mediastinal tumors. I believe that this relatively new technique can have a significant clinical impact on the management of patients. It is accurate, less invasive and helps avoid unnecessary surgeries. Therapeutic endoscopy can also play a major role in improving the quality of life for patients who are terminally ill with gastrointestinal cancers. For example, we are performing EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis. This allows us to block the transmission of pain in patients with pancreatic cancer and other intra-abdominal malignancies. Other procedures include placement of metal stents in the gastrointestinal tract if it is blocked by a tumor. We have recently modified a technique for the endoscopic drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts. Pseudocysts occasionally develop after a severe attack of pancreatitis and can reach large sizes, causing a lot of discomfort. Our technique makes it easier and safer to drain pseudocysts internally, avoiding surgery and a lengthy stay in the hospital."

Select Publications:

  • Bonkovsky HL, Azar R, Bird S, Szabo G, Banner B.  Severe Cholestatis Hepatitis caused by Thiozolidinediones:  Risks Associated with Substituting Reosiglitazone for Troglitazone. Dig Dis Sci.  2002;  47(7):1632-1637.
  • Eloubeidi MA, Gress FG, Savides TJ, Wiersema MJ, Kochman ML, Ahmad NA,Ginsberg GG, Erickson RA, Dewitt J, Van Dam J, Nickl NJ, Levy MJ, Clain JE, Chak A, Sivak MV Jr, Wong R, Isenberg G, Scheiman JM, Bounds B, Kimmey MB, Saunders MD, Chang KJ, Sharma A, Nguyen P, Lee JG, Edmundowicz SA, Early D, Azar R, Etemad B, Chen YK, Waxman I, Shami V, Catalano MF, Wilcox MC.  Acute pancreatitis after EUS-guided FNA of solid pancreatic masses: A pooled analysis from EUS centers in the United States.  Gastrointest Endosc. 2004; 60(3):385-389.
  • Azar, R.  Palliation for esophageal cancer and metal stents.  Gastrointestinal Endosc. 2004; 60(5):861-862.
  • Oh Y, Early D, Azar R. Clinical Applications of Endoscopic Ultrasound to Oncology.  Oncology 2005; 68:526-537. 
  • Oh Y, Edmundowicz S, Azar R.  Pancreaticopleural fistula: Report of two cases and review of the literature.  Dig Dis Sci. 2006; 51(1):1-6.
  • Azar R, Oh Y, Janec E, Early D, Jonnalagadda S, Edmundowicz SA.  Wire-guided pancreatic pseudocyst drainage using a modified needle knife and therapeutic echoendoscopes.  Gastrointest Endosc. 2006; 63(4):688-692.
  • Prakash C, Jonnalagadda S, Azar R, Clouse R. Endoscopic removal of the wireless pH monitoring capsule in patients with severe discomfort.  Gastrointest Endosc. 2006; 64(5):828-832.
  • Early DS, Janec E, Azar R, Ristvedt S, Gao F, Edmundowicz S. Patient preference and recall of results of EUS-guided FNA.  Gastrointest Endosc.  2006; 64(5):735-739.
  • Peifer KJ, Shiels AJ, Azar R, Rivera RE, Eagon JC, Jonnalagadda S.  Successful endoscopic management of gastrojejunal anastomotic strictures after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.  Gastrointest Endosc. 2007; 66(2):248-252.
  • Kerr TA, Jonnalagadda S, Prakash C, Azar R.  Pancreatitis following Olanzapine Therapy: A Report of Three Cases.  Case Rep Gastroenterol 2007; 1:15-20.
  • Maple J, Peifer K, Edmundowicz S, Early D, Meyers B, Jonnalagadda S, Azar R.  The impact of endoscopic ultrasonography with fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) on esophageal cancer staging: a survey of thoracic surgeons and gastroenterologists. Diseases of the Esophagus, 2008; 21(6):480-487.
  • S . Jonnalagadda , R . Azar. Avoiding pneumomediastinum during ERCP after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Gastrointest Endosc, 2008; 68(4) 809.
  • Maple J, Edmundowicz S, Jonnalagadda S, Azar R.  Wire assisted access sphincterotomy of the minor papilla. Gastrointest Endosc,2009 Jan;69(1):47-54.
  • Melman L, Azar R, Beddow K, Brunt LM, Halpin, Eagon JC, Frisella M, Edmundowicz S, Jonnalagadda S, Matthews B. Primary and overall success rate and clinical outcomes for laparoscopic, endoscopic and open pancreatic cystgastrostomy for pancreatic pseudocysts. Surgical Endoscopy, 2009 Feb;23(2):267-71.
  • Ha C, Shah R, Chen J, Azar R, Edmundowicz S, Early D. Diagnosis and Management of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Using EUS-FNA: A Survey of Opinions and Practices of Endosonographers. Gastrointest Endosc, in press.
  • Shah P, Gao F, Edmundowicz S, Azar R, Early D. Predicting Malignant Potential of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Using Endoscopic Ultrasound. Dig Dis Sci, Aug 29 [Epub ahead of print].
  • Keswani R, Azar R, Ammar T, Edmundowicz S, Jonnalagadda S. Stenting for Malignant Colonic Obstruction: A Comparison of Efficacy and Complications in Colonic versus Extracolonic Malignancy.  Gastrointest Endosc, in press.
  • Nguyen Y, Maple J, Zheng Q, Ylagan LR, Zhai J, Kohlmeier C, Jonnalagadda SS, Early DS, Edmundowicz SA, Azar RR.  The reliability of gross visual assessment of specimen adequacy during EUS-FNA of pancreatic masses.  Gastrointest Endosc, in press.
  • Keswani R, Early D, Edmundowicz S, Meyers B, Sharma A, Govindan R, Chen J, Kohlmeier C, Azar R.  Routine PET does not alter nodal staging in patients undergoing EUS-FNA for esophageal cancer.  Gastrointest Endosc, in press.
  • Ringold DA, Shroff P, Sikka S, Jonnalagadda SS, Early DS, Edmundowicz SA, Azar RR. Pancreatitis Is Frequently Associated with Pancreatic Side-Branch Intraductal Mucinous Neoplasia (SB-IPMN). Gastrointest Endosc, in press.
  • Cote GA, Azar RR, Edmundowicz SE, Jonnalagadda SS. Balloon-assisted peroral cholangioscopy using an 8.8mm gastroscope for the diagnosis of Mirizzi syndrome. Gastrointest Endosc, in press.
  • Maple JT, Keswani RN, Hovis RM, Saddedin EZ, Jonnalagadda S, Azar RR, Hagen C, Thompson DM, Waldbaum L, Edmundowicz SA.  Carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation during ERCP for the reduction of post-procedure pain: a randomized, double-blind controlled trial.  Gastrointest Endosc.  In press.

 

Link to Interventional Endoscopy Program

Link to Medline for selected publications

Division of Gastroenterology
Department of Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine