
Luke Traeger
Higher Degree by Research Candidate
Adelaide Medical School
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Dr Luke Traeger is a South Australian General Surgical trainee with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Luke is currently undertaking a PhD, researching the effects of novel treatments to reduce bowel paralysis following surgery.
My research investigates the reduction of the incidence and duration of post-operative ileus following colorectal surgery.
After abdominal surgery, the bowel can commonly be paralyzed and slow to return to normal function. The resultant intolerance to food and liquids can result in severe bloating, inability to pass a bowel movement or gas, nausea, and vomiting. This complication of surgery is called post-operative ileus and is a source of discomfort for patients after surgery. Management often requires invasive procedures such as the insertion of long tubes into the stomach to empty it out and providing nutrition through a vein.
With the advent of enhanced recovery protocols, there has been a general improvement in the management of patients undergoing abdominal surgery. However, the incidence of post-operative ileus remains around 20-30%. Post-operative ileus doubles the cost of a patients admission to hospital and significantly increases the patients risk of complication and risk of mortality.
My research will investigate the use of a novel treatment, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor named pyridostigmine. Pyridostigmine increases gut motility, and we aim to study the effects this has following colorectal surgery. If we can reduce the incidence of post-operative ileus, this may reduce the length of hospital stay and reduce complications in our patients.
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Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2021 University of Adelaide Australia PhD (Candidate) 2017 - 2018 University of Newcastle Australia Master of Traumatology 2015 - 2016 University of Newcastle Australia Master of Public Health 2009 - 2014 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery -
Postgraduate Training
Date Title Institution Country 2019 General Surgical Training Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Australia 2018 - 2018 General Surgical Registrar Queen Elizabeth Hospital Australia 2016 - 2017 Surgical Resident Medical Officer Central Adelaide Local Health Network Australia 2015 - 2015 Internship Central Adelaide Local Health Network Australia -
Research Interests
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Journals
Year Citation 2022 Nepogodiev, D., Simoes, J. F. F., Li, E., Picciochi, M., Glasbey, J. C., Baiocchi, G., . . . Hailu, S. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 infection and venous thromboembolism after surgery: an international prospective cohort study. Anaesthesia, 77(1), 28-39.
Scopus11 WoS7 Europe PMC72022 Traeger, L., Kroon, H. M., Bedrikovetski, S., Moore, J. W., & Sammour, T. (2022). The impact of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors on ileus and gut motility following abdominal surgery: a clinical review. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 92(1-2), 69-76.
2022 Bedrikovetski, S., Seow, W., Kroon, H. M., Traeger, L., Moore, J. W., & Sammour, T. (2022). Artificial intelligence for body composition and sarcopenia evaluation on computed tomography: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Radiology, 149, 110218.
Scopus12022 Dinger, T. L., Kroon, H. M., Traeger, L., Bedrikovetski, S., Hunter, A., & Sammour, T. (2022). Regional variance in treatment and outcomes of locally invasive (T4) rectal cancer in Australia and New Zealand: analysis of the Bi-National Colorectal Cancer Audit. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 9 pages.
2022 Kroon, H. M., Hoogervorst, L. A., Hanna-Rivero, N., Traeger, L., Dudi-Venkata, N. N., Bedrikovetski, S., . . . Sammour, T. (2022). Systematic review and meta-analysis of long-term oncological outcomes of lateral lymph node dissection for metastatic nodes after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer. European Journal of Surgical Oncology, S0748-7983(22)00410-3.
2021 David, R., Traeger, L., Kahokehr, A., Miller, J., & Ashrafi, A. (2021). A prospective case series of Fournier's gangrene at a tertiary centre involving adjacent organs. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 91(12), 2817-2823.
2021 Dudi Venkata, N. N., Kroon, H. M., Bedrikovetski, S., Traeger, L., Lewis, M., Lawrence, M. J., . . . Sammour, T. (2021). PyRICo‐Pilot – Pyridostigmine to reduce the duration of postoperative ileus after colorectal surgery – a phase II study. Colorectal Disease, 23(8), 2154-2160.
Scopus1 WoS12021 Simoes, J. (2021). Effects of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery: an international prospective cohort study. ANAESTHESIA, 76(11), 1454-1464.
WoS9 Europe PMC62021 Traeger, L., & Raju, D. (2021). Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma presenting as an ileocolonic fistula. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 91(1-2), 200-202.
2021 CovidSurgeCollab., & GlobalSurgCollaborative. (2021). Timing of surgery following SARS‐CoV‐2 infection: an international prospective cohort study. Anaesthesia, 76(6), 748-758.
WoS104 Europe PMC882021 Traeger, L., Kundu, N., & Kiu, A. (2021). Midgut volvulus imitating acute appendicitis. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 91(4), E247-E248.
2021 Kundu, N., Traeger, L., & Kiu, A. (2021). Paraganglioma presenting as acute catecholamine cardiomyopathy. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 91(10), 2209-2211.
2021 CovidSurg Collaborative., Kroon, H., Dudi Venkata, N., Traeger, L., & Coventry, B. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study. British Journal of Surgery, 108(9), 1056-1063.
WoS37 Europe PMC792019 David, R., Traeger, L., & McDonald, C. (2019). Gall bladder torsion: A disease of the elderly. BMJ Case Reports, 12(10), e227324.
2018 Traeger, L., & Kiroff, G. (2018). Intrabilary obstruction by colorectal metastases.. Journal of surgical case reports, 2018(1), rjx259.
2017 Traeger, L., Jayasuriya, M., Suppiah, A., & Devitt, P. (2017). Acupuncture: a cause of mediastinal abscess presenting as axillary infection. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 87(9), E106-E107.
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Conference Papers
Year Citation 2018 Traeger, L., Kiroff, G., & Myers, J. (2018). Multiple rapid swallows in high-resolution oesophageal manometry: A valuable predictor of oesophagogastric junction function.. In Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Conference. 2018 Traeger, L., & Bhattacharjya, S. (2018). Evaluation of P-POSSUM use in predicting Mortality and Morbidity of emergency general surgical admissions. In Board in General Surgery Registrar’s Paper Day. Adelaide. -
Conference Items
Year Citation 2021 Traeger, L., & Wichmann, M. (2021). Laparoscopic removal of ingested sewing pin.. Poster session presented at the meeting of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress. Melbourne. 2021 Kundu, N., Traeger, L., & Kiu, A. (2021). Midgut volvulus imitating acute appendicitis.. Poster session presented at the meeting of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress. 2021 Traeger, L., Kundu, N., & Kiu, A. (2021). Paraganglioma presenting as acute catecholamine cardiomyopathy.. Poster session presented at the meeting of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress. 2019 Traeger, L., & Kanhere, H. (2019). Small bowel obstruction from solitary breast metastases.. Poster session presented at the meeting of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Conference. Bangkok. 2017 Traeger, L., & Kiroff, G. (2017). Intrabiliary metastases: a rare complication of metastatic colorectal cancer.. Poster session presented at the meeting of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress. Adelaide. 2017 Traeger, L., Jayasuriya, M., Suppiah, A., & Devitt, P. (2017). Acupuncture: more harm than good.. Poster session presented at the meeting of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress. Adelaide.
2021-2023; Dawes Top-Up Scholarship, RAH Research Committee - $15,000
2021: Research and Training Stipend, University of Adelaide - $28,000
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