Prof Lomanto has devoted his career to providing the best care and outcome for patients, particularly in enhancing their recovery, reduce surgical trauma and lowering the risk of complications and post-operative sequelae. This has been one of the reasons he has pursued his professional development in advanced technologies such as robotic and 3D Imaging systems.
Prof Lomanto graduated with distinction in Medicine & Surgery in 1983 at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, where he went on to complete his PhD in Gastrointestinal Surgery in 1990 and specialist training in General Surgery in 1992. He spent several years training in Switzerland, Germany and USA.
A pioneer in the field
An expert and pioneer in minimally invasive and endolaparoscopic surgery, Prof Lomanto has performed more than 20,000 surgeries since he began his surgical career in 1992.
He is currently the Director of the Minimally Invasive Surgical Centre (MISC), Director of the NUH Hernia Centre, Head of General Surgery at the National University Hospital (NUH) and the Director of the NUS Khoo Teck Puat Advanced Surgery Training Centre (ASTC). He is also a Senior Consultant in General Surgery and Paediatric Surgery at NUH. Prof Lomanto focuses his practice in digestive surgery with a special interest in abdominal wall hernia surgery including ventral and inguinal hernia and obesity and metabolic surgery.
Prof Lomanto has special interests in Abdominal Wall Pathophysiology and Hernia Surgery, Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome and research in new technology, robotics, as well as surgical devices, simulators and education. He is also a patent owner of a device used in the prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes.
In December 2009, Prof Lomanto attained knighthood by the Italian government for his contributions in taking a leading role in the strengthening of economic, cultural and humanitarian relations between the Italian community in Singapore and Asia Pacific, specifically for his leadership in clinical service, research and academic recognition as an expert in the field of surgery, minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery.
Advancing expertise in abdominal surgery techniques
Apart from his own efforts to improve surgical techniques, Prof Lomanto is involved in surgical education in Singapore and across Asia to train and improve the surgical skills of the surgical community.
Locally, he conducts regular training at the Khoo Teck Puat Advanced Surgery Training Centre (ASTC) at National University Hospital for all surgical specialties. This programme utilises the latest technology in surgical education and involves hands-on training on dry and live tissues, surgical simulators and 3D technology. It attracts surgeon participants from all over Asia.
As Director of the Minimally Invasive Surgical Centre (MISC), Prof Lomanto established two Minimally Invasive Surgical Clinical Fellowship Programmes for both Basic and Advanced in 2003. The programmes have attracted 64 full time clinical and research international fellows from China, India, Philippines, Sudan, Nepal, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, UAE, Japan, Myanmar, Indonesia and more.
As Secretray General and Past President of the Endoscopic & Laparoscopic Surgeons of Asia (ELSA) since 2011, Prof Lomanto established and developed the ELSA Outreach Programme (OP), a 'train the trainer' initiative for developing countries to develop lead educators.
ELSA OP is a comprehensive surgical education programme that provides basic to advance procedure-based training in the form of mini-fellowship and fellowship programmes. It has organised over 120 onsite workshops, established more than 40 basic training facilities across 15 Asia countries, launched more than 50 online educational programmes and trained over 5,500 surgeons in 41 institutions across Asia. He had trained more than 60 International Fellows from several countreis worldwide.
Active Member of Many Societies
Prof Lomanto is a member of numerous renowned international surgical societies and takes part in the organising of International Surgical Congress. He was Secretary General (since 2014) and is now President of the International Federation of the Societies of Endoscopic Surgeons (IFSES), the leading federation of the 10th major worldwide Endo-Laparoscopic Surgery Societies organising the Biennial Word Congress of Endoscopic Surgery; Past President and Secretary-General of the Endoscopic & Laparoscopic Surgeons of Asia (ELSA); Founding Member and Past President of the Asia-Pacific Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Society; and Founding Member and Advisory President of the Asia Pacific Hernia Society (APHS). He has been nominated Member of the International Committee of the Consortium of American College of Surgeons Accredited Education Institutes (ACS-AEIs) and is Visiting Consultant at Cebu Doctors University in Cebu, Philippines and Honorary Professor at Samarkand State Medical Univesrity in Uzbekistan.
Prof Lomanto is also a part of the Scientific Expert Panels of several surgical guidelines on Inguinal and Ventral Hernia. He is an associated editor of Hernia Journal and Asian Journal of Endoscopic Surgery and member of the Editorial Committee of top tier scientific surgical journals. He has more than 150 publications in international peer-reviewed surgical journals and is the editor of five surgical books, as well as author of over 80 book chapters.
He has been awarded the Honorary Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCS Edin), the European Society of Endoscopic Surgery (EAES), the European Hernia Society and several other National Surgical Societies of Japan (JSES), India (IAGES), Thailand (RCST), Philippines (PCS and PALES), Indonesia (PBEI and PERHERI), Nepal (NHS and SSN), etc.
