Joseph Imbus, MD

Joseph R. Imbus, MD, is a fellowship-trained bariatric and minimally invasive general surgeon affiliated with UC Health and the Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Medical Specialties

Dr. Imbus’ areas of specialty include bariatric surgery, robotic hernia repair and abdominal wall reconstruction, and advanced minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery including hiatal hernia and giant paraesophageal hernia repair, myotomy for achalasia and fundoplication for GERD. He performs a variety of metabolic and bariatric procedures including sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, single anastomosis duodenal-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (SADI-S), also known as loop duodenal switch, and bariatric revisions. He also performs advanced endoscopy.

Background

Dr. Imbus was born and raised in Cincinnati and attended St. Xavier High School. He then received a Bachelor of Science degree (magna cum laude) from The Ohio State University and his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Wisconsin and spent two years as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program. He earned a master’s degree in population health during this time. Following his residency, Dr. Imbus completed fellowship training at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the longest-standing MIS fellowships in the country. While at Emory, Dr. Imbus gained additional expertise in advanced laparoscopic and robotic techniques, such as robotic transversus abdominis release (roboTAR) and extended totally extraperitoneal (eTEP) repair, which provide the advantages of a minimally invasive approach—shorter hospital stay, fewer wound complications and less pain—for complex hernias.

Awards, Achievements & Publications

Dr. Imbus has been recognized with numerous awards for teaching, clinical acumen and research achievement, including the Ben Lawton Award for Excellence in Medical Student Teaching. He has authored several research publications and has been invited to present his work nationally. In addition, he has co-authored book chapters on hernia and bariatric topics, including Shared Decision-Making in Obesity Treatment, lending expertise to help surgeons and patients navigate the complex medical decisions of pursuing bariatric surgery and choosing a procedure.

He is also an active member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), and he regularly attends conferences and workshops to stay up to date on the latest developments in the field.

“I am committed to providing compassionate and comprehensive care for my patients,” Dr. Imbus stated. "I believe in an individualized approach to patient care, making sure to listen to the patient's concerns and working together to decide upon a treatment plan that improves patient health and quality of life."

In his free time, Dr. Imbus enjoys all things outdoors and spending time with his family and flat-coated retriever, Griffin.