The Department of Surgery

John E. Griepentrog, MD

Assistant Professor
Division of Trauma & Critical Care Surgery

Clinical Focus

Trauma Surgery, Surgical Critical Care, Emergency General Surgery, Minimally Invasive and Robotic General Surgery, Rib Fixation

Research Focus

My research focuses on utilizing novel therapies to improve outcomes in surgical and critical care patients. We are specifically interested in using high intensity blue light to reduce organ injury in sepsis and pneumonia. We continue to develop and conduct prospective clinical trials for patients at the University of Tennessee Medical Center to study innovative treatments for ventilator associated pneumonia, acute pain, rib fractures, and the use of common bile duct exploration in choledocholithiasis. 

Education

Medical School
University of Texas Health Science Center; Houston, TX

Internship
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Residency
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Pittsburgh, PA

Fellowship
University of Texas Health Science Center; Houston, TX
Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Fellowship

University of Texas Health Science Center; Houston, TX
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship

Certifications

American Board of Surgery, General Surgery
American Board of Surgery, Surgical Critical Care

Professional Affiliations

American Association for the Surgery of Trauma
Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma
Association for Academic Surgery
Surgical Infection Society
Society for Leukocyte Biology
American College of Surgeons
American Medical Association

Current Publications

Budney S, Kleppe K, Mancini M, Mancini G, Phillips M, McKnight C, Griepentrog J, Reinhorn M, Fafaj A, Blake KE.
Chronic groin pain after Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair: Partially absorbable light-weight mesh versus conventional light-weight versus heavy-weight mesh. Hernia. 2025 Sep 17;29(1):275. doi: 10.1007/s10029-025-03469-7.

Budney S, Middleton E, Kleppe K, Mancini M, Mancini G, Phillips M, McKnight C, Griepentrog J, Fafaj A, Blake KE.
Outcomes of quadratus lumborum blocks for pain control after open abdominal wall reconstruction: A single institution retrospective analysis. Hernia. 2025 Mar 12;29(1):118. doi: 10.1007/s10029-025-03296-w.

Howk AA, Hayden A, Griepentrog JE.
Large bowel internal hernia secondary to reimplanted ureter. Case Rep Surg. 2024 Apr 30;2024:2061453. doi: 10.1155/2024/2061453. eCollection 2024.

Current Presentations

Treat S, Griepentrog J, Criswell A, Hicks M. Road rash: A case of MVC resulting in cardiac arrest and pneumonectomy supported by VA ECMO. Presented at Extra Corporeal Life Support Organization; 2024 Sept - 30; Detroit, MI.

Griepentrog JE. Ventilator associated pneumonia and the use of blue light. Presented at University of Tennessee Medical Center Department of Surgery Grand Rounds; 2023 September 14; Knoxville, Tennessee.