Meet Dr. Holden
Expertise
Specialty Areas
- Ventral / Incisional hernia repair
- Inguinal / femoral hernia repair
- Flank hernia repair
- Parastomal hernia repair
- Robotic hernia surgery
- Abdominal wall reconstruction
- Gallbladder disease
Common Procedures & Diagnoses
- Ventral / Incisional hernia repair
- Inguinal / femoral hernia repair
- Flank hernia repair
- Parastomal hernia repair
- Gallbladder disease
Conditions Treated
- Inguinal Hernia
- Femoral Hernia
- Umbilical Hernia
- Incisional Hernia
- Gallbladder disease
- Complex gallbladder
- Athletic hernia
- Groin pain
About
Dr. Sara E. Holden is a minimally invasive hernia surgeon at Washington University. She has expertise in open, laparoscopic and robotic hernia repair surgery. Dr. Holden earned her medical degree from the University of Minnesota. She completed a general surgery residency at the University of Wisconsin and a minimally invasive surgery fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Dr. Holden is dedicated to improving the lives of her patients. “A large, complex abdominal wall hernia may severely impact a person’s life,” Dr. Holden says. “Restoring a functional abdominal wall in those patients can be life changing for them, and it is wonderful to be a part of that.”
Education
Board Certifications
General Surgery
Degrees
Medical School: M.D., University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN (2010)
B.S., Health Science/Pre-medicine, Biology minor, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO (2005)
Postdoctoral Education
Post-Doctoral Research: NIH T32 Surgical Oncology Research Training Program; University of Wisconsin; Madison, WI, 2011-2013
Residency
General Surgery Resident, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, WI (2017)
NIH T32 Surgical Oncology Research Training Program Post-Doctorate Research Fellow, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI (2013)
Fellowship
Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO(2018)
Professional Memberships
American College of Surgeons
Americas Hernia Society
Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons
Central Surgical Association
St. Louis Surgical Society
Activities, Awards and Honors
All-American, National Soccer Coaches Association of America (2003, 2004)
Scholar All-American, National Soccer Coaches Association of America (2003, 2004)
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American (2004)- Summa Cum Laude, Truman State University (2005)
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient (2005)- NCAA Woman of the Year, Missouri (2005)
Ken B. Jones Award (Student Athlete of the Year, MIAA Conference) (2005)
President’s Volunteer Service Award (2006)- Overall Academic Honors, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (2008)
Gold Humanism Honor Society, University of Minnesota Twin-Cities (2008)
Poster of Distinction, International Society of Surgery Annual International Surgery Week, Helsinki,Finland (2013)
Best Poster Award, American Association of Endocrine Surgeons Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL(2013)
Resident Teaching Award, University of Wisconsin (2015)- Ben Lawton Medical Student Teaching Award, University of Wisconsin (2017)
Athletic Hall of Fame, Truman State University (2017)
Americas Hernia Society Women in Surgery Travel Scholarship (2020)
Faculty Teaching Appreciation Award, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (2021)
Selected Publications
Kushner B, Holden T, Politi M, Blatnik J, Holden S. A Practical Guideline for the Implementation ofShared Decision-making in Complex Ventral Incisional Hernia Repair. J Surg Res. 2021 Mar;259:387-392. Epub 2020 Oct 15. PMID: 33070993.
Kushner BS, Hamilton J, Han BJ, Sehnert M, Holden T, Holden SE. Geriatric assessment and medical preoperative screening (GrAMPS) program for older hernia patients. Hernia. 2021 Apr 4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33813655.
Hamilton J, Kushner B, Holden S, Holden T. Age-related risk factors in ventral hernia repairs: A review and call to action. J Surg Res. 2021 Oct;266:180-191. PMID: 34015515; PMCID: PMC8338875.
Kushner BS, Han B, Otegbeye E, Hamilton J, Blatnik J, Holden T, Holden SE. Chronological Age DoesNot Predict Postoperative Outcomes Following Transversus Abdominis Release (TAR). Surg Endosc.2021 Sep 14. PMID: 34519894.
Kushner BS, Holden TR, Han B, Sehnert M, Majumder A, Blatnik JA, Holden SE. Randomized control trial evaluating the use of a shared decision-making aid for older ventral hernia patients in theGeriatric Assessment and Medical Preoperative Screening (GrAMPS) Program. Hernia. 2021 Oct 22.PMID: 34686942.
Holden TR, Kushner BS, Hamilton JL, Han B, Holden SE. Polypharmacy is predictive of postoperative complications in older adults undergoing ventral hernia repair. Surg Endosc. Feb 2022. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35182214 Aug 2021.
Kushner BS, Holden T, Han BJ, Hamilton J, Sehnert M, Holden SE. Perioperative outcomes of theGeriatric Assessment and Medical Preoperative Screening (GrAMPS) program pilot for older hernia patients: does chronological age predict outcomes? Surg Endosc. 2021 Nov 29. PMID: 34845548.
Locations
Hospital Affiliations
Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Privileges for General Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery
Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, Privileges for General Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery
Patients Seen At
Barnes Jewish West County Hospital
1040 N. Mason Road
Medical Building 4, Suite 310
Creve Coeur, MO 63141
Center for Advanced Medicine
Gastrointestinal Center
4921 Parkview Place
Floor 12, Suite B
St. Louis, MO 63110
