Professional background

Richard Cohen trained at the Cambridge University School of Clinical Medicine where he qualified with a distinction in surgery. He then became a surgery registrar in the north west of England and a senior registrar on the Guy’s and St Thomas’ surgical training program. During this time he spent just under two years carrying out research for his MD thesis at Yale University, USA.

A clinical interest in specialist colorectal surgery led to a post as a senior registrar at St Mark’s Hospital for a year before being appointed as a consultant surgeon at St Mark’s Hospital and Central Middlesex Hospital.

He then joined UCLH in 2005 where he helped to develop the colorectal service. He maintains a clinical practice in open and minimally invasive colorectal surgery focusing on colorectal cancer and benign colorectal disease including the management of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease.

He also has an expertise in disorders of the back passage and pelvic floor including haemorrhoids, fissures and fistula. Using high-tech solutions he works with the gastroenterologist team on patients with faecal incontinence and constipation employing modern minimally invasive and minimally painful procedures including haemorrhoidal artery ligation and stapled haemorrhoidectomy.

He was recently made Clinical Professor of Surgery, Cleveland Clinic College School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University.

Clinical interests:

  • Minimally invasive colorectal surgery
  • Assessment of rectal bleeding
  • Treatment of haemorrhoids and fissures
  • Treatment of anal fistula
  • Management of colon and rectal cancer
  • Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease
  • Assessment and treatment of constipation and incontinence

Research interests

  • Pelvic floor disorders (incontinence and constipation)
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Colorectal cancer in Ashkenasi Jews

Publications

Selected publications:

  • Keller, D. S., Boulton, R., Rodriguez-Justo, M., Cohen, R., & Chand, M. (2018). A Novel Application of Indocyanine Green Immunofluorescence in Emergent Colorectal Surgery. Journal of Fluorescence, 1-4. doi:10.1007/s10895-018-2230-7
  • Initial experience of treating anal fistula with the Surgisis anal fistula plug. Chan S, McCullough J, Schizas A, Vasas P, Engledow A, Windsor A, Williams A, Cohen CR.
  • Short-term outcome of fertility-sparing laparoscopic excision of deeply infiltrating pelvic endometriosis performed in a tertiary referral center. Pandis GK, Saridogan E, Windsor AC, Gulumser C, Cohen CR, Cutner AS. Fertil Steril. 2010 Jan;93(1):39-45
  • Mural inflammation in Crohn disease: location-matched histologic validation of MR imaging features. Punwani S, Rodriguez-Justo M, Bainbridge A, Greenhalgh R, De Vita E, Bloom S, Cohen R, Windsor A, Obichere A, Hansmann A, Novelli M, Halligan S, Taylor SA. Radiology. 2009 Sep;252(3):712-20 5-7.
  • Sacral nerve stimulation for fecal incontinence related to obstetric anal sphincter damage. Jarrett ME, Dudding TC, Nicholls RJ, Vaizey CJ, Cohen CR, Kamm MA. Dis Colon Rectum. 2008 May;51(5):531-7. Epub 2008
  • Buchanan, G., Halligan, S., Williams, A., Cohen, C. R., Tarroni, D., Phillips, R. K., & Bartram, C. I. (2002). Effect of MRI on clinical outcome of recurrent fistula-in-ano.. The Lancet, 360(9346), 1661-1662. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11605-9