Dr. Levstik leads the Hepatology and Liver Transplant Program at University of Rochester Medical Center. He is actively involved in the Live Donor Liver Program and the evaluation and treatment of chronic liver disease. His research interests involve liver transplant quality, live donor liver transplantation and non-invasive Liver Fibrosis Measurement (FibroScan). He is a member of the European and Canadian Associations for the Study of the Liver and has presented nationally and internationally.

Certified Specialties

Internal Medicine - Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons Canada

Faculty Appointments

Professor - Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology/Hepatology (SMD)

Segal-Watson Professorship of Medicine - Department of Medicine (SMD)

Chief - Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology/Hepatology (SMD)

Professor - Department of Surgery, Transplant (SMD) - Joint

Credentials

Residency & Fellowship

Fellowship, Transplant Hepatology, University of Western Ontario (Canada). 1996 - 1997

Fellowship, Gastroenterology, University of Iowa College of Medicine. 1994 - 1996

Residency, Internal Medicine, Spectrum Health-Blodgett Campus GME. 1993 - 1994

Residency, Internal Medicine, Spectrum Health-Blodgett Campus GME. 1992 - 1993

Internship, Internal Medicine, Spectrum Health-Blodgett Campus GME. 1990 - 1992

Education

MBBCH | Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons-Ireland (Ireland). 1990

Awards

University of Toronto Teaching Award. 1997 - 1998

Publications

Journal Articles

What is the optimal prophylaxis against postoperative deep vein thrombosis in the living donor to avoid complications and enhance recovery? - A systematic review of the literature and expert panel recommendations.

Ruffolo LI, Levstik M, Boehly J, Spiro M, Raptis DA, Liu L, Hernandez-Alejandro R,

Clinical transplantation.. 2022 October 36 (10):e14688. Epub 1900 01 01.

Estimating the effect of increasing utilization of living donor liver transplantation using observational data.

Wanis KN, Sarvet A, Ruffolo LI, Levstik MA, Tomiyama K, Al-Judaibi BM, Stensrud MJ, Hernandez-Alejandro R

Transplant international : official journal of the European Society for Organ Transplantation.. 2021 April 34 (4):648-656. Epub 02/26/2021.

Watching the Clock in Donation After Circulatory Death Liver Transplantation.

Ruffolo LI, Levstik MA, Hernandez-Alejandro R

Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society.. 2019 September 25 (9):1305-1307. Epub 1900 01 01.

The meaning of confounding adjustment in the presence of multiple versions of treatment: an application to organ transplantation.

Hernán MA, Hernandez-Alejandro R, Levstik MA, Orloff MS, Dokus MK, Madenci AL, Wanis KN

European journal of epidemiology.. 2019 March 34 (3):225-233. Epub 01/23/2019.

Can we reduce ischemic cholangiopathy rates in donation after cardiac death liver transplantation after 10 years of practice? Canadian single-centre experience.

Hernandez-Alejandro , Levstik , Al-Judaibi , Quan , Al Hasan , Sharma , Sela , Garcia-Ochoa , Wanis K, Tun-Abraham

Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie.. 2019 February 162 (1):44-51. Epub 1900 01 01.

Optimizing associated liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy outcomes: Surgical experience or appropriate patient selection?

Al Hasan I, Tun-Abraham ME, Wanis KN, Garcia-Ochoa C, Levstik MA, Al-Judaibi B, Hernandez-Alejandro R

Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie.. 2017 December 60 (6):408-415. Epub 1900 01 01.

The influence of functional warm ischemia time on DCD liver transplant recipients' outcomes.

Coffey JC, Wanis KN, Monbaliu D, Gilbo N, Selzner M, Vachharajani N, Levstik MA, Marquez M, Doyle MBM, Pirenne J, Grant D, Heimbach JK, Chapman W, Vogt K, Hernandez-Alejandro R

Clinical transplantation.. 2017 October 31 (10)Epub 08/29/2017.

Tobacco Use is a Modifiable Risk Factor for Post-Transplant Biliary Complications.

Dulaney DT, Dokus KM, McIntosh S, Al-Judaibi B, Ramaraju GA, Tomiyama K, Levstik M, Hernandez-Alejandro R, Orloff MS, Kashyap R

Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.. 2017 October 21 (10):1643-1649. Epub 08/07/2017.

Interpreting Outcomes in DCDD Liver Transplantation: First Report of the Multicenter IDOL Consortium.

Goldberg DS, Karp SJ, McCauley ME, Markmann JF, Croome KP, Taner CB, Heimbach JK, Leise MD, Fryer JP, Bohorquez HE, Cohen AJ, Gilroy RK, Kumer SC, Foley DP, Karim AS, Hernandez-Alejandro R, Levstik MA, Abt PL

Transplantation.. 2017 May 101 (5):1067-1073. Epub 1900 01 01.

Hepatectomy for Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Not If, but When and How?

Hernandez-Alejandro R, Levstik MA, Linehan DC

JAMA surgery.. 2017 March 15152 (3):e165042. Epub 03/15/2017.

Reuse of liver grafts following the brain death of the initial recipient.

Tanaka H, McAlister VC, Levstik MA, Ghent CN, Marotta PJ, Quan D, Wall WJ

World journal of hepatology.. 2014 June 276 (6):443-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

Using Loose Coupling to Understand Interprofessional Collaborative Practice on a Transplantation Team

Lingard L,; Mcdougall A,; Levstik MA,; Schryer C.

DOI. 2014; 3(3): 112.

Phase II Clinical Trial of Phlebotomy for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Beaton MD; Chakrabarti S; Levstik MA; Speechley M; Marotta P; Adams PC.

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2013; 37(7): 720-9.

Increased duration of dual pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy for genotype 1 hepatitis C post-liver transplantation increases sustained virologic response: a retrospective review.

Wells MM, Roth LS, Marotta P, Levstik M, Mason AL, Bain VG, Chandok N, Aljudaibi BM

Saudi journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Saudi Gastroenterology Association.. 2013 19 (5):223-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Representing complexity well: a story about teamwork, with implications for how we teach collaboration.

Lingard L, McDougall A, Levstik M, Chandok N, Spafford MM, Schryer C

Medical education.. 2012 September 46 (9):869-77. Epub 1900 01 01.

Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP): a noninvasive method for the detection of hepatic steatosis based on transient elastography.

Myers RP, Pollett A, Kirsch R, Pomier-Layrargues G, Beaton M, Levstik M, Duarte-Rojo A, Wong D, Crotty P, Elkashab M

Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver.. 2012 July 32 (6):902-10. Epub 03/21/2012.

Should a lower quality organ go to the least sick patient? Model for end-stage liver disease score and donor risk index as predictors of early allograft dysfunction.

Croome KP, Marotta P, Wall WJ, Dale C, Levstik MA, Chandok N, Hernandez-Alejandro R

Transplantation proceedings.. 2012 June 44 (5):1303-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Discordance in fibrosis staging between liver biopsy and transient elastography using the FibroScan XL probe.

Myers RP, Pomier-Layrargues G, Kirsch R, Pollett A, Beaton M, Levstik M, Duarte-Rojo A, Wong D, Crotty P, Elkashab M

Journal of hepatology.. 2012 March 56 (3):564-70. Epub 10/23/2011.

Feasibility and diagnostic performance of the FibroScan XL probe for liver stiffness measurement in overweight and obese patients.

Myers RP, Pomier-Layrargues G, Kirsch R, Pollett A, Duarte-Rojo A, Wong D, Beaton M, Levstik M, Crotty P, Elkashab M

Hepatology : official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.. 2012 January 55 (1):199-208. Epub 11/18/2011.

Should a lower quality organ go to the least sick patient? Model for end-stage liver disease score and donor risk index as predictors of early allograft dysfunction.

Croome KP; Marotta PJ; Wall WJ; Dale CH; Levstik MA; Chandok N; Hernandez-Alejandro R.

Transplantation Proceedings. 2012; 44(5): 1303-6.

The safety and efficacy of antitumour necrosis factor alpha therapy for inflammatory bowel disease in patients post liver transplantation: a case series.

Sandhu A; Alameel T; Dale CH; Levstik MA; Chande N.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2012; 36(2): 159-65.

Meta-analysis: vasoactive medications for the management of acute variceal bleeds.

Wells M; Chande N; Adams PC; Beaton MD; Levstik MA; Boyce E; Mrkobrada M.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2012; 35(11): 1267-78.

Increased risk of severe recurrence of hepatitis C virus in liver transplant recipients of donation after cardiac death allografts.

Hernandez-Alejandro R, Croome KP, Quan D, Mawardi M, Chandok N, Dale C, McAlister V, Levstik MA, Wall W, Marotta P

Transplantation.. 2011 September 2792 (6):686-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

The clinical consequences of utilizing donation after cardiac death liver grafts into hepatitis C recipients.

Mawardi M, Aba Alkhail F, Katada K, Levstik M, Quan D, Wall W, Marotta P, Hernandezalejandro R

Hepatology international.. 2011 September 5 (3):830-3. Epub 01/15/2011.

Boceprevir for untreated chronic HCV Genotype 1 infection

Poordad F; McCone J; Bacon BR; Manns MP; Sulkowski MS; Jacobson IM; Reddy KR; Heathcote J; Levstik MA; Marcellin P; et al.

NEJM. 2011; 364(13): 1195-206.

The role of hepatitis B immunoglobulin in hepatitis B related liver transplantation: Canadian Transplant Centre Position Paper.

Levstik MA; Wong P; Greanya ED; Yoshida EM.

Annals of Hepatology. 2011; 10(4): 441-4.

341 Performance of the FibroScan XL Probe for Liver Stiffness Measurement in Obese Patients: A Multicenter Validation Study.

Myers RP; Pomier-Layrargues G; Duarte-Rojo A; Wong DK; Beaton MD; Levstik MA; Kirsch R; Pollett A; Elkashab M.

Hepatology. 2011; 54.

The role of hepatitis B immunoglobulin in hepatitis B related liver transplantation: Canadian Transplant Centre Position Paper.

Levstik M, Wong P, Greanya ED, Yoshida EM

Annals of hepatology.. 2011 10 (4):441-4. Epub 1900 01 01.

Ranking in Canadian gastroenterology residency match: what do residents and program directors want?

Khan K, Levstik M

Canadian journal of gastroenterology = Journal canadien de gastroenterologie.. 2010 June 24 (6):369-72. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kidney and liver transplants from donors after cardiac death: initial experience at the London Health Sciences Centre.

Hernandez-Alejandro R, Caumartin Y, Chent C, Levstik MA, Quan D, Muirhead N, House AA, McAlister V, Jevnikar AM, Luke PP, Wall W

Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie.. 2010 April 53 (2):93-102. Epub 1900 01 01.

Long-term outcomes of emergency liver transplantation for acute liver failure.

Chan G, Taqi A, Marotta P, Levstik M, McAlister V, Wall W, Quan D

Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society.. 2009 December 15 (12):1696-702. Epub 1900 01 01.

Is serum hepcidin causative in hemochromatosis? Novel analysis from a liver transplant with hemochromatosis.

Adams PC, McAlister V, Chakrabarti S, Levstik M, Marotta P

Canadian journal of gastroenterology = Journal canadien de gastroenterologie.. 2008 October 22 (10):851-3. Epub 1900 01 01.

The hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Ghent CN, Levstik MA, Marotta PJ

The New England journal of medicine.. 2008 August 21359 (8):866; author reply 867. Epub 1900 01 01.

Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after transplantation: use of a pathological score on explanted livers to predict recurrence.

Parfitt JR, Marotta P, Alghamdi M, Wall W, Khakhar A, Suskin NG, Quan D, McAllister V, Ghent C, Levstik M, McLean C, Chakrabarti S, Garcia B, Driman DK

Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society.. 2007 April 13 (4):543-51. Epub 1900 01 01.

Clinical recommendations for the use of recombinant human erythropoietin in patients with hepatitis C virus being treated with ribavirin.

Sherman M, Cohen L, Cooper MA, Elkashab M, Feinman V, Fletcher D, Girgrah N, Heathcote J, Levstik M, McNaull WB, Wong D, Wong F, Yim C

Canadian journal of gastroenterology = Journal canadien de gastroenterologie.. 2006 July 20 (7):479-85. Epub 1900 01 01.

The epidemiology of chronic hepatitis C infection in survivors of childhood cancer: an update of the St Jude Children's Research Hospital hepatitis C seropositive cohort.

Castellino S, Lensing S, Riely C, Rai SN, Davila R, Hayden RT, Fleckenstein J, Levstik M, Taylor S, Dean PJ, Kippenbrock S, Pope J, Carr J, Strickland DK, Hudson MM

Blood.. 2004 April 1103 (7):2460-6. Epub 12/18/2003.

MARS, a new liver replacement therapy

Levstik MA.

Focus, Canadian Liver transplant Journal. 2004; .

Case Control Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Gaber AO; Honaker M; Lo A; Grewal H; Levstik MA; Fisher J; Vera S; Amiri H.

American Journal of Surgery. 2003; .

A Combined Transmesenteric/Transjugular Approach to Intrahepatic Shunting can Overcome Portal Vein Thrombosis

Fisher J; Chamsuddin A; Gaber OA; Levstik MA; Vera SR; Nezakatjoo N; Reddy G; Shokouh-Amiri HM.

Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 2003; 7(2): 276-27.

Eligibility and exclusion of hemochromatosis patients as voluntary blood donors

Levstik MA; Adams PC.

Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology. 2003; 12(1): 61-3.

Amyloidosis

Levstik MA.

Focus, Canadian Liver transplant Journal. 2003; .

Hepatitis C infection during treatment for childhood cancer: pitfalls in diagnosis and management.

Swilley S, Strickland DK, Davila R, Levstik M, Ribeiro R, Hudson MM

Medical and pediatric oncology.. 2002 July 39 (1):58-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Hemotherapies liver support device does not improve survival in advanced decompensated liver disease: a case control study

Voigt MD; Tombazzi C; Ippolito L; Levstik MA; LaBrecque DR; Riely CA; Gross TJ; Bertolatus JA.

Gastroenterology. 2002; 122(4): 161.

Iatrogenic Portal Hypertension in Liver Transplant Patients

Pop A; Gold R; Dean P; Amiri H; Levstik M.

American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2000; 95(9): 2593-7.

Celiac Disease and Papillary Stenosis. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Levstik MA; Murray J; Johlin F.

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. 1996; 43(4): 386.

Ratings & Comments

At URMC, we believe that patients should be empowered to make the right decisions regarding their personal healthcare. To do so, transparency is critical. URMC partners with Press Ganey, to survey our patients about all aspects of their care experience. We are now putting this pertinent information at your fingertips by displaying star ratings for our providers along with anonymous patient comments on our website. This will help you make better-informed choices about how and with whom you seek care. Click here to learn more about the surveys used to generate this vital information. Learn more about our survey process.

Ratings

Care provider's discussion of any proposed treatment (options, risks, benefits, etc.)

4.7

Likelihood of recommending this care provider to others

4.7

Explanations the care provider gave you about your problem or condition

4.8

Care provider's efforts to include you in decisions about your care

4.8

Concern the care provider showed for your questions or worries

4.8

Patient Comments

5.0

Dr. Levstik was amazing! He went above and beyond all my expectations. He's truly the best.

Feb 23, 2025

5.0

I always recommend them

Jan 22, 2025

4.8

Good

Jan 11, 2025

5.0

Everything was perfect

Dec 21, 2024

5.0

Muy buenos profesionales

Aug 20, 2024

5.0

I find Dr. Levstik to be a highly capable and engaging physician. I always feel respected, and always share a laugh with him at my visits. That's just the best kind of medical care.

Jul 01, 2024

5.0

Very informative.

Apr 09, 2024

5.0

Dr. Levstik is fantastic!

Mar 16, 2024

5.0

[...] No complaints.

Feb 14, 2024

5.0

I love Dr. Levstik. I always feel better after seeing him. He puts my worries at ease

Dec 21, 2023

The providers are very knowledgeable and thorough

Dec 09, 2023

5.0

Dr. Levstik was very approachable when first met. He put me at ease by explaining the tests and results that were done on me. Dr. Levstik made one feel [...] you known him for a long time almost like a friend. He seemed very knowledgeable and I felt well taken care of.

Sep 07, 2023

5.0

I have already recommended!

Aug 14, 2023

5.0

The Doctor was very attentive and caring. He obviously had reviewed my test results and was VERY generous with his time explaining his thoughts on my condition, as well as our next steps in my treatment. I received more information about my disease and treatment plan during my visit than in the previous six months with the practice at home. I feel much better and more confident about my prognosis with Dr. Levstik's care. Thank you!

Jul 27, 2023

5.0

He really put me at ease explained things clearly.

Jan 31, 2023

5.0

This was a consult with an expert. He was very knowledgeable & caring. He answered all of my questions & gave me a sense of hope about my diagnosis, that it was manageable with medication. It very much lessened my worry about the future

Dec 29, 2022

5.0

Good experience

Nov 21, 2022

5.0

I felt confident in the doctor's review of my test results and the direction I need to proceed in the future. It was a GREAT visit.

Nov 07, 2022

5.0

I thoroughly enjoy Dr. Levstik - warm, funny, caring man - clear explanations and expectations.

Oct 26, 2022

5.0

Excellent.

Jul 25, 2022

5.0

Dr. Levstik was a referral from my GI [...]. I am so glad to have consulted with him regarding liver issues. His care and expertise were expectational. I appreciated the detailed analysis of my condition and the treatment plan going forward.

May 20, 2022