Dr. Gregory Swank was recognized among Castle Connolly Top Doctors for the Hickory, NC region in 2015. He has won this award for six consecutive years.

Positions

• Surgeon, Piedmont Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, Hickory, North Carolina
• Staff Surgeon, Catawba Valley Medical Center, Hickory, North Carolina
• Staff Surgeon, Frye Regional Medical Center, Hickory, North Carolina
• Secretary/Treasurer, Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Member, Government Relations Committee, American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Member-at-large, Council on State Affairs, American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Member, Membership Strategies Committee, American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Member, Component Relations Task Force, American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Previous Positions

Certifications

• Basic Life Support
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support

Honors/Awards

• Administrative Chief Resident, Department of Surgery, July, 1996 – June, 1997
• Travel Award, Shock Society, June, 1995
• Neurosurgical Rotating Resident of the Year, 1992 – 1993
• Certificate of Proficiency, Rutgers University Department of French, 1987
• Rotary Club Scholarship, 1983 & 1984

Research

• “Microbiology of Cytokine Production in a Canine Fracture Model” Duke University Medical Center, 1999.
  Funded with a grant from the Plastic Surgery Education Foundation
  Advisors: L. Scott Levin, M.D., Spencer A. Brown, Ph.D.
• “Apoptosis as a Mechanism for Gut Mucosal Atrophy and Barrier Failure in Stressed Animals” UMDNJ – New Jersey Medical School, Department of Surgery, 1994 – 1996
  Advisor: Edwin A. Deitch, M.D.
• “The Effects of Beta Blockers on the Microcirculation of Rabbit Myocardium” Rutgers University, 1986 – 1987
  Advisor: Harvey Weiss, Ph.D.

Grants and Awards

1. “Microbiology of Cytokine Production in a Canine Fracture Model.” 1998 Plastic Surgery Education Foundation Grant. April 23, 1998. $4,950.00.

Publications

1. Swank, GM: Minimally Invasive Procedures Can Be Great For Your Practice. Plastic Surgery News. April 2005.
2. Swank GM, Lu Q, Xu DZ, Michalsky M, Deitch EA: Effect of acute phase and heat shock stress on apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells (CACO-2). Crit Care Med. 1998; 26(7):1213-1217.
3. Swank G: Abdominal Exploration in Elective Surgery. IN Tools of the Trade and Rules of the Road: A Surgical Guide, 1st Edition. Ed. Deitch EA. Lippincott-Raven Publishers, Inc. Philadelphia, PA. 1997.
4. Swank G: Incisions. IN Tools of the Trade and Rules of the Road: A Surgical Guide, 1st Edition. Ed. Deitch EA. Lippincott-Raven Publishers, Inc. Philadelphia, PA. 1997.
5. Xu D, Lu Q, Swank GM, Deitch EA: Effect of heat shock and endotoxin stress on enterocyte viability, apoptosis and function varies based on whether the cells are exposed to heat shock or endotoxin first. Arch Surg. 1996; 131:1222-1228.
6. Xu D, Swank GM, Lu Q, Deitch EA: Effect of acute phase and heat shock stress on apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells (CACO-2). Shock. 1996; 5(suppl.):71. ABSTRACT
7. Swank GM, Lu Q, Xu D, Deitch EA: Decreased cell division rather than increased apoptosis as a mechanism of gut mucosal atrophy in protein malnourished mice. ABSTRACT.
8. Swank GM, Deitch EA: Role of the gut in multiple organ failure: Bacterial translocation and permeability changes. World J Surg. 1996; 20(4):411-417.
9. Gardner B, Swank GM: Surgical Masqueraders: Abdominal pain rarely requiring operation. IN Basic Surgery, 5th Edition. Eds. Polk HC, Jr., Gardner B, Stone HH. Quality Medical Publishing, Inc. St. Louis, MO. 1995.

Presentations

1. “Trends and Treatment – Gram-Positive Infections in Surgical Patients” Pharmacia Corporation Invited Presentation. Danville, Virginia. November 18, 2002.
2. “Wound Bed Preparation” Smith & Nephew Invited Presentation. Danville, Virginia. November 3, 2001.
3. “Online Grand Rounds” American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons / Plastic Surgery Education Foundation Website. October, 1999.
4. “Sternal Plating as a Technique for Chest Wall Reconstruction” 68th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. New Orleans, Louisiana. October 24, 1999.
5. “Wound Fluid Interleukin-8 Levels are Decreased by Staphylococcus aureus in an Open Fracture” Musculoskeletal Infection Society 9th Annual Open Scientific Meeting. Snowmass, Colorado. August 12, 1999.
6. “A Surgical Flap Decreases TNF-alpha and Cytokine Levels During Early Wound Healing in a Canine Open Fracture Model”  Musculoskeletal Infection Society 9th Annual Open Scientific Meeting. Snowmass, Colorado. August 12, 1999.
7. “Comminuted Orbital Fracture Repair with an Anatomically Designed Titanium Plate” Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. Boca Raton, Florida. June 8, 1999.
8. “Common Birthmarks, Their Diagnosis and Treatment” Duke University Medical Center, Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Oromaxillofacial Surgery, Grand Rounds. March 24, 1998.
9. “Lip Reconstruction” Duke University Medical Center, Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Oromaxillofacial Surgery, Grand Rounds. May 27, 1998.
10. “Melanoma.” Duke University Medical Center, Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Oromaxillofacial Surgery, Grand Rounds. September 3, 1997.
11. “Surgical Resident Round Table.” Fundamental Hospital Training Class, Bristol-Meyers Squibb Company. Princeton, NJ. April 28, 1997.
12. “Retroperitoneal Hematoma.” University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Department of Trauma Surgery, Grand Rounds. Newark, New Jersey. August 28, 1996.
13. “Effects of acute phase and heat shock stress on apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2).” Nineteenth Annual Conference on Shock. Grand Traverse Village, Michigan. June 2 – 5, 1996. Xu D, Swank GM, Lu Q, Deitch EA.
14. “Apoptosis in epithelial cells in response to acute phase and heat shock stimuli.” Eighteenth Annual Conference on Shock. Asheville, North Carolina. June 11 – 14, 1995. Swank GM, Lu Q, Xu D, Deitch EA.
15. “Apoptosis as a mechanism for intestinal mucosal atrophy in the protein malnourished mouse.” University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Department of Surgery, Grand Rounds. Newark, New Jersey. February 11, 1995