Rory L. Smoot, M.D.

Rory L. Smoot, M.D., is a hepatobiliary and pancreas surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, dedicated to helping patients facing complex liver, pancreas, and bile duct conditions. As vice-chair of Research for the Department of Surgery, Dr. Smoot leads efforts to advance treatments and improve patient outcomes. Dr. Smoot partners with patients to provide respectful and attentive care to their individual health needs, ensuring their desired health outcomes are prioritized in clinical choices.

Areas of Expertise

Dr. Smoot provides surgical care for both benign and malignant conditions affecting the liver, pancreas, and surrounding organs. His clinical focus includes:

• Pancreatic and hepatobiliary surgery: Comprehensive surgical treatment for diseases of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts.
• Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer): Specialized surgical approaches for this rare and challenging cancer.
• Metastatic cancer to the liver and abdominal organs: Advanced techniques for managing complex metastatic disease.
• Abdominal and retroperitoneal sarcomas: Surgical care for soft tissue tumors in the abdominal region.
• Splenic conditions: Expertise in surgical treatment of disorders involving the spleen.
• Gastric and small bowl tumors: Surgical management of tumors affecting the stomach and small intestine.

Research and Education

Dr. Smoot is an active contributor to the scientific community, authoring content and publishing in high-impact journals. His research focuses on developing new therapeutic strategies for cholangiocarcinoma, enhancing liver regeneration, and improving treatment options for hepatobiliary malignancies. He is dedicated to advancing treatment for hepatobiliary and pancreas diseases.

He has a extramurally-funded research program with funding from the Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, and Regenerative Medicine Minnesota.

Dr. Smoot completed his medical degree at Mayo Medical School and his general surgery residency at Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education. He further specialized through a fellowship in hepatobiliary surgery at the University of Toronto. His dedication to research and education reflects a lifelong mission: to provide hope and better outcomes for patients who often face limited options.