Isabella J. Kuo
Biography
Isabella J. Kuo, M.D., FACS, is Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the University of California, Irvine, and Staff Surgeon at the Long Beach VA Healthcare System. She serves as Program Director for the Vascular Surgery Fellowship at UC Irvine. Kuo received her medical degree from the University of Nevada School of Medicine and completed her general surgery residency and vascular surgery fellowship at Loma Linda University School of Medicine.
Kuo's clinical and research interests focus on venous disease, hemodialysis access, and endovascular interventions. She has served as principal investigator on clinical trials examining cell-based therapies for critical limb ischemia and has participated as a sub-investigator in multiple device trials for aortic and peripheral vascular disease. Her research has been published in journals including the Journal of Vascular Surgery, Annals of Vascular Surgery, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. She has contributed chapters on vascular grafts and portal hypertension to surgical education textbooks.
Kuo holds board certification in both general surgery and vascular surgery from the American College of Surgeons. She serves on the Southern California District 5 Committee on Applicants of the American College of Surgeons and is a member of the Varicose Vein Registry Committee. At UC Irvine, she co-directs the Surgery Clerkship for third-year medical students and serves on the Admissions Committee and Clinical Competency Committee for the surgical residency program.
Return to topEducation
- B.A. in Biology, Claremont McKenna College, 2000
- M.D., University of Nevada School of Medicine, 2007
Distinctions
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, 2016
- Physician of Excellence, Orange County Medical Association, 2020-2024
- Senior Vascular Surgery Resident of the Year, 2011
- Vascular Surgery Junior Resident of the Year, 2009
- General Surgery Intern of the Year, 2008
- Southern California Rising Stars, 2018
- Resident's Research Award, Second Place, 2010
Areas of Expertise
- Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
- Hemodialysis Access Management
- Carotid Endarterectomy Outcomes
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
- Venous Thromboembolism Treatment
- Transplant Renal Artery Stenosis
- COVID-19 Vascular Complications
Recent Publications
- Kuo, IJ, “Occlusive Venous Disease”, The VSITE Review Manual, Elsevier, pp. 173-176, 2025.
- Lee C, Duong W, Kabutey NK, Farzaneh C, Tohmasi S, Fujitani R, Chau AH, Kuo I, “Endovascular inframesenteric aortic aneurysm repair in cross fused renal ectopia” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery Brief Reports and Innovations, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 100151, 2023.
- Kuo, IJ, Maithel S, “Vascular Grafts” (opens in new tab), Vascular Surgery in Training Examination Review Vsite, Springer, pp. 429-438, 2023.
- Kuo, IJ, Maithel S, “Portal Hypertension” (opens in new tab), Vascular Surgery in Training Examination Review Vsite, Springer, pp. 495-504, 2023.
- COVIDSurg Collaborative (Kuo I), GlobalSurg Collaborative, “SARS-CoV-2 infection and venous thromboembolism after surgery: an international prospective cohort study” (opens in new tab), Anaesthesia, vol. 77, no. 1, pp. 28-39, 2022.
- Tohmasi S, Kabutey NK, Maithel S, Chen SL, Kuo IJ, Donayre CE, Fujitani RM, Chau AH, “Management of acute aortoiliac arterial thrombosis in patients with novel coronavirus disease 2019: A case series and systematic review of the literature” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery Brief Reports and Innovations, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 100105, 2022.
- Duong WQ, Fujitani RM, Grigorian A, Kabutey NK, Kuo I, de Virgilio C, Lekawa M, Nahmias J, “Evolving Utility of Endovascular Treatment of Juxtarenal, Pararenal, and Suprarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Associated with Increased Risk of Mortality Over Time” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery, vol. 71, pp. 428-436, 2021.
- COVIDSurg Collaborative (Kuo I), GlobalSurg Collaborative, “Timing of surgery following SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international prospective cohort study” (opens in new tab), Anaesthesia, vol. 76, no. 6, pp. 748-758, 2021.
- Tohmasi S, Kabutey NK, Chen SL, Sheehan B, Duong WQ, Kuo IJ, Fujitani RM, Kopchok GE, Donayre CE, “Iatrogenic Arteriovenous Fistula Formation after Endovenous Laser Treatment Resulting in High-output Cardiac Failure: A Case Report and Review of the Literature” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery, vol. 72, pp. 666.e13-666.e21, 2021.
- COVIDSurg Collaborative (Kuo I), GlobalSurg Collaborative, “Effects of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery: an international prospective cohort study” (opens in new tab), Anaesthesia, vol. 76, no. 11, pp. 1454-1464, 2021.
- Tohmasi S, Fujitani RM, Duong WQ, Donayre CE, Kuo IJ, Chau AH, Kabutey NK, “Intentional Bilateral Renal Artery Coverage During Ruptured Endovascular Paraanastomotic Pseudoaneurysm Repair” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery, vol. 79, pp. 440-440.e6, 2021.
- Al-Khouja F, Macherla A, Crawford M, Ramachandran V, Rupasinghe M, Kabutey N, Kuo I, Nelson K, Abi-Jaoudeh N, “Comparative cost effectiveness of varicose vein treatment: a meta-analysis”, Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, vol. 32, no. 5, pp. S28, 2021.
- Hasjim BJ, Fujitani RM, Chen SL, Donayre C, Kuo IJ, Raza A, Reddy U, Ichii H, Kabutey NK, “Utilization of Carbon Dioxide Angiography and Percutaneous Balloon Angioplasty for Treatment of Transplant Renal Artery Stenosis” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery, vol. 65, pp. 10-16, 2020.
- Hasjim BJ, Fujitani RM, Kuo IJ, Donayre CE, Maithel S, Sheehan B, Kabutey NK, “Unique Case of Recurrent Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Treated with Median Sacral Vein Embolization” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery, vol. 68, pp. 569.e1-569.e7, 2020.
- Chen SL, Nabutey NK, Whealon MD, Kuo IJ, Donayre CE, Fujitani RM, “Locoregional Anesthesia Offers Improved Outcomes after Endovascular Repair of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery, vol. 59, pp. 134-142, 2019.
- Tohmasi S, Fujitani RM, Donayre CE, Kuo IJ, Kabutey N, “Plantar Flap Necrosis Following Transmetatarsal Amputation Predicted with Intraoperative Fluorescence Angiography”, ACS Case Reviews in Surgery, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 29-33, 2019.
- Chen SL, Kuo IJ, Kabutey NK, Gabra F, Fujitani RM, “Perioperative Risk Factors for Hospital Readmission Following Elective Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair” (opens in new tab), Journal of Vascular Surgery, vol. 68, no. 3, pp. 731-738.e1, 2018.
- Chen SL, Kuo IJ, Fujitani RM, Kabutey NK, “Endovascular management of concomitant thoracic and abdominal aortic ruptures resulting from Brucellosis aortitis” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery, vol. 38, pp. 190.e1-190.e4, 2017.
- Chen SL, Kuo IJ, Kabutey NK, Fujitani RM, “Physiologic cryoamputation in managing critically ill patients with septic, advanced acute limb ischemia” (opens in new tab), Annals of Vascular Surgery, vol. 42, pp. 50-55, 2017.
Most Cited Publications
- COVIDSurg Collaborative (Kuo I), GlobalSurg Collaborative, “SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study” (opens in new tab), British Journal of Surgery, vol. 108, no. 9, pp. 1056-1063, 2021.
- Chen SL, Whealon MD, Kabutey NK, Kuo IJ, Sgroi MD, Fujitani RM, “Outcomes of open and endovascular lower extremity revascularization in active smokers with advanced peripheral arterial disease” (opens in new tab), Journal of Vascular Surgery, vol. 65, no. 6, pp. 1680-1689, 2017.
- Chen, SL, Kabutey NK, Whealon WD, Kuo IJ, Fujitani RM, “Comparison of percutaneous versus open femoral cutdown access for endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm” (opens in new tab), Journal of Vascular Surgery, vol. 66, no. 5, pp. 1364-1370, 2017.
Contact Information
Email: ijkuo@uci.edu
Phone: (714) 456-5453
Address: Chapman Pavilion, Ste 6200
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Last updated on 4/30/2026.