About Leo R. Otake, MD
After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Otake undertook his medical education at Yale in addition to a PhD in Cell Biology and Biochemistry. Plastic surgery residency training under the direction of Dr. John Persing was completed at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He then sought additional specialized fellowship training in Reconstructive Microsurgery including the DIEP flap at Stanford University. In addition to breast reconstruction, Dr. Otake has an interest in complex reconstructive procedures and tissue engineering. Dr. Otake is active in sharing his expertise with organizations dedicated to the application and delivery of plastic surgery care to patients around the world. In collaboration with Operation Smile, he is undertaking one of the largest studies to date in search of genes responsible for cleft lip and palate. He has authored articles on telemedicine technologies to facilitate delivery of expert care to distant global sites, collaborating with surgeons in Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Nepal and Zambia. Dr. Otake has joined teams of surgeons to deliver surgical services to the Amazon region of Brazil, Honduras and Jordan.