Dr. Allan Okrainec

Dr. Allan Okrainec is a Professor of Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief at the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, and a leading figure in minimally invasive and robotic surgery in Canada. Based primarily at Toronto General Hospital — one of Canada's foremost academic medical centres and affiliated with the University of Toronto — he has built an internationally recognised practice in laparoscopic and bariatric surgery spanning more than 20 years.

Dr. Okrainec is a pioneer in surgical simulation and remote surgical education, having conducted some of the world's first remote robotic surgical procedures as part of research into telementoring and telesurgery. His work has been instrumental in developing platforms for surgical skills training that can be deployed in remote communities and developing countries, extending the reach of surgical expertise beyond major academic centres.

In clinical practice, Dr. Okrainec manages the full spectrum of general surgical conditions using minimally invasive techniques — laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery — that reduce recovery times, pain, and complication rates compared with open approaches. His bariatric surgery programme provides sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass for patients with morbid obesity, coordinated through the multidisciplinary obesity programme at UHN.

Dr. Okrainec completed his MD at the University of Ottawa and his general surgery residency at the University of Toronto, qualifying as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC). He undertook a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at the University of Montreal and additional training at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, where he gained expertise in laparoscopic bariatric surgery. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS). His academic appointment at the University of Toronto has enabled him to combine clinical leadership with research into surgical simulation, telementoring, and innovation in minimally invasive technique.

Dr. Okrainec's surgical practice is built around minimally invasive approaches to general surgery. He performs laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy, and anti-reflux surgery, along with complex laparoscopic colorectal resections. His bariatric surgery programme offers laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, with comprehensive multidisciplinary pre- and post-operative support.

In robotic surgery, he performs robotic-assisted hernia repair, colorectal surgery, and selected bariatric procedures using the da Vinci Surgical System. His research into remote surgery and telesurgery has produced peer-reviewed evidence for the safety and effectiveness of telementoring in guiding less experienced surgeons in remote locations.

Toronto General Hospital and the University Health Network accept international patients through a dedicated International Patient Centre. Dr. Okrainec consults in English and French and is available for video consultations to review cases prior to travel. International patients seeking bariatric surgery or complex minimally invasive surgery can access UHN's internationally accredited facilities with multilingual administrative support. Canada's healthcare system is highly regarded, and UHN is among the top-ranked hospitals in the world.

Dr. Okrainec has received the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Flexible Endoscopy Fellowship Award and has been recognised by the University of Toronto Department of Surgery for surgical innovation and teaching excellence. His research into robotic telesurgery and surgical simulation has received national and international recognition, including CIHR and SAGES research grants. He has been named among Canada's leading surgeons in independent physician surveys and serves on the editorial boards of major surgical journals.