Dr. Liridon Gashi

Dr. Liridon Gashi is a senior general and laparoscopic surgeon at the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo (UCCK) in Pristina. With 16 years of surgical experience, he has performed over 2,000 procedures and is one of Kosovo's most experienced surgeons, particularly in minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques.

Dr. Gashi completed laparoscopic surgery training at the Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan, Italy, gaining advanced skills in laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Italy has historically been an important training destination for Kosovar physicians, given the large Albanian-speaking community in Italy.

He returned to Kosovo where he established a structured laparoscopic surgery program at the UCCK, introducing new techniques and training junior surgeons. He is a member of the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) and works to bring Kosovar surgical standards in line with European best practices.

Dr. Gashi is known for his technical precision, his commitment to minimally invasive approaches that reduce patient recovery time, and his dedication to surgical education.

Dr. Gashi received his MD from the University of Pristina Faculty of Medicine in 2005. He completed his general surgery residency at the UCCK and undertook a laparoscopic and colorectal surgery fellowship at the Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (2010–2011). His PhD from the University of Pristina in 2014 focused on laparoscopic versus open colorectal resection outcomes. He is a member of the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) and is certified by the Ministry of Health of Kosovo in general surgery.

Dr. Gashi specializes in laparoscopic and general abdominal surgery. He performs laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy, hernia repair (laparoscopic and open), anti-reflux surgery, and laparoscopic colorectal resection for cancer and benign disease. He manages colorectal cancer including laparoscopic right and left hemicolectomy, sigmoidectomy, and rectal resection. He also performs emergency and elective open abdominal surgery for complex cases. He works within a multidisciplinary colorectal cancer team including oncologists and radiation therapists.

Dr. Gashi has published over 10 peer-reviewed articles in Albanian and international surgery journals. His research focuses on laparoscopic colorectal surgery outcomes, hernia recurrence rates, and the introduction of minimally invasive techniques in Kosovo. He collaborates with surgical colleagues in Italy and participates in EAES educational programs.

Dr. Gashi speaks Albanian and English and sees patients from the Kosovo diaspora including the large Albanian communities in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria. The UCCK coordinates international patient surgical consultations. Video consultations are available for pre-operative assessment. Many diaspora patients choose to have elective surgical procedures in Kosovo, benefiting from much lower costs than in Western Europe.

Dr. Gashi received the Kosovo Surgical Society Award for Surgical Excellence in 2018. He was recognized by the UCCK for his leadership in establishing the laparoscopic surgery program. He has received EAES recognition for his contributions to minimally invasive surgery training in Kosovo.