Meet the Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery Team

Dr. Garfein’s clinical interests are in microsurgical and complex reconstruction. He has received advanced training in the use of perforator flaps to minimize donor-site morbidity. His major interests are in breast, lower extremity, and head and neck reconstruction. Dr. Garfein performs all methods of breast reconstruction, including the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap, transverse upper gracilis (TUG) flap, thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP) flap and superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap. He has significant experience with free fibular osseocutaneous flaps for reconstruction of head and neck defects. He is also interested in aesthetic surgery, particularly of the face, breasts and abdomen.

Dr. Garfein’s research interests include the disparity in rates of breast reconstruction among various socioeconomic groups, advanced radiographic planning in the design of free flaps and perforator flaps, and in prefabrication of flaps for functional reconstruction of the face.

View Dr. Garfein's publications on PubMed.

In 2008, Dr. Garfein founded the In It Together Foundation at Montefiore Medical Center. The Foundation assists disadvantaged patients with daily needs after reconstructive surgery.

In 2010, he authored a new bill requiring hospitals to inform breast cancer patients of breast reconstruction options after mastectomy to reduce the disparities found to exist between low- and high-income patients.

In 2012, Dr. Garfein created a program that delivers current health information via text messages to residents of the Bronx. The “Bronx4Bronx” text messaging program is available in English and Spanish.

Dr. Garfein received his medical degree from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. He trained in general surgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Between his general surgery and plastic surgery training, Dr. Garfein conducted research at Harvard Medical School, concentrating on the role of hematopoietic stem cells in wound healing. Dr. Garfein completed his plastic surgery residency at the Harvard Combined Plastic Surgery Residency Program, serving as chief resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, Children’s Hospital Boston and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He also completed a microsurgery fellowship at the Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery at New York University.