Lauri Romanzi

Brainstormer, Doctor, Entrepreneur, Explorer, Global soul, Idea generator, Life mentor, Policy maker, Scientist, Writer/Editor

Dr. Lauri Romanzi is an established reconstructive pelvic surgeon, urogynecologist and Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Weill/Cornell New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. An active clinical researcher with numerous original research manuscripts, surgical textbook chapters and review articles to her name, she is the pioneer of a minimally invasive, hysterectomy-free surgical technique of uterine re-suspension for prolapse repair that she has taught to colleagues in New York City and Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Dr. Romanzi serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the Journal of Gender Specific Medicine, the Fistula Committee of the International Urogynecology Association and the Public Health Committee of the New York County Medical Society. Administrative and clinical experience includes 33 years of grassroots and clinical work with victims of rape, 17 years of urogynecology /reconstructive pelvic surgery, and 8 years experience in clinical program development and fundraising work with international collaboratives such as Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Engender Health, International Organization of Women and Development, Kilimanjaro Catholic Medical Center in Tanzania, Panzi Hospital Foundation, and Pentecostal Mission Work Abroad in Democratic Republic of Congo. Clinical international focus includes fistula prevention and treatment, pelvic floor disorder teaching, research investigation, NGO/health center resource optimization and program coordination, performing, teaching and supervising surgery for women suffering fistula, child birth injuries, prolapse, incontinence and war trauma in Niger, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her most recent work in DRC includes clinical protocol development for Panzi Hospital, clinical and surgical training of Panzi surgeons for evaluation and management of pelvic organ prolapse and intact-bladder urinary incontinence, coordination and Field Team Leader for the 2010 joint Harvard Humanitarian initiative/EngenderHealth program to evaluate Capacity Building for Fistula Repair in Eastern DRC. Featured on the Today Show, NY Times, Fox 5, London Times, Italian Playboy, Dr Radio, London Guardian, More Magazine, Redbook, Telemundo, Playboy Radio, Radio Ritas, Oprah Magazine and Cosmo Radio, among others, Dr. Romanzi also authored a Kirkus reviewed book - Plumbing and Renovations - in 2009, that gives readers the inside scoop on hysterectomy-free prolapse surgery, urinary incontinence options, and pelvic floor fitness.

Eradication of obstetric fistula from developing nations, a problem that ended in North America and Europe before 1900, due primarily to the advent of ether anesthesia.

Medical Writer-Communicator, Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Systems Analysis & Design