Digestive problems are very common in our society. They are annoying and even debilitating at times. I chose this profession because I want to be part of the solution of these problems through patient education. Changes in diet and in the environment, reducing stress and individualized medical treatment are small changes in the lifestyle of the person that can produce a great improvement of the digestive symptoms.
I am a follower of preventive medicine, I consider it essential in digestive health, as it is less invasive, less risky and less expensive; it is more simple and effective for the treatment of digestive diseases.
What I like most about my job is knowing that what I do would help improve the quality of life of people, based on a better digestive health, diagnosis and / or treatment of digestive diseases.

English, Español, 日本語

• PhD in Medical Biosciences. Kōchi University - School of Medicine. April 2006
• Specialty in Digestive Surgery and Digestive Endoscopy. Kōchi University - School of Medicine. April 2004
• Doctor and Surgery. Universidad de Costa Rica. 2000

• Training in Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) for Colon Tumors - Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center. Tokyo, Japan.

  September 2010 - March 2011

• Training in use and interpretation of Endocapsule and Enteroscopy - Policlínica Metropolitana. Caracas, Venezuela.

  April 2010

• Training in Laparoscopic Vesicular Surgery - Centro de Salud. Tucuman, Argentina.

  July 2009

• Training in Therapeutic Endoscopy and Endoscopic Surgery - National Cancer Center. Tokyo, Japan.

  March 2008

• Postdoctoral Course on Genetic and Helicobacter Pylori Factors associated with Gastric Cancer - School of Medicine, Kōchi University. Kōchi, Japón

  November 2007

• Physicians and Surgeons College of Costa Rica cod. MED6386Active

  Medic and Surgeon - Costa Rica

• 2007 Grant for the Research Project of Helicobacter Pylori and Host Genetic Factors associated with Gastric Diseases - Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)

• Coordinator of the Early Detection Group Program of Gastric and Colon Cancer - Centro Digestivo Dres. Con in Mediplaza in collaboration with Laboratorios Echandi and Toho University in Tokyo. San José, Costa Rica. 2006 - Present

• Transvaginal NOTES cholecistectomy in humans: first series of cases in Costa Rica. Con SA, Solano C, Kishimoto G, Alvarado Dávila P. Rev Gastroenterol Peru. 2011 Ene-Mar;31(1):87-90. Spanish.
• Follow-up after curative surgery for colorectal cancer: impact of positron emission tomography – computed tomography (PET/CT). Kishimoto G, Murakami K, Con SA, Yamasaki E, Domeki Y, Tsubaki M, Sakamoto S. Rev Gastroenterol Peru. 2010 Oct-Dec;30(4):328-33. Spanish. PMID: 21263760.
• The mechanical binding strengths of Helicobacter pylori BabA and SabB adhesins using an adhesión binding assay-ELISA, and its clinical relevance in Japan. Nishioka M, Takeuchi H, Con SA, Uehara Y, Nishimori I, Okumiya T, Kumon Y, Sugiura T. Microbiol Immunol. 2010 Aug;54(8):442-51.PMID: 20646208 [PubMed - in process].
• Clinical relevance of Helicobacter pylori babA2 and babA2/B in Costa Rica and Japan. Con SA, Takeuchi H, Nishioka M, Morimoto N, Sugiura T, Yasuda N, Con-Wong R. World J Gastroenterol. 2010 Jan 28;16(4):474-8.PMID: 20101774.
• Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the curative treatment of early gastric cancer: initial experience in Costa Rica. Con SA, Con-Chin GR, Kishimoto G, Con-Wong R. Rev Gastroenterol Peru. 2009 Jul-Sep;29(3):276-80. Spanish. PMID: 19898602.
• Application of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for removal of deep invasive submucosal colon carcinoma.Con SA, Saito Y, Matsuda T, Taniguchi H, Nakajima T.Case Reports in Medicine. 2009; doi:10.1155/2009/573981.
• Challenges and lessons learned from NOTES cholecystectomy initial experience: a stepwise approach from the laboratory to clinical application.Asakuma M, Perretta S, Allemann P, Cahill R, Con SA, Solano C, Pasupathy S, Mutter D, Dallemagne B, Marescaux J.J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg. 2009;16(3):249-54. Epub 2009 Apr 10.
• Risk of perforation during endoscopic submucosal dissection using latest insulation-tipped diathermic knife (IT knife-2).Con SA, Oda I, Suzuki H, Kusano C, Kiriyama S, Gotoda T.Endoscopy. 2009 Mar;41 Suppl 2:E69-70. Epub 2009 Mar 24.
• Role of bacterial and genetic factors in gastric cancer in Costa Rica.Con SA, Takeuchi H, Con-Chin GR, Con-Chin VG, Yasuda N, Con-Wong R.World J Gastroenterol. 2009 Jan 14;15(2):211-8.
• Serum pepsinogen levels, Helicobacter pylori CagA Status, and cytokine gene polymorphisms associated with gastric premalignant lesions in Costa Rica.Con SA, Con-Wong R, Con-Chin GR, Con-Chin VG, Takeuchi H, Valerín AL, Echandi G, Mena F, Brenes F, Yasuda N, Araki K, Sugiura T.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Dec;16(12):2631-6.
• Diversity of Helicobacter pylori cagA and vacA genes in Costa Rica: its relationship with atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer.Con SA, Takeuchi H, Valerín AL, Con-Wong R, Con-Chin GR, Con-Chin VG, Nishioka M, Mena F, Brenes F, Yasuda N, Araki K, Sugiura T. Helicobacter. 2007 Oct;12(5):547-52.
• Helicobacter pylori CagA status associated with gastric cancer incidence rate variability in Costa Rican regions.Con SA, Valerín AL, Takeuchi H, Con-Wong R, Con-Chin VG, Con-Chin GR, Yagi-Chaves SN, Mena F, Brenes Pino F, Echandi G, Kobayashi M, Monge-Izaguirre M, Nishioka M, Morimoto N, Sugiura T, Araki K.J Gastroenterol. 2006 Jul;41(7):632-7.
• Cell elongation and cell death of Helicobacter pylori is modulated by the disruption of cdrA (cell division-related gene A).Takeuchi H, Nakazawa T, Okamoto T, Shirai M, Kimoto M, Nishioka M, Con SA, Morimoto N, Sugiura T.Microbiol Immunol. 2006;50(7):487-97.
• Con SA, Disección endoscópica de submucosa para cáncer gastrointestinal temprano. Centro Digestivo Drs. Con-Mediplaza. San José, Costa Rica, 2 de marzo 2011.
• Con SA, Primer Simposio de Enfermedades Digestivas. Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos de Costa Rica. San José, Costa Rica, setiembre 2009.
• Con SA, Takeuchi H, Valerín AL, et al. Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori cagA, vacA, babA2 and babB genes: association with gastric atrophy and recombination of babA2 and babB in Costa Rica. 106th American Society for Microbiologists (ASM) en Orlando, Estados Unidos, mayo 2006.
• Con SA, Con-Wong R, Con-Chin VG, et al. Serum pepsinogen levels, Helicobacter pylori CagA status and cytokine gene polymorphisms associated with gastric premalignant lesions in Costa Rica.
• Con SA, Takeuchi H, Nishioka M, et al. Clinical Relevance of babA2, babB and a Recombinant Gene Between babA2 and babB Genes of Helicobacter pylori: Studies in Costa Rica and Japan.