Katlin Mallette

What research are you currently working on?
I am currently working on evaluating the need for drains in patients undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer. It is currently standard of care within Saskatchewan to leave post-operative drains in patients undergoing simple mastectomy for breast cancer with the goal of preventing seroma formation. With the invention of new techniques and technology, it is thought that drains are no longer necessary. We are hoping that be eliminating the need for post-operative drains would also allow for shorter hospital stays, use of fewer resources and better patient satisfaction.

When did you become interested in Research?
I first became interested in research during medical school at the University of Manitoba, when working with community general surgeons in Brandon, Manitoba. Seeing firsthand how research conducted at their local hospital led to changes in protocols not only in that institution but also throughout the province.

How has research influenced your career goals?
Through conducting research around endoscopy, I quickly realized my strong interest in advanced therapeutic endoscopy. It also demonstrated how relatively small changes in practice can lead to large differences in patient care and overall patient satisfaction.

What is one piece of advice you would share to other residents interested in research?
Pick an area of surgery or medicine in general, that you find fascinating and develop your research around that topic. Working on research in an area of surgery that fascinates you will make the hard work required, that much easier and more fulfilling.

What do you enjoy doing outside of residency/research? 
I love spending time with family and my resident colleagues outside of work. Saskatchewan has such a wide variety of activities and restaurants to try, there’s not enough time in residency to try them all! I also took up running during residency, and can’t wait for the return of in-person races to try out my next half marathon.

Most memorable moment in research?
While working on a project during my second year of residency looking at the use of nanoparticles to improve radiofrequency ablation in Hepatocellular carcinoma cells, I got to go back to the lab to undertake some basic science research. Being back in the lab and culturing cells like I had during my undergraduate degree was a lot of fun and pretty cool.

Selected Publications:

• Mallette K, Michel D, Moser M, Badea I. The loading of gold nanoparticles into hepatocellular carcinoma cells for the enhancement of ablation treatments. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 2020; 231(4):e166-167.
• Mallette K, Christian F, Caspar-Bell G. Efficacy & safety of total thyroidectomy as preferred primary treatment option for Graves’ disease. Endocrine Abstracts 2020; 70AEP964.
• Mallette KI, Pieroni P, Dhalla SS. Bacterial presence on flexible endoscopes vs time since disinfection. World J Gastrointest Endosc 2018; 10 (1): 51-55.
• Mallette KI, Dhalla SS. Carbon dioxide versus room air insufflation in colonoscopy: a comparative study. Dig Sys 2017; 1 (2): 1-7.
• Mallette K, Mammen , Dhalla S. Ischiorectal abscess secondary to an ingested foreign body. American  Journal of Surgery & Clinical Case Reports 2020; 2(2).