James W. Fleshman Jr., MD is chief of colon and rectal surgery and professor of surgery at Washington University Medical School in St. Louis. He is also surgeon-in-chief of Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, where he has forged close relationships between Washington University physicians and those in private practice.  Dr. Fleshman is a co-author of Atlas of Surgical Techniques for Colon, Rectum and Anus, a volume in the Surgical Techniques Atlas Series, as well as the author of Laparoscopic Approaches in Oncology, An Issue of Surgical Oncology Clinics.

Dr. Fleshman graduated from the Washington University School of Medicine, and completed his residency at the Jewish Hospital of St. Louis. He performed a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at the University of Toronto, and is board certified in general surgery and colon and rectal surgery. In addition to colon and rectal surgery and cancer, Dr. Fleshman’s other areas of clinical interest include laparoscopic surgery, rectovaginal fistula, rectal prolapse, pelvic floor disorders, colorectal tumors, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, pelvic pouch operation, artificial bowel sphincter, strictureplasty, and perineal proctectomy.

Highly regarded in his field, Dr. Fleshman is widely known for developing laparoscopic techniques for colorectal surgery. In a landmark clinical trial, his research also helped to establish that laparoscopic surgery is as safe and effective as conventional surgery for removing colon tumors. He is listed in Best Doctors in America (Best Doctors, Inc.) and is ranked by U.S. News as in the top 1% in the nation in his specialty.  He is past president of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, past president of the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, and governor of the American College of Surgeons.