Endometriosis Excision Surgeon
Dr. Theodoros Kapetanakis, MD, PhD, FACOG
New York, New York
At a Glance
Strengths
- Consistently strong patient feedback across multiple platforms, no meaningful negative patterns identified
- Fellowship-trained under Dr. Malcolm Mackenzie at Mount Auburn, over 450 excision surgeries completed during training
- Published excision-specific research including a 2025 study comparing patient outcomes between excision and ablation
Worth Knowing
- Newer in independent practice, fellowship completed 2022
- Less information available online than most surgeons in this directory, likely reflects how recently he entered independent practice
- Not currently scheduling new consults, transitioning to Viva Eve NYC in fall 2026
From the Editor
Dr. Kapetanakis doesn't have a large public footprint, which is likely a reflection of how recently he entered independent practice rather than anything meaningful about his care. What is there is good. Patient feedback is consistently strong across every platform where accounts were found, with no meaningful negative patterns. The research output is real and excision-specific. The move to Viva Eve in New York City in fall 2026 is worth knowing about, both because he is not currently scheduling new consults at Hartford, and because Viva Eve is an endometriosis-focused practice, which is meaningful context for where he is headed. For patients in the New York area, he will be worth watching.
Patient Feedback
Patterns Across Patient Feedback
Endometriosis Focus
Fellowship-trained excision surgeon; endometriosis is a primary specialty
Dr. Kapetanakis completed an 18-month fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at Mount Auburn Hospital in Boston under Dr. Malcolm Mackenzie, one of the most recognized excision surgeons in the country. Nancy's Nook confirmed that during this fellowship, Dr. Kapetanakis completed more than 450 excision surgeries. He became board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, holds a fellowship designation (FACOG), and also holds a doctorate in critical care from the University of Athens.
His Hartford Hospital profile lists endometriosis as a primary area of expertise, and he is described as a board-certified minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon with significant experience in complex endometriosis removal. He joined Hartford HealthCare in 2025 to establish an endometriosis center, and in June 2026 announced he would be transitioning to Viva Eve, an endometriosis-focused practice in New York City, in fall 2026.
Surgical Method
Laparoscopic excision; trained in complex and stage IV disease
Dr. Kapetanakis performs laparoscopic excision surgery and has documented experience with stage IV and deeply infiltrating endometriosis. His published and presented surgical work includes laparoscopic lesion mapping, radical wide field excision, and bladder peritonectomy for deeply infiltrating disease (endometriosis that has grown into the bladder wall). Patient accounts describe complex cases involving bowel, bladder, and other organ involvement being addressed in a single surgery. His LinkedIn profile references participation in a robotic surgery training program in Italy, suggesting familiarity with robotic approaches, though his primary documented technique is laparoscopic. Nancy's Nook confirms excision is performed.
Ask directly
- Do you perform excision, ablation, or both? What factors determine which approach you use?
- Do you use robotic or manual laparoscopy, and does that vary by case?
Other Areas of Specialty
Complex pelvic disease including bowel, bladder, and appendix involvement
Patient accounts and Nancy's Nook describe Dr. Kapetanakis addressing bowel adhesions, bladder lesions, rectum and intestinal involvement, endometriomas, and appendectomies within the same surgery as excision. One published surgical case specifically documents bladder peritonectomy for deeply infiltrating disease. Adenomyosis is noted as a concurrent finding in multiple accounts, with at least one patient account describing a conversation about future hysterectomy for adenomyosis-related symptoms, managed separately from the initial excision.
Multidisciplinary Approach
Colorectal team involved in complex cases; pelvic floor PT recommended post-operatively
Patient accounts describe colorectal involvement being addressed within the same surgery, including bowel resection. One patient account describes 2 inches of bowel being resected during excision surgery for stage IV disease. Dr. Kapetanakis stated to Nancy's Nook upon moving to Connecticut that he is actively working to build a multidisciplinary team at Hartford HealthCare. Multiple patients report being referred to pelvic floor physical therapy as part of their post-surgical care, with accounts describing significant pain reduction following PT.
Diagnosis Methods
Thorough initial consultations; frequently the first doctor to take symptoms seriously
Patient accounts consistently describe initial consultations in which Dr. Kapetanakis took an extensive history, asked detailed questions, and listened without rushing. Multiple accounts report this being the first appointment where the patient felt believed after years of dismissal elsewhere.
One patient described the appointment at length: Dr. Kapetanakis opened by asking to hear the full story, paused to ask specific follow-up questions, and concluded by saying, "This isn't normal. We are going to do something about this." Another patient quoted him directly from their first appointment: "I believe you. All that you say makes sense to me. And we have things we can do."
No public information found on stated diagnostic philosophy regarding imaging limitations or a specific pre-surgical diagnostic protocol.
Ask directly
- Do you consider a negative ultrasound or MRI sufficient to rule out endometriosis?
- What is your process for diagnosing endo in a patient who has never had surgery?
Educational Presence
Published excision researcher; keynote speaker; active LinkedIn presence; resident educator
Dr. Kapetanakis has published excision-specific research. His most notable publication is a 2025 study in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, co-authored with Dr. Mackenzie and colleagues, comparing patient-reported outcomes between laparoscopic excision and ablation surgery. Additional surgical presentations and case studies include work on laparoscopic endometriosis lesion mapping and radical wide field excision, and a surgical video/case study on bladder peritonectomy for deeply infiltrating endometriosis in stage IV disease. Additional published work includes a field guide to atypical endometriosis lesions, a systematic approach to endometriosis lesion mapping and radical excision, and technical and safety considerations in posterior cul-de-sac endometriosis.
Dr. Kapetanakis served as a keynote speaker at a Below the Belt documentary screening event in 2025 in Durham, NH. Below the Belt is a widely distributed documentary focused on the endometriosis diagnosis crisis. He maintains an active LinkedIn presence under his name, where he posts about endometriosis awareness, the emotional toll of the disease, and the responsibility of healthcare providers to take symptoms seriously. These are posts in his own voice, not institution-produced content.
He teaches residents and medical students, first at Harvard Medical School during his fellowship and now through the University of Connecticut. His hospital bio notes regular participation in academic and industry initiatives, and that he has served as a consultant and educator in various settings.
He completed additional training through a robotics-focused surgical program in Italy with an international faculty. No iCareBetter listing was found at time of research.
Post-Surgical Care
Pelvic floor PT routinely recommended; some patients counseled on adenomyosis management
Multiple patient accounts describe being referred to pelvic floor physical therapy as a standard part of post-surgical care, with accounts describing it as recommended at the direction of his health team. One patient described going from daily pain ranging from 4 to 9 on a pain scale to near-complete pain relief within months of starting PT. Another patient described Dr. Kapetanakis advising a 9 to 12 month window before beginning to plan a hysterectomy for adenomyosis, indicating staged care planning for patients with multiple diagnoses.
His hospital bio states that he combines effective surgical care before, during, and after surgery, and his profile notes that he understands the challenges facing patients with endometriosis. Several accounts describe receiving thorough post-operative explanations of findings, both verbally and via surgical footage review.
No public information found on who conducts follow-up appointments, how soon after surgery the first follow-up occurs, or stated philosophy on hormonal treatment post-surgery.
Ask directly
- Do you see patients personally at follow-up appointments, or does someone else from your team?
- How soon after surgery is the first follow-up appointment?
- For how long do you continue to see patients after surgery?
- Do you recommend hormonal treatment or birth control after surgery, and what is your reasoning?
Philosophy and Fit
Publicly engaged with the endo community; stated commitment to patient belief and complex case management
Dr. Kapetanakis has made several public statements worth noting for patients evaluating fit. In a LinkedIn post during Endometriosis Awareness Month, he wrote: "Endometriosis is widely misunderstood in healthcare, and that misunderstanding contributes to the years it often takes patients to receive a diagnosis. It is not just a women's health condition. It is not just a period problem. It is a whole-body disease." He noted that healthcare providers have a responsibility to listen to patients and take symptoms seriously.
A patient account quoted him in the operating room as saying, "We will not be intimidated by endometriosis. We will intimidate endometriosis." His hospital bio states he accepts responsibility for ongoing education to maintain surgical quality and safety. He is affiliated with the University of Connecticut and continues to train the next generation of gynecologists.
Ask directly
- What percentage of your surgical cases involve endometriosis?
- Do you treat patients who want to preserve fertility, and how does that affect your surgical approach? If adenomyosis is found during surgery, how do you handle that in a patient who wants to preserve fertility?
Sources
- Hartford Hospital - Physician Profile: Theodoros Kapetanakis, MD, PhD, FACOG
- Doximity - Credentials and publications
- US News Doctors - Theodoros Kapetanakis profile and publications
- Intimate Connections Doula - "Endometriosis and Me" (patient/doula personal account of care with Dr. Kapetanakis)
- PubMed - Isaac A, Kapetanakis T, et al. "Patient Perception and Experience of Laparoscopic Excision vs. Ablation of Endometriosis." J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2025.
- ScienceDirect - Manning CT, Koi T, Kapetanakis T, et al. "A Sustainable Approach for Navigating Complex Endometriosis: Bladder Peritonectomy of Deeply Infiltrative Endometriosis (DIE)." AAGL 2023.
- Boston University Research Profile - Publications listing
- ResearchGate - "Not Your Mother's Powder Burn Lesion: A Field Guide to Atypical Endometriosis Lesions"
- ResearchGate - "A Systematic Approach to Endometriosis Lesion Mapping and Radical Excision"
- ResearchGate - "Technical and Safety Considerations in Posterior Cul de Sac Endometriosis"
- Healthgrades - Patient reviews
- Vitals - Patient reviews
- Nancy's Nook - Fellowship confirmation, excision confirmed, multidisciplinary team development noted, practice update from Dr. Kapetanakis (not publicly linkable)
- Reddit r/endometriosis - Multiple patient accounts (2022, 2024, 2025)
- Reddit r/dr_reviews_gyn - Patient account (2022)
- LinkedIn - Dr. Kapetanakis public posts on endometriosis awareness and patient advocacy
- NHPR Community Calendar - Below the Belt screening, Durham NH, 2025 (keynote speaker)