WILLIAM GUALTIERI, M.D.
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name: William Gualtieri
Current Position: Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon, Mater Dei Teaching University Hospital, MALTA
Address: Department of Ophthalmology, Surgical Vitreoretinal Unit, Mater Dei Teaching University Hospital, MALTA
Languages spoken: English, Italian.
E-mail: william.gualtieri.retina@gmail.com
EDUCATION / TRAINING / QUALIFICATIONS (Summary)
1997: Fully registered under the Medical Act 1983 in the Principal List of the register of medical practitioners of the British General Medical Council with Revalidated (2022) License to Practice. Full registration number: 4375382
14 January 1997 included in the British Specialist Register with Revalidated (2022) License to Practice, Ophthalmology, established by the GMC.
1994-1995: Fellowship (ASTO): in Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Scientific Institute, St. Raffaele University Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
1992-1994: Fellowship (Type 2): in Vitreoretinal Surgery, St. Maria Croci Hospital, Ravenna, Italy.
1991-1992 Resident Retina Specialist, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Ancona University, Ancona, Italy.
1987-1990: Fellowship (Type1): in Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery, University Hospital, Ancona University, Ancona, Italy.
1985-1990: Residency in Ophthalmology: Specialist Degree (CCST) with Magna cum Laude in Ophthalmology from the Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Ancona University, Ancona, Italy.
1983-1985: lnternship: Maggiore General Hospital, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy.
1976-1983: Medical School: Medical Degree (with Honours) from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy.
1971-1976: College: Diploma (Level A) from the Royal Classic College, Cosenza, Italy.
EXPERIENCE
Dr. William Gualtieri, M.D. thoroughly enjoyed his previous junior appointments with internationally known surgeons. In particular, his residency training with Dr. S.Benedetti and Prof. A.Giovannini, then further training with Prof. C. Azzolini and Prof. F. Bandello, provided him with a wide and varied experience in both medical and surgical retina, giving him an excellent grounding in those subspecialties. However, the time spent with Prof. D. McLeod at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, England and Dr. S. de Bustros at the Illinois Retina Associates, “Ingalls Memorial Hospital” and at the “Rush Presbyterian University Medical Center”, Chicago, USA, were of paramount importance for his surgical formation. He has gained a large experience in both vitreoretinal and cataract surgery. To date, he has carried out more than 7900 operations on the posterior segment including: scleral bucklings, P.P.V.s (by 20G, 23G, 25G and 27G), combinations of both and pneumatic retinopexies. Furthermore, he has performed a number of keratoplasties after using the temporary keratoprosthesis for severe eye trauma (vitrectomy+keratoplasty). He screens and treats all ROP stages. He has accomplished a large number of retinal laser treatments. He is familiar with phacoemulsification procedures having carried out more than 3000, most of which have been complex cases. He operates “congenital cataract” with PC-IOL implantation, also in children two months old. He has performed a number of scleral sutured and posterior-iris fixed lenses.
CURRENT POSITION
January 2010 – to date.: Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon (Permanent Consultant)
In 2009, Dr. William Gualtieri M.D. was appointed as a permanent full-time consultant at the Mater Dei Hospital (MDH) in Malta.
MDH is a brand new Teaching University Hospital, with more than 1000 beds. The Ophthalmology Department is fully equipped with every up-to-date diagnostic equipment. A twin vitreoretinal surgery dedicated theatre, equipped with Constellation, Accurus & BIOMs, is 24hs/day, 7days/wk, 4wks/month, 12months/year around open for emergency and elective surgery.
Dr William Gualtieri leads 4 scheduled elective vitreoretinal surgical sessions a week and one complicated cataract cases. He is responsible for “eye trauma” cases and complex cataracts. He is on call for “Vitreoretinal Emergency” referrals and “Eye Trauma” cases one week (from Monday to Sunday) every eight, and from Tuesday to Friday every three weeks. He operates an average of 8 vitreoretinal cases a week. He runs two vitreoretinal clinics per week. He is responsible for ROP screening and treatment.
PREVIOUS JOB APPOINTMENTS
January 2007 – December 2009: Vitreoretinal Surgeon (Temporary Consultant), Ancona Ophthalmic Hospital, Ancona, Marche, Italy; Asti General Hospital, Asti, Piemonte, Italy; and San Marino Republic General Hospital, Republic of San Marino.
October 2003 – December 2006: Vitreoretinal Surgeon (Temporary Consultant), Surgical Vitreoretinal Unit, Department. of Ophthalmology, St. Maria General Hospital, Ravenna, Italy.
April 2003- September 2003: Vitreoretinal Surgeon (Temporary Consultant), Surgical Vitreoretinal Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Maggiore General Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
October 1998 – March 2003: Chief Vitreoretinal Surgeon (Temporary Consultant), Surgical Vitreoretinal Service, Regina Maris Foundation, Cattolica General Hospital,Cattolica, Italy (linked to the Scientific Institute, St. Raffaele University Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy).
April 1995 – September 1998: Vitreoretinal Surgeon (Temporary Consultant), Surgical Vitreoretinal Service, Ophthalmic Hospital, Ancona, Italy.
January 1992 – September 1992: Associate Retina Specialist (Temporary Consultant), Umberto I’ General Hospital, Ancona, Italy.
FURTHER TRAINING
October 1994 – March 1995: Fellowship in Surgical Retina (ASTO), Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Scientific Institute, San Raffaele University Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
October 1992 – September 1994: Fellowship in Surgical Retina (Type II) Dept. Of Ophthalmology, Surgical Vitreoretinal Unit, Santa Maria General Hospital, Ravenna, Italy.
January 1991 – December 1991: Resident Retinal Specialist, Ancona University Hospital, University of Ancona, Ancona, Italy.
TRAINING
January 1988 – December 1990: Fellowship in Medical Retina (SPR Type I), Ancona University Hospital, University of Ancona,Ancona, Italy.
January 1987 – December 1987: Senior House Officer (SHO), Ancona University Hospital, University of Ancona, Ancona, Italy.
October 1985 – December 1986: Pre-Registration House Officer (PRHO) Ophthalmology lnternship, Ancona University Hospital, University of Ancona, Ancona, Italy.
October 1985 – December 1990: Residency in Ophthalmology, (CCST) Ancona University Hospital, University of Ancona, Ancona, Italy.
July 1984 – September 1985: Post-Graduate Year lnternship 2 (PGY 2), Maggiore General Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
March 1983 – June 1984: Pre-Graduate Year lnternship 1 (PGY 1), Maggiore General Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE
Throughout his career, Dr William Gualtieri M.D. consolidated his expertise by means of observerships in some of the best vitreoretinal centres in the world. In 1992, during his training years, he spent 3 months in the United States. He was at the Illinois Retina Associates, Ingalls Hospital, Harvey, Ill., U.S.A. and at the Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Centre, Chicago, Ill. , U.S.A., where he was with Dr. Serge de Bustros. Therefore, he had a deep insight into the “R.G. Michels’ Vitreous Surgery” techniques. In 1994, he was with Prof. D. Mc Leod in both clinical settings and theatre at The Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Manchester, U.K.. He learnt D. Mc Leod’s “scleral buckling” (BOOB, D-ACE, suture needle drainage) techniques. In 1997, he enjoyed attending surgery, attached to Mr. P. Leaver at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, U.K.. During his post-training years, he went to several places for cultural exchanges. In 2000, he was with Drs K. R. Hovland , S. T. Petty and J.D.Zilis at the Porter Memorial Hospital, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.. In 2001, he was with Mr. P. Simcock at The Royal Exeter and Devon Hospital, Exeter, U.K., attending “Primary Phaco-P.P.V. for primary retinal detachment repair in presbyopes”. In January 2004, he went to St. Paul’s Eye Unit in Liverpool, where he was with Mr. D. Wong and Prof. B. Damato keeping himself up to date on “Macular Relocation” and “Partial Lamellar sclero-uvectomy” techniques. In 2006, he spent one week with Profs. K.U.Barzt-Schmidt and S. Grisanti in Tubingen, Germany, observing sub-retinal micro-chip implantation technique.
VOLUNTARY WORK
In 1997, he became an active member of an American surgical voluntary organization called Surgical Eye Expedition and took part in a surgical expedition in Bulgaria where he carried out a number of vitreous surgeries in Sofia and scleral bucklings in Plovdiv.
AUDIT
Dr. W. Gualtieri has regularly audited his surgical outcomes throughout his career. His success rates in retinal detachment repair and macular hole surgery are above published standards. As regards to the fresh retinal detachment, Dr. William Gualtieri’s retinal reattachment rate is 87%-93% after one operation (scleral buckling) and 95% after two (“scleral buckle revision” or secondary P.P.V.). Pneumatic retinopexy is successful in 87%. Retinal reattachment rate after “primary P.P.V.” is 89%-95%. On P.V.R. cases, his surgical outcomes depend on severity of the disease; retinal reattachment rate is around 50% after one operation, about 77% after two, but with decreasing functional activity. From 2004 on, he has increasingly been turning into operating by 23G, 25G, and 27G instrumentation. He used to operate selected macular, vitreous, and v-r interface disorders by 25G P.P.V., through “one port pars plana” sclerotomy. As regards to macular surgery, macular hole closure rate is 95% after PH, ILM and ERM peelings (single operation), and 99% after reoperation (reopened macular hole). He regularly uses the Triamcinolone Acetonide(TA) to peel the PH and the ERM; and the BBG to peel the Il-M. Macular pucker peeling and VMT release are successful in approximately 96% in his record. He carried out a number of subfoveal surgery: 360 macular translocation, limited macular translocation with scleral outfolding, direct CNVM removal. He always uses TA to visualize the vitreous body and the P.H., especially on diabetic retinopathy of which his surgical figures are consistent with those reported on the D.R.V.S. reports. He operates on 95% of his patients under local anaesthesia.
In Cataract Surgery, posterior capsular rupture occurs in 1% on his own record and vitreous loss in 0,5%. Dr. W. Gualtieri operates cataract by means of a “personal mini invasive technique” which is a combination of a “single handed flip and chop” techniques through only “one entry site”. Dr. W. Gualtieri’s real mini-invasive technique has allowed him to reach 0% endophthalmiltis complication rate in the last 5 years. He operates 98% under topical anaesthesia.
MEETINGS AND COURSES ATTENDED
BEAVRS (British Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons) German Society of Ophthalmology.
German Society of Ophthalmology
Italian Society of Ophthalmology
MEMBERS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES
GMC British General Medical Council BEAVRS (British & Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons).
Italian Society of Ophthalmlogy
William Gualtieri M.D. 