The Department of Surgery

Kyle L. Kleppe, MD

Associate Professor
Program Director, Advanced GI MIS/Bariatric Fellowship
Surgical Director , UT Center for Advanced Medical Simulation
Division of General Surgery

Clinical Focus

Minimally Invasive Surgery, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Surgical Endoscopy, Complex Hernia Repair, Weight Loss Surgery

Research Focus

Minimally invasive surgical approaches, surgical education and simulation

Education

Medical School
Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA

Residency
General Surgery, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, TN

Fellowship
Advanced Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery, University of Wisconsin, WI

Certification

American Board of Surgery

Professional Affiliations

American Medical Association
American College of Surgeons
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
American Hernia Society
Gold Humanism Honor Society
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons

Book Chapters

Kleppe K and Phillips-LaPinska M. Technique: Pull PEG. Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG): Techniques, Effectiveness and Potential Complications. Editors: Marks J, Pauli, E. 2016. ISBN: 978-1-63485-617-1.

Kleppe K and Ramshaw B. The Application of Complex Systems Science to Healthcare and Hernia Disease. Management of Abdominal Hernias. LeBlanc KA, Kingsnorth A, Sanders DL (Eds.) 2018. ISBN 978-3-319-63251-3.
Kleppe K and Greenberg JA. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols: Rationale and Components. Surg Clin North Am. 2018 Jun;98(3):499-509.

Current Publications

Clegg DJ, Creighton JH, White HL, Heidel RE, Laredo JA, Fuller JA, Budney SM, Kleppe KL, Blake KE, Fafaj A..
Comparison of recurrence and quality-of-life outcomes after robotic versus laparoscopic parastomal hernia repair: A retrospective analysis of the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative. Hernia. 2025 Dec 11;30(1):27. doi: 10.1007/s10029-025-03522-5.

Budney S, Kleppe K, Mancini M, Mancini G, Phillips M, McKnight C, Griepentrog J, Reinhorn M, Fafaj A, Blake KE.
Chronic groin pain after Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair: Partially absorbable light-weight mesh versus conventional light-weight versus heavy-weight mesh. Hernia. 2025 Sep 17;29(1):275. doi: 10.1007/s10029-025-03469-7.

Budney S, Middleton E, Kleppe K, Mancini M, Mancini G, Phillips M, McKnight C, Griepentrog J, Fafaj A, Blake KE.
Outcomes of quadratus lumborum blocks for pain control after open abdominal wall reconstruction: A single institution retrospective analysis. Hernia. 2025 Mar 12;29(1):118. doi: 10.1007/s10029-025-03296-w.

Taylor R, Madion M, Kleppe K, Mancini M, Mancini G, Hutson M, Yates J, Daigle H.
Increasing enoxaparin dosing from 30 mg to 40 mg does not affect bleeding or VTE risk in bariatric surgery patients. Am Surg. 2024 Jun;90(6):1784-1786. doi: 10.1177/00031348241241696. Epub 2024 Mar 26.

Grubbs JE, Daigle HJ, Shepherd M, Heidel RE, Kleppe KL, Mancini ML, Mancini GJ.
Fighting the obesity pandemic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surg Endosc. 2023 Jun;37(6):4895-4901. doi: 10.1007/s00464-022-09628-6. Epub 2022 Sep 26.

Current Presentations

Khomutova A, Budney S, Phillips M, Mancini G, Mancini M, Kleppe K, Fafaj A, Blake KE. Comparing quadratus lumborum and transversus abdominus plane blocks for pain control after open ventral hernia repair. Presented at American Hernia Society; 2025 Sept - 4; Nashville, TN.

Mancini, G, Kleppe K. Does preoperative insurance authorization for inpatient status predict inpatient stay following bariatric surgery? Presented at American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery; 2025 June - 15; Washington, D.C.

Park J, Kleppe K. Laparoscopic assisted endoscopic resection of lesion in gastric remnant. Presented at American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery; 2024 June - 9; San Diego, CA.

Edwards M, Balmer J, Madion M, Heidel E, Kleppe K. Bariatric surgery risk stratification: Development of an easy-to-use tool for predicting morbidity and length of stay. Presented at American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Annual Meeting; 2024 June - 9; San Diego, CA.

Xu W, Kleppe K. Surgical simulation. Presented at American College Surgery Surgical Simulation Summit; 2024 March - 15; Chicago ,Illinois.

Ahmed S, Kleppe K, Park J. Single incision cystogastrostomy. Presented at Southeastern Surgical Conference; 2024 Feb - 3; Clearwater.

Kleppe K. Surgical endoscopy: Moving in the right direction. Presented at Surgery Grand Rounds University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine; 2023 October - 5; Knoxville, TN.

Madion M, Sharma A, Mancini G, Mancini M, Kleppe K, Daigle H. Types and management of biliary pathology during cholecystectomy after bariatric surgery: A single institution review Presented at Tennessee Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery; 2023 April - 28; Franklin.

Daigle H, Shepherd M, Heidel E, Kleppe K, Mancini M, Mancini G. Out of Harm's Reach: Outpatient Surgery Reduces Post-Operative Opioid Use Among Bariatric Surgery Patients. Presented at American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery; 2022 June-5; Dallas, Texas.

Taylor R, Daigle H, Ball K, Hutson M, Heidel E, Mancini M, Mancini G, Kleppe K. Increasing Prophylactic Enoxaparin Dosing From 30 mg to 40 mg Does Not Increase Risk of Bleeding in Bariatric Surgery Patients. Presented at American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery ; 2022 June-5; Dallas, Texas.

Kleppe K, Daigle H, Shepherd M, Mancini G, Mancini M, Heidel RE. Out of harm’s reach: Outpatient surgery reduces post-operative opioid use among bariatric surgery patients. Presented at American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Annual Meeting; 2022 June; Dallas, TX.

Kleppe K, Grubbs JE, Daigle HJ, Mancini ML, Mancini GJ, Shepherd M. “Fighting the Obesity Pandemic During the COVID Pandemic. Presented at Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, Annual Meeting; 2022 March-16; Denver, CO.

Grubbs JE, Daigle HJ, Shepherd M, Kleppe KL, Mancini ML, Mancini GJ. Fighting the Obesity Pandemic During the Covid Pandemic. Presented at Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES); 2022 March-16; Denver, Colorado.