M.D., F.A.C.S.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Department of Surgery, City of Hope Cancer Center Atlanta
My goal is to restore not only form, but confidence and quality of life, too—ensuring patients feel supported, informed and cared for throughout their entire cancer journey.
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH
General Surgery - The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery - The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI
Nilton D. Medina, MD, FACS, is a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon with more than 15 years’ experience and fellowship training in microsurgery. Dr. Medina brings his expertise in a wide range of reconstructive surgical procedures to patients at City of Hope® Cancer Center Atlanta, with a particular focus on breast reconstruction that seeks to restore form, function and symmetry for patients who have undergone treatment for breast cancer.
“I was drawn to oncology through reconstructive surgery—specifically the opportunity to help patients regain a sense of wholeness after cancer treatment,” says Dr. Medina. “Breast reconstruction in particular allows me to combine technical precision with meaningful, long-term impact on a patient’s quality of life.”
Dr. Medina’s areas of focus include implant-based and autologous breast reconstruction, oncoplastic breast surgery and microsurgical reconstruction, with a particular interest in complex breast revision surgery. He conducts both immediate and delayed breast reconstructive surgery and collaborates with patients’ multidisciplinary teams to provide the best functional and aesthetic outcomes possible, often including fat grafting strategies for patients who have undergone breast radiation therapy.
“The ability to collaborate closely with surgical oncology, medical oncology and radiation oncology teams while offering advanced reconstructive options creates an environment where patients truly benefit from comprehensive, coordinated care,” Dr. Medina says.
After earning his medical degree at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire, Dr. Medina continued his training at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he pursued an internship, followed by two residencies: one in general surgery and one in plastic and reconstructive surgery. He then completed a fellowship in microvascular surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
A fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of both the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Medina has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and received multiple awards and honors, including inclusion in Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors list in 2024. Prior to joining City of Hope, he was an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Boston University School of Medicine and a private practice reconstructive surgeon.
Outside of his work, Dr. Medina values spending time with his son, staying active, traveling and maintaining a balanced lifestyle that allows him to be fully present both professionally and personally. In addition to English, he speaks French, Spanish and Portuguese.