Dr. Melissa Marie Guanche, MD

Dr. Kaufman has been consecutively named as a Top Plastic Surgeon, in both the Castle Connolly Guide (New York metro area) and Inside New Jersey magazine. He has also been named a Top Plastic Surgeon by New Jersey Monthly magazine. Dr. Kaufman's training was completed at the best surgical programs in both New York City and Los Angeles. He received his undergraduate degree from Binghamton University where he graduated with Honors and was named to the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Society. He attended medical school at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, graduating in the top 5% of his medical school class. While there, he received numerous honors including acceptance into the AOA medical honor society and an endowment scholarship for outstanding academic performance. Dr. Kaufman embarked on his surgical training at one of the nation's top training programs for Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. While there, he trained with world-famous surgeons dedicated to complex Head and Neck Reconstruction and Facial Plastic Surgery. Upon completion, he continued his training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the prestigious UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles, he learned the most advanced and innovative plastic surgery techniques from leaders and innovators practicing in the epicenter of the cosmetic surgery world. Dr. Kaufman is highly skilled in all cosmetic surgery procedures of the face and body. These procedures include facelift, blepharoplasty (eyelid rejuvenation), brow lift, nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), ear reshaping (otoplasty), chin/lip surgery, skin resurfacing, liposuction, breast augmentation, breast lift/reduction and abdominoplasty. In addition, he has advanced expertise in complex revision rhinoplasty and ethnic rhinoplasty (non-Caucasian rhinoplasty). Dr. Kaufman has the rather rare distinction of achieving board certification in both Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. This gives him the added expertise necessary to deal with complex cosmetic and reconstructive problems of the head, face, and neck.

Jason Liounakos, M.D., is a spinal neurosurgeon and the director of outpatient spine surgery at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute. Dr. Liounakos’ clinical interests include complex and minimally invasive robotic spine surgery, spinal tumors, degenerative spine disease and spinal deformity. He is fluent in English and Spanish. Dr. Liounakos joined Miami Neuroscience Institute from the University of Miami and Jackson Health System where he completed his residency in neurological surgery with fellowship training in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed research publications and book chapters and lectured nationally on minimally invasive techniques and robot-assisted spine surgery. He is the lead author of one of the largest case series evaluating patient outcomes following robot-assisted spine surgery. Dr. Liounakos graduated first in his class from the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and received the Florida Board of Medicine Chairman’s Recognition Award in 2015. During his residency he obtained the highest neurosurgery primary board examination score in the program’s history and upon graduation received the Sanjiv Bhatia, M.D. Distinction in Leadership and Service Award, and Best Resident Teacher Award. Dr. Liounakos believes the best spine care requires a multidisciplinary approach with tailored treatment plans for each patient. He believes mutual understanding and partnership are critical to the surgeon-patient relationship and the best clinical results. He employs new technologies and the latest minimally invasive techniques to reduce postoperative pain, speed up recovery, and improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.

Michael E. Gomez, M.D., is a spinal neurosurgeon and the director of minimally invasive spine surgery at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute. Dr. Gomez specializes in spinal surgery, including minimally invasive procedures for degenerative conditions, tumors and spinal deformities. He is fluent in English and Spanish. Dr. Gomez joined Miami Neuroscience Institute from Premier Brain & Spine of Florida. He is a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society, American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Florida Neurosurgical Society. Dr. Gomez’s approach to patient care is to help patients understand their spinal condition and the treatment options that can improve their spinal health. Whenever possible, he uses minimally invasive techniques in treating spinal disorders to reduce blood loss and post-operative pain so that patients can return to a happy and healthier life more quickly. When he is not treating patients, Dr. Gomez enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children and outdoor activities like cycling and water sports.