Professor, Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery
Section Chief, Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, UC Davis Transplant Center
To see if Lea K. Matsuoka is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
UC Davis Medical Center - Cypress Building
2221 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Phone: 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284)
I meet patients in one of the most difficult and stressful times in their lives. My goal is to be a source of comfort by being dependable and honest and providing excellent care. I try to provide information and discuss surgical options, so every patient feels comfortable and confident with their decisions and their care.
Dr. Matsuoka is a board-certified abdominal transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon. She specializes in adult and pediatric liver transplant and the surgical management of both benign and malignant diseases of the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts.
Dr. Matsuoka spends her free time exploring the local hiking trails and trying to find the region’s best chocolate chip cookie.
Dr. Matsuoka’s research focuses on transplantation outcomes and disparities in transplant. Her other interests include surgical resident and fellow education.
Transplant Surgery
B.A., Economics/Accounting, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA 1998
M.D., University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 2002
Surgery, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 2002-2003
Surgery, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 2003-2008
Abdominal Transplant Surgery, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 2008-2010
Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2019, 2021,
Matsuoka L, Chotai PN, Slaughter J, Campbell K, Kerr A, Hamel S, Garza C, Alexopoulos SP, Scanga A. A Single-Center Study of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Recurrence in Recipients of Liver Transplant for Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Cirrhosis. Exp Clin Transplant. 2022 Feb;20(2):150-156. doi: 10.6002/ect.2021.0343. Epub 2022 Jan 14.PMID: 35037605.
Matsuoka LK, Sutcliffe T, Feurer ID, Rega SA, Ziogas IA, Izzy M, Alexopoulos SP. Comparison of Survival Outcomes After Deceased Donor Split Versus Whole Liver Transplant for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Exp Clin Transplant. 2021 Aug;19(8):811-816. doi:10.6002/ect.2021.0071.PMID: 34407748.
Matsuoka L, Izzy M, Feurer ID, Rega SA, Ziogas IA, Alexopoulos SP. Sex and Gender Disparities in Pretransplant Characteristics and Relationships with Postoperative Outcomes in Liver Transplant Recipients with Alcoholic Liver Disease. Exp Clin Transplant. 2020 Nov; 18(6):701-706. doi: 10.6002/ect.2020.0063. Epub 2020 Jun16. PMID: 32552631.
Alexopoulos SP, Nekrasov V, Cao S, Groshen S, Kaur N, Genyk YS, Matsuoka L.Effects of recipient size and allograft type on pediatric liver transplantation for biliary atresia. Liver Transpl. 2017 Feb;23(2):221-233. doi: 10.1002/lt.24675. PMID: 27862929.
Matsuoka L, Alicuben E, Woo K, Cao S, Groshen S, Qazi Y, Smogorzewski M, Selby R, Alexopoulos S. Kidney Transplantation in the Hispanic Population. Clin Transplant. 2016 Feb;30(2):118-23. doi: 10.1111/ctr.12662. Epub 2015 Dec 16. PMID: 26529140.
Parikh A, Washburn WK, Matsuoka L, Pandit U, Kim J, Almeda J, Mora-Esteves C, Halff G, Genyk Y, Holland B, Wilson D, Sher L, Koneru. A Multi-Center Study of 30 Days Complications after Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation in the Model for End Stage Liver Disease Score Era. Liver Transpl. 2015 Sep;21(9):1169-78. doi: 10.1002/lt.24133. Epub 2015 Jul 21. PMID: 25991395.
Matsuoka L, Alexopoulos S, Petrovik L, Chan L, Genyk Y, Selby R. Trisectionectomy for Cholangiocarcinoma: Is It Worth It? Am Surg. 2014 Jun;80(6):544-8. PMID: 24887790.
Alexopoulos S, Thomas E, Berry E, Whang G, Matsuoka L. The Portal Vein-Variceal Anastomosis: An Important Technique for Establishing Portal Vein Inflow. Clinical Transplantation, 28(1): 52-7, 2014. PMID: 24261456.
Alexopoulos S, Matsuoka L, Cho Y, Thomas E, Sheikh M, Stapfer M, Dhanireddy K, Sher L, Selby R, Genyk Y. Outcomes after liver transplantation in patients achieving a model for end-stage liver disease score of 40 or higher. Transplantation. 2013 Feb 15;95(3):507-12. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e3182751ed2. PMID: 23380865.
Matsuoka L, Shah T, Aswad S, Bunnapradist S, Cho YW, Mendez RG et al. Pulsatile Perfusion Reduces the Incidence of Delayed Graft Function in Expanded Criteria Donor Kidney Transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2006 Jun;6(6):1473-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2006.01323.x. PMID: 16686773.