UPMC Passavant Offers State-of-the-Art Liver Procedures Close to Home

Navigating a serious health issue is difficult enough without having to travel a significant distance for care. Now, residents north of Pittsburgh and beyond will have access to expert liver care close to home. UPMC Passavant McCandless has expanded its liver disease program, bringing cutting-edge procedures and nationally recognized experts to a convenient suburban setting.

Paula Marie Novelli MD, FSIR

Leading the program is Paula Marie Novelli MD, FSIR, an expert vascular interventional radiologist who has long practiced at UPMC Presbyterian. About a year ago she shifted much of her practice to UPMC Passavant to help expand Passavant’s liver care program. Patients with liver cancers, portal hypertension, or cirrhosis who once had few options can now benefit from procedures that improve quality of life and extend survival.

“Patients that previously would have been treated in the city can have the same procedures done in McCandless,” says Dr. Novelli. 

This expands access not only for local patients but also for people coming from Erie, Ohio, and West Virginia. Dr. Novelli is the only nationally recognized portal hypertension, cirrhosis interventional radiologist at UPMC. 

Dr. David A. Geller, MD, FACS

Dr. Novelli is joined by an accomplished team that includes Dr. David A. Geller, MD, FACS. He is the Director of UPMC Liver Cancer Center and is a hepatobiliary surgical oncologist who has pioneered laparoscopic liver resection surgery. Dr. Alex Miller, a fellowship-trained hepatologist now part of Passavant’s gastroenterology department. Together, they bring world-class expertise to patients who once had to travel far for specialized liver care.

We also spoke with Theresa F. Celender (Borrelli), MPAS, PA-C, a physician assistant for UPMC Passavant Interventional Radiology, who is part of the dedicated liver service. She explained two state-of-the-art procedures that they are currently performing in McCandless.

One of the procedures offered is called TIPS, which stands for Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt. This minimally invasive treatment helps patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension by relieving pressure in the liver’s blood vessels. Without it, patients often need frequent, risky fluid drains. TIPS reduces these complications, protecting against life-threatening bleeding and improving both quality of life and long-term outcomes.

Another groundbreaking option is Y-90 radioembolization, also known as selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT). This procedure delivers targeted radiation directly to liver tumors through the bloodstream, shrinking cancer while sparing. 

Coincidentally, the first patients treated with the first TIPS and Y-90 radioembolization procedures at UPMC Passavant were husband and wife. The wife, who suffered from decompensated cirrhosis, underwent a successful TIPS procedure. Her husband, with  liver cancer, was treated with Y90 redioembolization. His treatment has been successful at shrinking the tumor.

“Dr. Elizabeth Piccione, UPMC Passavant hospital president, is very supportive of expanding the interventional radiology program here at Passavant,” says Celender.

“With the addition of Doctor Novelli, we definitely are hoping to continue to expand the interventional support we have here at Passavant, as well as working with hepatology,” she says. Dr. Novelli emphasizes that this effort is supported with the expansion of the gastroenterology service with a dedicated hepatologist and with the continued support from the entire liver cancer and hepatology group at UPMC Presbyterian-Shadyside, Mercy, and UPMC Hillman Cancer centers.

With the launch of its new enhanced dedicated liver disease program, UPMC Passavant McCandless is transforming access to advanced liver care in the region. From life-changing procedures like TIPS and Y90 embolization to the expertise of nationally recognized specialists, patients now have the opportunity to receive comprehensive, state-of-the-art treatment close to home. For families facing the challenges of liver disease, the program offers not only innovative medical options but also the reassurance that world-class care is available right in their community.