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Denver Center for Endocrine Surgery

The Denver Center for Endocrine Surgery at Downtown Surgery Specialists is the only practice in the Rocky Mountain Region that is 100% devoted to surgery for diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands.

Dr. Vanderveen is a nationally recognized endocrine surgeon who uses the most advanced techniques, including minimally-invasive surgery and scarless endoscopic surgery, to minimize scars and your recovery time from surgery.

Effective April 19, 2021, Denver Center for Endocrine Surgery is excited to announce our new partnership with Saint Joseph Hospital and SCL Health.  We have now joined the multi-specialty surgery team of Downtown Surgery Specialists.   Our new partnership will allow us to increase our hours of operation and services, while continuing to provide the same high-quality and personalized care we are known for. 

Learn more about our Endocrine Services

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Meet our Providers

Kimberly Vanderveen, MD

Dr. Vanderveen is a Colorado native and graduate of Bear Creek High School in Lakewood, CO. She received her bachelor’s degree with honors from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA; medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL; and surgical residency training at UC-Davis in Sacramento, CA. During her residency, she also obtained a Master’s Degree (MAS) in Clinical Research and was actively involved in cancer research and education. Dr. Vanderveen subsequently completed a fellowship in Endocrine Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She holds Board Certification in General Surgery.

Dr. Vanderveen is an expert in both medical and surgical aspects of endocrine diseases, specializing in surgery for diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands. She is adept at minimally invasive techniques and advanced imaging, including new “scarless” transoral techniques. Dr. Vanderveen is active in national organizations, including the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Thyroid Association, and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She is a coveted local and national speaker, and also provides consultations for medical practice development and biomedical device research and design.

Dr. Vanderbeen is a nationally recognized endocrine surgeon who uses the most advanced techniques, including minimally-invasive surgery and scarless endoscopic surgery, to minimize scars and your recovery time from surgery. Dr. Vanderveen served as the Chairman of Rose’s Surgical Quality Committee, Vice-Chairman of Surgery, and Medical Director of the Rose Thyroid and Parathyroid Center – one of the country’s first community multidisciplinary endocrine centers of excellence. Dr. Vanderveen’s true joy is spending time with her three children and her husband (also a physician and Denver native). She is also known for her love of cowboy boots, which she often wears during surgery.

Stephanie Davis, MD

Dr. Stephanie Davis was born and raised in southern California. She earned her bachelor’s degree in physiological sciences at UCLA, and then received her medical degree from Wake Forest School of Medicine. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Colorado, and during her residency she completed a two year research fellowship in the lab of Dr. Bryan Haugen studying mouse models of thyroid cancer. She then completed her Endocrine Surgery fellowship at the prestigious UCSF program.

Dr. Davis is board certified in general surgery and her clinical interests include:

  • Thyroid nodules

  • Thyroid cancer

  • Graves’ disease

  • Hyperparathyroidism

  • Adrenal nodules

  • Pheochromocytoma

  • Cushing’s syndrome

  • Primary hyperaldosteronism

  • Adrenocortical carcinoma

Outside of work, Dr. Davis enjoys traveling, hiking, snowboarding, mountain biking, playing tennis, and scuba diving.

Patient Resources

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Contact Us

Address:
Downtown Surgery Specialists
1960 Ogden Street, Suite 110
Denver, CO 80218


Phone: 303-812-6850
Fax: 303-812-6859

Office Hours:
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

What kind of surgeries are done at the Denver Center for Endocrine Surgery?

The most common surgeries we perform include:
• Removal of one half of the thyroid (lobectomy)

• Removal of all of the thyroid (total thyroidectomy)

• Lymph node removal for cancer (central or lateral neck dissection)

• Minimally-invasive parathyroid surgery

• Re-operative thyroid, parathyroid and lymph node removal surgery

• “Scarless” transoral endoscopic thyroid and parathyroid surgery, vestibular approach (TOETS-VA)

•Laparoscopic and open adrenalectomy

We also offer in-office ultrasound-guided thyroid and lymph node biopsies, general surgery procedures, and management for patients with rare endocrine tumors.

Why do people need part (lobectomy) or all (thyroidectomy) of their thyroid removed?

The most common reason a person needs part or all of their thyroid removed is due to a worrisome mass or nodule in the thyroid. These can be sampled/biopsied with a small needle (fine needle aspiration-FNA) to determine the risk of cancer. If the needle sample is suspicious, surgery is usually the next step. In some cases, a person may need their thyroid removed due to large size (goiter), nodules that are benign but bothersome (due to their size or hormone overproduction/hyperthyroidism), or as treatment for difficult-to-control hypothyroidism.

Why do people need their parathyroid glands removed?

Parathyroid surgery is done when one or more of the parathyroid glands have become enlarged and are making too much parathyroid hormone (PTH). Too much PTH leads to high blood calcium levels known as hypercalcemia. This is most commonly caused by a single nodule/benign parathyroid growth known as a parathyroid adenoma. Sometimes, enlargement occurs in all four parathyroid glands, known as
parathyroid hyperplasia or multigland disease. This may require removal of multiple glands to reduce the overall amount of parathyroid tissue and hormones.

What are the risks of thyroid/parathyroid surgery?

In addition to the usual risks of any surgery, there are three main risks associated with thyroid/parathyroid surgery, all of which are rather uncommon.


1. Injury to the nerves (recurrent laryngeal and superior laryngeal nerves) that control
the vocal cords. These nerves course right behind the thyroid gland and between the parathyroid glands. Injury to these nerves can result in hoarseness, inability to sing or reduced pitch range, difficulty swallowing, and in rare cases, difficulty breathing or requirement of a tracheostomy tube.


2. Injury to your parathyroid glands, which are responsible for regulating calcium levels in the body. This can result in temporary or permanent problems with low calcium requiring lifelong calcium supplementation. In parathyroid surgeries, it is also possible to not find one or more abnormal parathyroid glands and have persistent elevations in calcium/PTH.


3. Bleeding. This is a rare but serious problem because it can cause difficulty with
breathing as the windpipe (trachea) is beneath (deep) to the thyroid gland and
significant bleeding can compress the trachea.

What do I need to do to prepare for surgery?

Blood tests and imaging are generally required to help diagnose your condition and plan a safe surgery.

Depending on your age and other health issues, you may need very little additional workup or you may be asked to complete additional tests/appointments to make sure you are safe for surgery.  If you are seeing other specialists (such as a heart or lung doctor) you will likely need to consult with them prior to scheduling surgery.

Depending on your reason for surgery, symptoms, size of thyroid nodules/parathyroids, concern for cancer or previous surgeries, you may be required to have a formal evaluation of your vocal cords prior to surgery.

What can I expect the day of surgery?

For most patients, you are required to stop eating 8 hours prior to surgery but allowed clear liquids until 4 hours prior to surgery.  You will be given specific recommendations about preoperative diet and medication adjustments at your appointment. 

We ask our patients to arrive at the Surgical Registration 2-3 hours prior to surgery to complete paperwork, start your IV, see your surgeon, and meet and speak with the Anesthesiologist and operating room staff. The length of surgery depends on the type or surgery planned.  Your surgeon will let you know the anticipated length of surgery.  After surgery, you will be transported to the Recovery Room where you will be monitored as you recover from anesthesia.

Depending on the type of surgery, your other medical conditions, and any other safety concerns, you may be asked to stay overnight or be allowed to go home the same day.

You may have a headache, fatigue and a sore throat that should subside a few days after surgery. Pain after thyroid/parathyroid surgery is usually minimal and most patients are generally able to manage their pain with over-the-counter medications (such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen) and the application of ice packs.

What is life like after thyroid/parathyroid surgery?

Once you are home, most normal activities can be resumed. We restrict lifting over 20 pounds for 2 weeks after surgery. In general, you can shower 24 hours after surgery. Light exercise and driving are allowed as soon as 24 hours after surgery for most patients. 

We do not generally restrict diet after surgery.  We do anticipate that you will have a sore throat for a few days and may choose to adjust your own diet accordingly.  Temporary changes in voice and swallowing are also expected and resolve in time most patients.

Once recovered from surgery (usually 1-2 weeks), you may return to normal activities without any restrictions.  Depending on your surgery, you may need to take thyroid hormones or extra calcium.

You will need follow-up with your Primary Care Provider or Endocrinologist after surgery and on-going management.