Maria Albuja-Cruz, MD

Associate Professor, Surgery-GI, Trauma, and Endocrine Surgery


FacultyPhoto
Medical School
  • MD, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (2003)
Internship
  • University of Colorado (2007)
Residency
  • University of Colorado, Chief Resident, Surgery (2011)
Fellowships
  • University of Miami Miller School of Medicine , ENDOCRINE SURGERY (2012)
Languages
English, Spanish
Department
Surgery-GI, Trauma, and Endocrine Surgery

Professional Titles

  • Medical Director Multispecialty Surgery

Publications

  • Albuja-Cruz, M.B., Allan, B.J., Parikh, P.P. & Lew, J.I. 2013, "Efficacy of localization studies and intraoperative parathormone monitoring in the surgical management of hyperfunctioning ectopic parathyroid glands", Surgery, vol. 154, no. 3, pp. 453-460.
  • Albuja-Cruz MB, Pozdeyev N, Robbins S, Chandramouli R, Raeburn CD, Klopper J, Haugen BR, McIntyre R Jr. A "safe and effective" protocol for management of post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. Am J Surg. 2015 Dec;210(6):1162-9. PubMed PMID: 26601651
  • Patel NU, McKinney K, Kreidler SM, Bieker TM, Russ P, Roberts K, Glueck DH, Albuja-Cruz M, Klopper J, Haugen BR. Ultrasound-based clinical prediction rule model for detecting papillary thyroid cancer in cervical lymph nodes: A pilot study. J Clin Ultrasound. 2015 Sep 24. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26402153
  • Using Adenoma Weight and Volume to Predict Multigland Disease in Primary Hyperparathyroidism
  • Albuja-Cruz M, Travis C, Benge M, Caufield B, Nehler M. Examination of Nondesignated Preliminary Surgery Residents Recruited Since the Inception of Supplementary Offer and Acceptance Program: Lessons Learned From a Large Academic Program. J Surg Educ. 2017 Sep 5. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28886935
  • Launer BM, McIntyre R, Helmkamp LJ, Raeburn CD and Albuja-Cruz M. Postoperative Hypomagnesemia Levels Predicts Post-thyroidectomy Hypocalcemia. To be presented at the Academic Surgical Congress, Houston TX, Feb 2019.
  • Katrina Koc, Kristin Panwell, Nikita Pozdeyev, Katherine L. Nathanson, Debbie L. Cohen, Maria Albuja-Cruz, Christopher Raeburn and Lauren Fishbein. C-circle content as a biomarker of metastatic pheochromocytoma. Endocrine Society, Chicago IL, March 2018.
  • Kiseljak-Vassiliades K, Zhang Y, Kar A, Razzaghi R, Xu M, Gowan K, Raeburn CD, Albuja-Cruz M, Jones KL, Somerset H, Fishbein L, Leong S, Wierman ME. Elucidating the Role of the Maternal Embryonic Leucine Zipper Kinase in Adrenocortical Carcinoma. Endocrinology. 2018 Jul 1;159(7):2532-2544. PubMed PMID: 29790920
  • Kiseljak-Vassiliades K, Zhang Y, Bagby SM, Kar A, Pozdeyev N, Xu M, Gowan K, Sharma V, Raeburn CD, Albuja-Cruz M, Jones KL, Fishbein L, Schweppe RE, Somerset H, Pitts TM, Leong S, Wierman ME. Development of new preclinical models to advance adrenocortical carcinoma research. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2018 Apr;25(4):437-451. PubMed PMID: 29371329
  • Albuja-Cruz M, Travis C, Benge M, Caufield B, Nehler M. Examination of Nondesignated Preliminary Surgery Residents Recruited Since the Inception of Supplementary Offer and Acceptance Program: Lessons Learned From a Large Academic Program. J Surg Educ. 2018 Mar - Apr;75(2):294-298. PubMed PMID: 28886935
  • Anderson D, Selby LV, Albuja-Cruz M. Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Arising within a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst. Am Surg. 2020 Mar 1;86(3):e139-e141. PubMed PMID: 32223822
  • Alzofon N, Koc K, Panwell K, Pozdeyev N, Marshall CB, Albuja-Cruz M, Raeburn CD, Nathanson KL, Cohen DL, Wierman ME, Kiseljak-Vassiliades K, Fishbein L. Mastermind Like Transcriptional Coactivator 3 (MAML3) Drives Neuroendocrine Tumor Progression. Mol Cancer Res. 2021 Sep;19(9):1476-1485. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-20-0992. Epub 2021 May 13. PMID: 33986121; PMCID: PMC8419063.
  • 13. Assumpcao, L., Quinn, C.M., Franco S, R., Leonard, L.D., Thomas, M., Albuja-Cruz, M., Gleisner, A.L., 2023. MT4 Implementation of Minimally Invasive Thyroidectomy for Cancer Care: Conversion Rates Are Associated with Facility Learning Curve but Not Total Volume of Thyroidectomies. Value in Health 26, S297. ttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2023.03.1651
  • 14. Assumpcao, L., Quinn, C.M., Franco, S.R., Leonard, L.D., Thomas, M., Albuja-Cruz, M. and Gleisner, A.L., 2023. HPR5 Minimally Invasive Thyroidectomy Implementation for Cancer Care: Do Racial, Ethnic and Insurance Characteristics Play a Role? Value in Health, 26(6), p.S211.
  • 15. Mario Barrio, Christopher Raeburn, Robert McIntyre, Maria Albuja-Cruz, Bryan Haugen and Nikita Pozdeyev, Computer-Assisted Levothyroxine Dose Selection for the Treatment of Postoperative Hypothyroidism, Thyroid, 2023, 33 (5) 547-555

Professional Memberships

  • American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, Member
  • American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist (AACE), Member
  • American College of Surgeons (ACS), Member

Practice Locations

UCHealth Surgical Clinic - Anschutz Medical Campus
1635 Aurora Ct
6th Floor
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-2700

Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
13123 East 16th Ave
Aurora, CO 80045
720-777-1234

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital Trauma Center
12505 E. 16th Avenue
Anschutz Inpatient Pavilion 2, First floor
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-2711

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (UCH)
12605 E. 16th Ave
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-0000

CU Medicine General Surgery - Cherry Creek Medical Center
100 Cook Street
Suite 312
Denver, CO 80206
720-848-2700

UCHealth Ambulatory Surgery Center - Cherry Creek Medical Center
100 Cook Street
Suite 500
Denver, CO 80206
720-516-9373

UCHealth Thyroid Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic - Anschutz Medical Campus
1635 Aurora Court
Anschutz Outpatient Pavilion, 6th floor
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-3299

Hospital Affiliation
  • University of Colorado Hospital
  • Children's Hospital Colorado

Specialty Information

Specialties
  • Surgery, Board Certification (2012)
  • Endocrine Surgery, Certificate (2012)
Conditions & Treatments
  • Endocrine System (Hormones) - Thyroid Cancer
  • Endocrine System (Hormones) - Thyroid Disease
  • Endocrine System (Hormones) - Adrenal Diseases
  • Endocrine System (Hormones) - Endocrine Cancer (Parathyroid, Adrenal, Carcinoid)
  • Cancers - Cancer Surgery
  • Cancers - Head and Neck Cancer
  • Digestive System - Pancreas Surgery
  • Surgery - Laparoscopic Surgery
  • Cancers
  • Digestive System
  • Endocrine System (Hormones)
  • Surgery
  • Surgery - Trauma and Acute Care
Clinical Interests
I primarily provide treatment of adult and children endocrine surgery disorders that affect the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal and pancreas. My expertise includes the surgical treatment of hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules, (recurrent) thyroid cancer, hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid cancer, pheochromocytoma, and functional and non-functional adrenal and pancreatic endocrine tumors. If you've been diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor, adrenal cortical carcinoma, Graves' disease, multi-nodular goiter, or require a parathyroidectomy, thyroidectomy or laparoscopic adrenalectomy, I can help you.