Frequently Asked Questions
About Dr. Tierney
Is Dr. Tierney board-certified?
Yes. Dr. Tierney is board-certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery, and he is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, which is what the letters FACS after his name denote. Board certification means completing an accredited residency and passing written and oral examinations, and maintaining it requires ongoing continuing education and periodic reassessment. He is also fellowship-trained in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, which is a further qualification beyond general surgery and is what his complex liver, pancreas and bile duct work rests on.
What is Dr. Tierney's training and background?
Dr. Tierney completed his undergraduate degree at Purdue University and earned his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in 2011. He completed his internship and residency in General Surgery at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He then completed fellowship training at the University of Louisville Department of Surgery in Interventional Endoscopy, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery. That fellowship is the reason he can both operate on the liver, pancreas and bile ducts and perform ERCP himself, which is an uncommon combination and is what allows some patients to have an endoscopic procedure and an operation under a single anaesthetic. He practises at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland.
Does Dr. Tierney perform robotic surgery?
Yes. Robotic surgery is a form of minimally invasive surgery performed through several small incisions, with the instruments controlled by the surgeon from a console that provides magnified three-dimensional vision and a greater range of movement at the instrument tip than laparoscopic instruments allow. The surgeon operates the instruments throughout; the system does not act independently. Dr. Tierney uses the robotic approach for hernia repair, gallbladder removal, pancreatic and liver resections including the Whipple procedure, and other abdominal operations where it is technically suitable. It is not right for every patient or every operation, and the approach is decided during surgical planning.
What is HPB surgery?
HPB stands for hepatopancreatobiliary, meaning the liver, the pancreas and the biliary system. HPB surgery is a subspecialty within general surgery dealing with operations on those organs, which sit close together, share a blood supply and drain through a common system, so disease in one frequently involves the others. These are among the more demanding abdominal operations, both because of the anatomy and because reconstruction is usually required after the diseased tissue is removed. Surgeons practising in this area complete additional fellowship training beyond general surgery residency, and outcomes in this type of surgery are recognised to be better when performed by surgeons who do them regularly.
Conditions and Procedures
What conditions does Dr. Tierney treat?
Dr. Tierney is a general surgeon with fellowship training in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, which covers the liver, pancreas and bile ducts. He treats pancreatic conditions including pancreatic cancer, chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cysts; bile duct and gallbladder conditions including gallstones, bile duct stones, bile duct injury and cholangiocarcinoma; liver tumours requiring resection; and hernias of all types, including recurrent and complex abdominal wall hernias. He also performs general surgical procedures including operations for reflux and hiatal hernia, colon and rectal conditions, and thyroid and parathyroid disease, and he treats median arcuate ligament syndrome. Most of these operations can be performed robotically where that is appropriate.
Does Dr. Tierney treat pancreatic cancer?
Yes. Pancreatic cancer surgery is a central part of his practice. Whether an operation is possible depends on where the tumour sits and whether it has spread, and that assessment requires dedicated imaging and review by a multidisciplinary team including surgeons, oncologists and radiologists. Where surgery is appropriate it is combined with chemotherapy, since neither treatment alone is sufficient. Tumours of the head of the pancreas are treated with a Whipple procedure, and tumours of the body or tail with a distal pancreatectomy. Some tumours that are not removable at first become removable after chemotherapy.
Does Dr. Tierney perform the Whipple procedure?
Yes, using both open and robotic approaches. The Whipple procedure, or pancreaticoduodenectomy, removes the head of the pancreas along with the duodenum, gallbladder and distal bile duct, and then reconnects the remaining structures so digestion can continue. It is used for tumours of the pancreatic head and for periampullary cancers of the ampulla, distal bile duct and duodenum, and occasionally for selected non-cancerous conditions. It is one of the more complex abdominal operations and is best performed at centres that do it regularly.
Does Dr. Tierney perform hernia surgery?
Yes, including inguinal, umbilical, incisional and complex abdominal wall hernias, and recurrent hernias where a previous repair has failed. Most repairs are performed minimally invasively, laparoscopically or robotically, and most patients go home the same day. Not every hernia needs immediate surgery. A small hernia causing little or no discomfort can reasonably be monitored, whereas a hernia that is painful, enlarging or interfering with daily life is generally better repaired. That is a discussion for consultation rather than a decision made automatically.
Does Dr. Tierney do ERCP?
Yes. ERCP, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, is an advanced endoscopic procedure used to treat problems in the bile duct and pancreatic duct without any incision, most often to remove bile duct stones or to relieve a blockage with a stent. It requires specific advanced training, and Dr. Tierney is one of only a few physicians in Northern Colorado who has completed a fellowship in advanced endoscopy. Being both a surgeon and an endoscopist has a practical benefit: when a patient needs both an ERCP and an operation, such as gallbladder removal, the two can often be carried out under a single anaesthetic, which shortens recovery and hospital time.
Appointments and Practicalities
Where does Dr. Tierney see patients?
Dr. Tierney is a general surgeon based in Loveland, Colorado, serving Loveland, Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. Consultations and surgery take place at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland. Call 970-825-0881 to book, and the team will confirm exactly where to go and what to bring. Patients travelling from outside the immediate area are common, and the office can help plan the visit so that consultation and any necessary imaging happen efficiently.
What hospitals does Dr. Tierney operate at?
Dr. Tierney operates at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, a full-service hospital with a surgical intensive care unit, interventional radiology and a multidisciplinary cancer programme on site. That matters for the kind of work he does, because complex pancreatic, liver and biliary operations depend on that wider infrastructure being available. His practice is independent of UCHealth. The hospital is where his patients receive their care; it is not the practice itself.
Does Dr. Tierney accept my insurance?
Dr. Tierney accepts a range of major insurance plans, including Aetna, Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealthcare. A fuller list is published on his US News physician profile. Insurance participation changes over time, and coverage for surgery also depends on your specific plan and on whether prior authorisation is required, so it is worth confirming rather than relying on any list. Call 970-825-0881 and the office will verify your benefits before anything is scheduled. If your plan is not accepted, ask about self-pay arrangements.
How much does surgery cost?
The cost of an operation depends on the procedure, the facility, your insurance plan and your deductible, so there is no single figure. What the office can do is give you a clear picture before you commit. Once a procedure is planned, the team verifies your benefits, confirms whether prior authorisation is needed, and can tell you what your expected out-of-pocket cost will be. If you do not have insurance, ask about self-pay arrangements. Call 970-825-0881 and ask for a benefits check.
How do I schedule a consultation with Dr. Tierney?
Call 970-825-0881 to arrange a consultation. You do not always need a referral, though many patients are referred by their primary care physician or by a gastroenterologist, and if you have had recent imaging or blood tests it is helpful to have those available so they can be reviewed at the first visit. Bring a list of your current medications and any previous operation records. The first appointment involves a history, an examination and a discussion of the options, and there is no obligation to proceed to surgery.
What areas does Dr. Tierney serve?
Dr. Tierney sees patients from across Northern Colorado and southern Wyoming. Patients travel from Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Longmont, Windsor, Berthoud, Johnstown, Timnath and Wellington in Colorado, and from Cheyenne and Laramie in Wyoming. Consultations and surgery take place in Loveland. Because much of what he treats is uncommon and requires subspecialty training, a proportion of patients travel some distance, and the office can help coordinate consultation and imaging so that travelling patients are not making unnecessary trips.
Questions about a specific condition
This page is for general information and is not medical advice. It does not replace a consultation with a qualified physician who has reviewed your history and imaging. If you have symptoms that concern you, contact your doctor. In an emergency, call 911.