Alexander Lorenzo Colonna
( out of 117 reviews )

Alexander Lorenzo Colonna, MD, MSCI, FACS

Languages spoken: English, French

Clinical Locations

Primary Location

University of Utah Hospital

General Surgery, Area E
50 N Medical Dr
Salt Lake City , UT 84132
801-585-7403
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Dr. Colonna specializes in Acute Care Surgery which is composed of Trauma Surgery, Emergency General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care. His clinical practice includes the University Hospital SICU and the University Trauma and Emergency Surgery (UTES) service. Dr. Colonna also has a General Surgery Clinic focused on basic general surgical pathology with a special interest in complex abdominal wall hernias. He is originally from South Carolina and completed his General Surgery Residency at East Tennessee State University. He went on to complete Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowships at Wake Forest University. After a brief detour in private practice, Dr. Colonna joined the faculty at the University of Utah in 2012. Dr. Colonna has been Army Reservist since 2003 and holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He has completed multiple deployments to the Middle East to serve as a trauma surgeon taking care of the combat wounded, most recently to Iraq in 2023-2024 where he served as Trauma Medical Director for Operation Inherent Resolve. He completed his military service and was honorably discharged from the Army Reserve in 2025. Dr. Colonna has a focus on medical education, having previously directed the MS-3 and MS-4 surgery clerkships, and is the program director of the SCC/ACS fellowships. His research interests include cost-effectiveness analysis, educational research with a focus on simulation, and acute care surgery/trauma. Dr. Colonna is the inaugural Emergency Surgery Medical Director and is working toward EGS verification by the American College of Surgeons. Finally, he serves has the chair of the Utah State COT.

Specialties

Board Certification

American Board of Surgery (Sub: General Surgery)
American Board of Surgery (Sub: Surgical Critical Care)

Patient Rating

Patients consistently praise the physician’s communication and attentiveness, saying they felt heard and had explanations provided clearly. Reviewers emphasize his clinical skill, knowledge, and thorough, thoughtful approach to diagnosis and treatment, including successful procedures and long-term care. Many describe him as caring, respectful, and trustworthy and say they would recommend him.

Generated via Patient Reviews

4.8 /5
( out of 117 reviews )

The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers. The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

May 03, 2026
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Dr. Colonna is very good at what he does. He is honest with you and explains things well.

Mar 01, 2026
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

I've been very impressed with Doctor Colonna. He seems to truly care about my overall health. I appreciate his skill, knowledge and experience.

Feb 12, 2026
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Kareem Ibraham was brought in on a consultation visit I had. He was very respectful, and knowledgeable and kind. Made me feel at ease and was very helpful.

Nov 19, 2025
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Dr. Colonna was very professional and caring. I left feeling like he was the Doctor to fix my specific problem.

Oct 27, 2025
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Same Great care for 20 yrs

Oct 13, 2025
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Listened to what I said, and addressed my concerns.

Jun 28, 2025
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Dr Colonna did not rush to provide treatment based on the obvious, but instead decided upon further tests to make sure of the source of my troubles. He was very thoughtful.

Feb 23, 2025
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

I would recommend him

Jan 05, 2025
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Thank you for everything you did for me

Dec 07, 2024
UH HOSPITALS AND CLINICS

He did an awesome job on my surgery and was a nice guy.

Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety. For the convenience of our visitors, some patient comments have been translated from their original language into English while preserving their original meaning as accurately as possible. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

Dr. Colonna specializes in Acute Care Surgery which is composed of Trauma Surgery, Emergency General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care. His clinical practice includes the University Hospital SICU and the University Trauma and Emergency Surgery (UTES) service. Dr. Colonna also has a General Surgery Clinic focused on basic general surgical pathology with a special interest in complex abdominal wall hernias. He is originally from South Carolina and completed his General Surgery Residency at East Tennessee State University. He went on to complete Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowships at Wake Forest University. After a brief detour in private practice, Dr. Colonna joined the faculty at the University of Utah in 2012. Dr. Colonna has been Army Reservist since 2003 and holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He has completed multiple deployments to the Middle East to serve as a trauma surgeon taking care of the combat wounded, most recently to Iraq in 2023-2024 where he served as Trauma Medical Director for Operation Inherent Resolve. He completed his military service and was honorably discharged from the Army Reserve in 2025. Dr. Colonna has a focus on medical education, having previously directed the MS-3 and MS-4 surgery clerkships, and is the program director of the SCC/ACS fellowships. His research interests include cost-effectiveness analysis, educational research with a focus on simulation, and acute care surgery/trauma. Dr. Colonna is the inaugural Emergency Surgery Medical Director and is working toward EGS verification by the American College of Surgeons. Finally, he serves has the chair of the Utah State COT.

Board Certification and Academic Information

Academic Departments Surgery -Associate Professor (Clinical)
Academic Divisions General Surgery
Board Certification
American Board of Surgery (Sub: General Surgery)
American Board of Surgery (Sub: Surgical Critical Care)

Education history

Undergraduate Major in History; Major in French Literature; Minor in Pre-Med - Emory University B.A.
Professional Medical Medicine - Medical University of South Carolina M.D.
Residency Surgery - East Tennessee State University, Department of Surgery Resident
Chief Resident Surgery - East Tennessee State University, Department of Surgery Chief Resident
Fellowship Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery - Wake Forest University, Department of Surgery Fellow
Graduate Training University of Utah (Master of Science in Clinical Investigation) M.S.C.I

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Colonna AL, Robbins R, Stefanucci J, Creem-Regeh S, Patterson B, Engel BT, Fischer A, Nirula (2022). Trauma bay virtual reality-A game changer for ATLS instruction and assessment. The journal of trauma and acute care surgery, 93(3), 353-359.
  2. Bleicher J, Lambert LA, Scaife, CL, Colonna AL, et a (2021). Understanding Current Management of Malignant Bowel Obstructions: A Survey of National Opinions. The journal of trauma and acute care surgery,
  3. Bleicher J, Lambert LA, Scaife CL, Colonna (2021). Current management of malignant bowel obstructions: a survey of acute care surgeons and surgical oncologists. Trauma surgery & acute care open, 6(1), e000755.
  4. Carlock TC, Barrett JR, Kalvelage JP, Young JB, Nunez JM, Colonna AL, Enniss TM, Nirula R, McCrum M (2020). Telephone Follow-Up for Emergency General Surgery Procedures: Safety and Implication for Health Resource Use. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 230(2), 228-236.
  5. Senekjian L, Birkas Y, Buhavac M, Dayal S, Mukherjee K, Nygaard R, Pierce S, Buaza G, Sperry J, Eriksson E, Leon SM, Kopelman T, Spadafore P, Kopatsis A, Moore F, Taylor A, Colonna A, Enniss T, McCrum M, Nunez J, Young J, Nirula (2020). Stop flailing: The impact of bicortically displaced rib fractures on pulmonary outcomes in patients with chest trauma - an American Association for the Surgery of Trauma multi-institutional study. The journal of trauma and acute care surgery, 89(4), 658-664.
  6. Colonna AL, Bellows BK, Enniss TM, Young JB, McCrum M, Nunez JM, Nirula R, Nelson R (2020). Reducing the pain: A cost-effectiveness analysis of transversus abdominis plane block using liposomal bupivacaine for outpatient laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. Surgery open science, 2(2), 75-80.
  7. Colonna AL, Bellows BK, Enniss TM, Young JB, McCrum M, Nunez JM, Nirula R, Nelson R (2020). Reducing the pain: A cost-effectiveness analysis of transversus abdominis plane block using liposomal bupivacaine for outpatient laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. 2(2), 75-80.
  8. Colonna AL, Griffiths TM, Robison DC, Enniss TM, Young JB, McCrum ML, Nunez JM, Nirula R, Hardman R (2019). Cholecystostomy: Are we using it correctly?. American journal of surgery, 217(6), 1010-1015.
  9. Byrge N, Heilbrun M, Winkler N, Sommers D, Evans H, Cattin LM, Scalea T, Stein DM, Neideen T, Walsh P, Sims CA, Brahmbhatt TS, Galante JM, Phan HH, Malhotra A, Stovall RT, Jurkovich GJ, Coimbra R, Berndtson AE, O'Callaghan TA, Gaspard SF, Schreiber MA, Cook MR, Demetriades D, Rivera O, Velmahos GC, Zhao T, Park PK, Machado-Aranda D, Ahmad S, Lewis J, Hoff WS, Suleiman G, Sperry J, Zolin S, Carrick MM, Mallory GR, Nunez J, Colonna A, Enniss T, Nirula (2018). An AAST-MITC analysis of pancreatic trauma: Staple or sew? Resect or drain?. The journal of trauma and acute care surgery, 85(3), 435-443.
  10. Colonna AL, Byrge NR, Nelson SD, Nelson RE, Hunter MC, Nirula R (2016). Nonoperative management of adhesive small bowel obstruction: what is the break point? Am J Surg, 212(6), 1214-1221.
  11. Becher RD, Colonna AL, Enniss TM, Weaver AA, Crane DK, Martin RS, Mowery NT, Miller PR, Stitzel JD, Hoth J (2012). An innovative approach to predict the development of adult respiratory distress syndrome in patients with blunt trauma. The journal of trauma and acute care surgery, 73(5), 1229-35.

Book Chapter

  1. Irma Fleming, Joanna Grudziak, Alexander L. Colonn (2023). Surgical Infections of Skin and Soft Tissue Chapter 291. 2, 2733-2739.
  2. Alexander Colonna, Tyler Pender, Anthony Bacon et a (2021). Preoperative Evaluation and Decision Making. When to Operate and By Which Approach: Tube Cholecystostomy. 174.
  3. Bradley Kuhn, Alexander Colonn (2018). Spine Fracture SCORE Module.
  4. Colonna A, Volckmann ES, Young J, Wayne Meredith JA, Neumayer LT, Berger E (2017). General Surgery. 4.
  5. Duletzke, N; Colonna, A (2017). Inguinal and Femoral Hernia- Repair.
  6. Colonna AL, Meredith JW, Mowery, N (2011). Myocardial Contusion.
  7. Colonna A, Meredith J (2011). American College of Surgeons Resouces Document.

Letter

  1. Colonna AL, Enniss TM, Meredith JW, Hildreth A (2010). Celiac artery avulsion and right atrial rupture after blunt multisystem trauma. The American surgeon, 76(7), E83-5.