Matthew J. Giefer, MD

Matthew J. Giefer, MD

Gastroenterology, Therapeutic Endoscopy, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research

On staff since July 2012

Children's Title: Director, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy; Director, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship Program

Academic Title: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Research Center: Center for Clinical and Translational Research

"Children with complicated gastrointestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pancreatitis and liver obstruction, need specialized care. With few experts who focus on these conditions in children, families often struggle to find answers and treatment. Their unmet needs inspired me to become a gastroenterologist and work to improve care. Children with certain pancreas and liver conditions often require complex endoscopic procedures, but the doctors who perform those procedures treat mainly adults. Frustrated by how challenging it can be for families to obtain necessary treatments, I completed additional training to perform the procedures myself. This is an extremely rewarding part of my job because the procedures often lead to immediate improvement in a child's health. As one of only a handful of specialists in the country with my training and background, I strive to give families a clear plan and constant reassurance so they always know they have a knowledgeable partner at their side."

• Biography

  Matthew J. Giefer MD, is a member of the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology program at Seattle Children's Hospital. After graduating with honors from the University of Notre Dame, he earned a medical doctorate with honors from Loyola University-Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine. He completed speciality training in pediatrics at Vermont Children's Hospital before moving to Seattle and completing fellowship training in pediatric gastroenterology at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital. Dr. Giefer then went on to complete a therapeutic endoscopy fellowship at the University of Washington before returning to full-time work at Seattle Children's.

• Patient Testimonials

  • Holly Redmond, Wa 04.06.17

    Dr. Giefer supported our family through a year-long ordeal with Chronic Recurrent Pancreatitis in our 3 year old daughter. He coordinated treatments from the pain team, nutrition services, and our naturopath. Our daughter is now 8 years old and pain free. We now get to see Dr. Giefer once a year for check ups for her remaining exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and would recommend him to anyone for his expertise and bedside manner. All the Children's Hospital GI doctors are great, but Dr. Giefer is the best!

  • Tami Silverdale Wa 12.08.16

    Dr Giefer is outstanding! He truly cares for his patients I was so impressed how he listens and considers what is best I wish all were as wonderful!

  • Heather Bellevue, WA 09.08.16

    Our young daughter was diagnosed with Celiac. It was such a surprise to all of us, as she did not have any of the "classic" symptoms. Dr. Giefer was there for us, walk us through what the diagnosis meant, and the changes to our family. He is patient, kind, truly listens to us, and always focuses on her to see "how things are going". Check ups are inviting so we can continue her success and love his warm and friendly manner.

  • Kathryn Bellingham 12.15.15

    Dr. Giefer treated us with warmth and kindness. He honored our role in the decision making process by laying out the different options for treatment. He spoke to my child, never over her, and listened carefully, asking follow-up questions. He has a lovely manner, and we are very glad we were able to get into him. Everyone in the office is responsive and pleasant.

  • Jennifer Seattle WA 10.26.15

    Our daughter had stopped growing, and blood work indicated Celiac as the culprit. We were very apprehensive about endoscopy, and Dr. Giefer was amazing as he talked us through it. He gave pros and cons of deciding to confirm the diagnosis through endoscopy. We felt supported rather than pressured while trying to make a decision about our daughter's health. The procedure itself was quick and once again, Dr. Giefer made us comfortable and walked us through the results. He has a very practical approach to living with Celiac, and we so appreciate him and his staff as we begin our journey.

  • Maritza Seattle, WA 09.15.13

    My young daughter saw Dr. Giefer for persistent, stomach aches that she had been having for over a year. Dr. Giefer was both professional and kind with us and spoke gently and calmly to my little one. He put us all at ease. He was very thorough and when we decided as a team to do an endoscopy, Dr. Giefer showed the same kindness and calmness throughout the process. He gave us the results right away so that we did not have to wait days to know what the test showed. I would highly recommend Dr. Giefer!

  Recommend Dr. Matthew J. Giefer

• Awards and Honors

  Award Name	Award Description	Awarded By	Award Date
  Family Choice Award Nominee		Seattle Children's Hospital	2015
  Resident of the Year		University of Vermont	2009
  Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award		Arnold P. Gold Foundation	2009
  Pediatric Resident Teaching Award		Vermont Children's Hospital - University of Vermont	2007 - 2008
  Doctor of Medicine with Honors		Loyola University - Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine	2006

• Publications

  • Braly K, Williamson N, Shaffer ML, Lee D, Wahbeh G, Klein J, Giefer M, Suskind DL
    Nutritional Adequacy of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
    28825603 Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition , 2017 Nov. : 65(5)533-538 PMCID: PMC5653423
  • Scheers I, Palermo JJ, Freedman S, Wilschanski M, Shah U, Abu-El-Haija M, Barth B, Fishman DS, Gariepy C, Giefer MJ, Heyman MB, Himes RW, Husain SZ, Lin TK, Liu Q, Lowe M, Mascarenhas M, Morinville V, Ooi CY, Perito ER, Piccoli DA, Pohl JF, Schwarzenberg SJ, Troendle D, Werlin S, Zimmerman B, Uc A, Gonska T
    Autoimmune Pancreatitis in Children: Characteristic Features, Diagnosis, and Management.
    28374818 The American journal of gastroenterology , 2017 Oct. : 112(10)1604-1611
  • Wahbeh GT, Ward BT, Lee DY, Giefer MJ, Suskind DL
    Lack of Mucosal Healing From Modified Specific Carbohydrate Diet in Pediatric Patients With Crohn Disease.
    28825776 Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition , 2017 Sept. : 65(3)289-292
  • Troendle DM, Fishman DS, Barth BA, Giefer MJ, Lin TK, Liu QY, Abu-El-Haija M, Bellin MD, Durie PR, Freedman SD, Gariepy C, Gonska T, Heyman MB, Himes R, Husain SZ, Kumar S, Lowe ME, Morinville VD, Ooi CY, Palermo J, Pohl JF, Schwarzenberg SJ, Werlin S, Wilschanski M, Zimmerman MB, Uc A
    Therapeutic Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Pediatric Patients With Acute Recurrent and Chronic Pancreatitis: Data From the INSPPIRE (INternational Study group of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In search for a cuRE) Study.
    28609364 Pancreas , 2017 July : 46(6)764-769 PMCID: PMC5502745
  • Giefer MJ, Lowe ME, Werlin SL, Zimmerman B, Wilschanski M, Troendle D, Schwarzenberg SJ, Pohl JF, Palermo J, Ooi CY, Morinville VD, Lin TK, Husain SZ, Himes R, Heyman MB, Gonska T, Gariepy CE, Freedman SD, Fishman DS, Bellin MD, Barth B, Abu-El-Haija M, Uc A
    Early-Onset Acute Recurrent and Chronic Pancreatitis Is Associated with PRSS1 or CTRC Gene Mutations.
    28502372 The Journal of pediatrics , 2017 July : 18695-100 PMCID: PMC5506853
  • Fishman DS, Giefer MJ, Barth B, Troendle DM
    Digital Evaluation of the Biliopancreatic Tree: Cases From the Pediatric ERCP Database Initiative Consortium.
    28151768 Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition , 2017 May : 64(5)e125
  • Friedlander JA, Liu QY, Sahn B, Kooros K, Walsh CM, Kramer RE, Lightdale JR, Khlevner J, McOmber M, Kurowski J, Giefer MJ, Pall H, Troendle DM, Utterson EC, Brill H, Zacur GM, Lirio RA, Lerner DG, Reynolds C, Gibbons TE, Wilsey M, Liacouras CA, Fishman DS, Endoscopy Committee.
    NASPGHAN Capsule Endoscopy Clinical Report.
    27642781 Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition , 2017 Mar. : 64(3)485-494
  • Gariepy CE, Heyman MB, Lowe ME, Pohl JF, Werlin SL, Wilschanski M, Barth B, Fishman DS, Freedman SD, Giefer MJ, Gonska T, Himes R, Husain SZ, Morinville VD, Ooi CY, Schwarzenberg SJ, Troendle DM, Yen E, Uc A
    Causal Evaluation of Acute Recurrent and Chronic Pancreatitis in Children: Consensus From the INSPPIRE Group.
    27782962 Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition , 2017 Jan. : 64(1)95-103 PMCID: PMC5191966
  • Suskind DL, Cohen SA, Brittnacher MJ, Wahbeh G, Lee D, Shaffer ML, Braly K, Hayden HS, Klein J, Gold B, Giefer M, Stallworth A, Miller SI
    Clinical and Fecal Microbial Changes With Diet Therapy in Active Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
    28030510 Journal of clinical gastroenterology , 2016 Dec. 27 PMCID: PMC5484760

  • Friedlander JA, Liu QY, Sahn B, Kooros K, Walsh CM, Kramer RE, Lightdale JR, Khlevner J, McOmber M, Kurowski J, Giefer MJ, Pall H, Troendle DM, Utterson EC, Brill H, Zacur GM, Lirio RA, Lerner DG, Reynolds C, Gibbons TE, Wilsey M, Liacouras CA, Fishman DS
    NASPGHAN Capsule Endoscopy Clinical Report.
    27642781 Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition , 2016 Sept. 16
  • Giefer MJ, Balmadrid BL
    Pediatric application of the lumen-apposing metal stent for pancreatic fluid collections.
    26811940 Gastrointestinal endoscopy , 2016 July : 84(1)188-9
  • Giefer MJ, Balmadrid BL
    Pediatric application of the lumen-apposing metal stent for pancreatic fluid collections.
    26811940 Gastrointestinal endoscopy , 2016 July : 84(1)188-9
  • Kumar S, Ooi CY, Werlin S, Abu-El-Haija M, Barth B, Bellin MD, Durie PR, Fishman DS, Freedman SD, Gariepy C, Giefer MJ, Gonska T, Heyman MB, Himes R, Husain SZ, Lin TK, Lowe ME, Morinville V, Palermo JJ, Pohl JF, Schwarzenberg SJ, Troendle D, Wilschanski M, Zimmerman MB, Uc A
    Risk Factors Associated With Pediatric Acute Recurrent and Chronic Pancreatitis: Lessons From INSPPIRE.
    27064572 JAMA pediatrics , 2016 June 1 : 170(6)562-9 PMCID: PMC5317277
  • Obih C, Wahbeh G, Lee D, Braly K, Giefer M, Shaffer ML, Nielson H, Suskind DL
    Specific carbohydrate diet for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease in clinical practice within an academic IBD center.
    26655069 Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) , 2016 Apr, : 32(4)418-25
  • Ting J, Wilson L, Schwarzenberg SJ, Himes R, Barth B, Bellin MD, Durie PR, Fishman DS, Freedman SD, Gariepy CE, Giefer MJ, Gonska T, Husain SZ, Kumar S, Morinville VD, Lowe ME, Ooi CY, Pohl JF, Troendle D, Usatin D, Werlin SL, Wilschanski M, Heyman MB, Uc A
    Direct Costs of Acute Recurrent and Chronic Pancreatitis in Children in the INSPPIRE Registry.
    26704866 Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition , 2016 Mar. : 62(3)443-9 PMCID: PMC4767646
  • Morinville VD, Lowe ME, Ahuja M, Barth B, Bellin MD, Davis H, Durie PR, Finley B, Fishman DS, Freedman SD, Gariepy CE, Giefer MJ, Gonska T, Heyman MB, Himes R, Husain S, Kumar S, Ooi CY, Pohl JF, Schwarzenberg SJ, Troendle D, Werlin SL, Wilschanski M, Yen E, Uc A
    Design and implementation of INSPPIRE.
    24824361 Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition , 2014 Sept. : 59(3)360-4 PMCID: PMC4141003
  • Giefer, MJ and Kozarek, RA.
    Pediatric Gallstone Disease
    Diseases of the Liver in Children, 1st Edition. eds. Murray, KF and Horslen, SP. , 2014
  • Troendle D, Barth BA, Giefer MJ, Uc A, Ahuja M, Davis, H and Fishman DS.
    Use of ERCP in pediatric patients with acute recurrent and chronic pancreatitis: A report from the INSPPIRE (International Study group of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In search for a cuRE) Consortium.
    Gastrointestinal Endoscopy , 2014 : 79(5)AB285AB286
  • Uc A, Yen EH, Wilschanski M, Werlin S, Troendle D, Schwarzenber SJ, Pohl J, Ooi CY, Morinville VD, Kumar S, Husain SZ, Himes R, Heyman MB, Gonska T, Giefer MJ, Gariepy CE, Freedman SD, Fishman DS, Durie PR, Davis H, Bellin M, Barth BA, Ahuja M, and Lowe M.
    Pediatric Acute Recurrent and Chronic Pancreatitis: Report From INSPPIRE Consortium.
    Gastroenterology , 2014 : 146(5)S4
  • Bai HX, Giefer M, Patel M, Orabi AI, Husain SZ
    The association of primary hyperparathyroidism with pancreatitis.
    22874807 Journal of clinical gastroenterology , 2012 Sept. : 46(8)656-61
  • Bai, Harrision, Giefer, Matthew, Patel, Mohini, Orabi, Abrahim, Husain,Sohail
    The Association of Primary Hyperparathyroidism with Pancreatitis
    Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology , 2012 : in press
  • Singh, Akhilesh, Giefer, Matthew and Oukka, Mohamed
    TLR5 Ligand Stimulates Colonic IL-22 Production by LTi-Like Cells in an IL-23R Independent Fashion
    Gastroenterology , 2011 : 140(5)S-496
  • Giefer, Matthew, Murray, Karen, and Colletti, Richard
    Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Ascites
    Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition , 2011 : 52(5)503-13
  • Giefer, Matthew and Murray, Karen
    Immune Tolerant Hepatitis B Infection: To Treat or not to Treat?
    Current Hepatitis Reports , 2010 : (9)60-64

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• Presentations

  Presentations Title	Event	Location	Date
  Pediatric Pancreatitis: New Developments and Common Misconceptions	Grand Rounds - Seattle Children's Hosptail		2016
  Pediatric Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography	North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Annual Meeting	Atlanta, GA	2014
  Gastrointestinal Management in Shwachman Diamond Syndrome	Camp Sunshine	Casco, ME	2014
  Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease	Improving Pediatric Practice Series	Seattle Children's Hospital	2014
  Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies in Pediatric Malabsorptive States	Seattle Childrens 3rd Annual Nutrition Symposium: Clinicians Guide to Vitamins, Minerals and Other Supplements in Children	Seattle, Washington	2010

• Research Funding

  Grant Title	Grantor	Amount	Award Date
  INSPPIRE to Study Acute Recurrent and Chronic Pancreatitis in Children	NIH