Dr. Jacques-Pierre Fontaine MD

I am celebrating one year anniversary from my lung cancer surgery. My deepest gratitude to my surgeon, Dr. Fontaine, for his excellent skill both in the preop evaluation, and in the operation room. I underwent robotic chest surgery for the removal of a cancerous nodule together with the tip of my right lung, all flawlessly executed. I had a rapid and complete recovery under close guidance and support of Dr. Fontaine and his assistants. I couldn’t be more effusive in recommending him and his well tuned team for robotic chest surgery at Moffitt.

Dr. Fontaine and this team are truly amazing! They saved my life and I couldn't thank them enough. I felt comfortable the very first time I meet the doctor. They did such a great job on my surgery and removed my tumor which was attached to my lung and heart, he was able to remove the whole tumor in one piece and I didn't need any further treatment. He's very passionate in what he does he cares and takes his time. On a scale 1-10 I give him 100!

Dr. Fontaine - The surgeon’s surgeon. As a retired surgeon myself, when I was diagnosed with Stage I lung cancer, I made sure to seek a thoracic surgeon with an impeccable reputation and excellent pedigree. I asked within my professional circle for recommendations and I sought 3 different consultations with thoracic surgeons. I chose Dr Fontaine because he inspired confidence from our very first visit. I am happy to say that my robotic lobectomy was very successful and I was back home in 3 days and on the golf course within 3 weeks. I am happy to witness that the next generation of surgeons are carrying on a tradition of excellence. Dr. Fontaine certainly lived up to his reputation.

Dr. Fontaine is outstanding! When I was diagnosed with Stage III esophageal cancer in July 2015, my husband and I had to decide on a surgeon for the complex esophagectomy surgery that would follow several weeks of chemo-radiation. We made a decision to select the best surgeon we could find for the best outcome regardless of location. Even though there are cancer centers and resources in South Florida where we live, we looked at options across the nation because we wanted the best. The more we learned about Dr. Fontaine the more we became convinced he was the best choice for us. Everywhere we went at Moffitt, from the lobby information desk, to radiology, to the lab, when we were asked who our Dr. was, we said Dr. Fontaine and the response was always a smile, a nod yes, and “he is the man!”. They were right! We headed for Tampa and Dr. Fontaine performed my surgery on October 8th; he and his staff were phenomenal! I cannot say enough good things about them, we are so grateful to Dr. Fontaine and the entire Moffitt team. We were just blown away by the care that I received. 50% of esophagectomy patients nationwide have major complications, I had no significant complications! As one nurse said to me, “Dr. Fontaine’s patients have great outcomes”. Six months later my scans are normal, no sign of cancer. I go to the gym 5 days a week and I am getting on with life! Dr. Fontaine is a brilliant, caring and talented surgeon, I am so lucky to have him as my Doctor. Nan Wilcox

I was at my local hospital recovering from pneumonia when I was diagnosed with a carcinoid lung tumor. The thoracic team at that hospital recommended, because of the tricky location of the tumor, that I be referred to Dr. Fontaine at Moffitt. They felt he was uniquely qualified to handle my case, and after my experience I completely agree. Dr. Fontaine was very easy to talk to, patient with my family's and my questions, and clear in his explanations. He has a unique blend of bedside manner and excellence in his field. I felt comfortable with him and confident that I was receiving the best care. Dr. Fontaine was able to remove my left upper lung (lobectomy) using a robotic thoracotomy technique. Due to the location of my tumor, using a minimally invasive technique like this extremely challenging and is not performed by many thoracic specialists. Additionally, the surgery team was so gentle with me during surgery that I had no jaw or throat pain from the breathing tube post-surgery. While recovering in hospital room I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Garrett, the nurse practitioner for Dr. Fontaine. He explained how the surgery went, what I should expect in recovery, and was fully accessible for questions prior to my follow-up appointment. He simply made the post-surgery experience better. Since the surgery was minimally invasive, I was released from the hospital 3 days after my surgery, and by the end of the first week I was pleasantly surprised at how well I could breath and move around with minimal pain. I was mowing my grass and taking bike rides by week 2 of my recovery. Lung surgery is very serious for us, the patients, you need a Doctor and a surgical team that have the experience. Dr. Fontaine, Joe Garrett, and the Moffitt team provide the gold standard of care.