Sun-Chuan Dai, MD

Assistant Clinical Professor

Dr. Sun-Chuan Dai is a gastroenterologist who specializes in endoscopic treatments. He cares for people with complex pancreas or bile duct problems, as well as those who have other damage to the digestive tract. He is passionate about communicating with his patients, and believes that a few minutes of careful explanation can go a long way toward relieving anxiety.

Dai's research investigates ways to improve the quality and success rates of procedures such as endoscopic ultrasound (a method that combines technologies to obtain high-quality images of the digestive tract and adjacent structures), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (a procedure that combines upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and X-rays to treat problems of the bile or pancreatic ducts) and surgical removal of large intestinal polyps. He also works closely with UCSF's hereditary cancer group to explore how best to screen individuals with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

Endoscopy has long been a big part of Dai's life. A New Hampshire native, he spent snow days watching his father, also a gastroenterologist, perform colonoscopies on patients who gave consent for observation.

Dai earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and completed a residency in internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at Boston University and a fellowship in advanced endoscopy at the University of Pennsylvania, where he met his wife.

Dai is a member of several professional societies, including the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and American College of Gastroenterology.

Education
Advanced Endoscopy, 2014 - , University of Pennsylvania
Gastroenterology, 2013 - , Boston University Medical Center
Internal Medicine, 2009 - , Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
MD, 2006 - , Baylor College of Medicine
Publications
  1. Pathak SJ, Avila P, Dai SC, Arain MA, Perito ER, Kouanda A. Index admission cholecystectomy for biliary acute pancreatitis or choledocholithiasis reduces 30-day readmission rates in children. Surgical endoscopy 2024. PMID: 38503905


  2. Faggen AE, Kamal F, Lee-Smith W, Khan MA, Sharma S, Acharya A, Ahmed Z, Farooq U, Bayudan A, McLean R, Avila P, Dai SC, Munroe CA, Kouanda A. Correction to: Over-the-Scope Clips Versus Standard Endoscopic Treatment for First Line Therapy of Non-variceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Digestive diseases and sciences 2023. PMID: 38010602


  3. Pathak SJ, Ji H, Nijagal A, Avila P, Dai SC, Arain MA, Kouanda A. Index admission cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis reduces 30-day readmission rates in pediatric patients. Surgical endoscopy 2023. PMID: 38114877


  4. Kouanda A, Faggen A, Bayudan A, Kamal F, Avila P, Arain M, Dai SC, Munroe CA. Impact of Telemedicine on No-Show Rates in an Ambulatory Gastroenterology Practice. Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association 2023. PMID: 37883629


  5. Kouanda A, Bayudan A, Hussain A, Avila P, Kamal F, Hasan MK, Dai SC, Munroe C, Thiruvengadam N, Arain MA. Current state of biliary cannulation techniques during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): International survey study. Endoscopy international open 2023. PMID: 37564727


  6. Faggen AE, Kamal F, Lee-Smith W, Khan MA, Sharma S, Acharya A, Ahmed Z, Farooq U, Bayudan A, McLean R, Avila P, Dai SC, Munroe CA, Kouanda A. Over-the-Scope Clips Versus Standard Endoscopic Treatment for First Line Therapy of Non-variceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Digestive diseases and sciences 2023. PMID: 36943590


  7. Kamal F, Khan MA, Lee-Smith W, Sharma S, Acharya A, Farooq U, Tarar ZI, Faggen AE, Aziz M, Chandan S, Ahmed Z, Kouanda A, Dai SC, Munroe CA, Adler DG. Efficacy and safety of EUS-guided biliary drainage for benign biliary obstruction - A systematic review and meta-analysis. Endoscopic ultrasound 2023. PMID: 36751758


  8. Kamal F, Khan MA, Lee-Smith W, Sharma S, Acharya A, Farooq U, Aziz M, Kouanda A, Dai SC, Munroe CA, Arain M, Adler DG. Efficacy and safety of EUS-guided gallbladder drainage for rescue treatment of malignant biliary obstruction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Endoscopic ultrasound 2023. PMID: 36861505


  9. Kamal F, Khan MA, Lee-Smith W, Sharma S, Acharya A, Imam Z, Farooq U, Hanson J, Pulous V, Aziz M, Chandan S, Kouanda A, Dai SC, Munroe CA, Howden CW. Second exam of right colon improves adenoma detection rate: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Endoscopy international open 2022. PMID: 36262512


  10. Kouanda A, Mclean R, Faggen A, Demissie E, Balassanian R, Kamal F, Avila P, Arain M, Dai SC, Munroe C. Telecytology versus in-room Cytopathologist for Endoscopic Ultrasound Fine Needle Aspiration or Biopsy of Solid Pancreatic Lesions. Gastrointestinal endoscopy 2022. PMID: 36252871


  11. Kamal F, Khan MA, Lee-Smith W, Sharma S, Acharya A, Jowhar D, Farooq U, Aziz M, Kouanda A, Dai SC, Howden CW, Munroe CA. Systematic review and Meta-analysis: One-year outcomes of gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy for refractory gastroparesis. 2021. PMID: 34854102


  12. Kouanda A, Umetsu S, Dai SC. Microforceps in the Diagnosis of Pancreatic Bronchogenic Cyst Under Endoscopic Ultrasound Guidance. ACG case reports journal 2020. PMID: 32337317


  13. Avila P, Holmes I, Kouanda A, Arain M, Dai SC. Practice patterns of post-ERCP pancreatitis prophylaxis techniques in the United States: a survey of advanced endoscopists. Gastrointestinal endoscopy 2019. PMID: 31743690


  14. Dai SC, Goldberg D, Agarwal A, Ma GK, Yam C, Ahmad NA, Ginsberg GG, Jaffe DL, Kochman ML, Olthoff KM, Chandrasekhara V. Endoscopic Therapy is Effective for Recurrent Anastomotic Biliary Strictures after Orthotopic Liver Transplantation. Annals of hepatology 2017. PMID: 29055929


  15. Cuevas-Ocampo AK, Bollen AW, Goode B, Pajtler KW, Chavez L, Sharma T, Dai SC, McDermott M, Perry A, Korshunov A, Solomon DA. Genetic confirmation that ependymoma can arise as part of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) syndrome. Acta neuropathologica 2017. PMID: 28238068


  16. Dai SC, Paley M, Chandrasekhara V. Intragastric balloons: an introduction and removal technique for the endoscopist. Gastrointestinal endoscopy 2015. PMID: 26183825


  17. Pimentel M, Morales W, Lezcano S, Sun-Chuan D, Low K, Yang J. Low-dose nocturnal tegaserod or erythromycin delays symptom recurrence after treatment of irritable bowel syndrome based on presumed bacterial overgrowth. Gastroenterology & hepatology 2009. PMID: 20574504


  18. Khoshini R, Dai SC, Lezcano S, Pimentel M. A systematic review of diagnostic tests for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Digestive diseases and sciences 2008. PMID: 17990113