Vernon Square Surgicenter

Meet our Physicians

Dr. Grassesschi Dr. Jackson Dr. Jacobs  

Dr. Joshi Dr. Lu Dr. Morno Dr. Ritacca Dr. Winkler

Dr. Grassesschi Dr. Grasseschi received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and completed his internship at Wesley Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

After his four year general surgery residency at Northwestern University, Dr. Grasseschi undertook two additional years of specialty training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Northwestern...and since 1980, he has been a board certified plastic surgeon and an active member of the American Society of plastic Surgeons (ASPS), a society dedicated to quality care for plastic surgery patients through education, research and the promotion of high professional healthcare standards.

In addition to requiring that it’s members be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, this society subjects it’s applicants to review by their colleagues. Once accepted into active membership, physicians must continue to earn this status through continued medical education every three years.

Dr Grasseschi has been in practice since 1978 and provides a full range of plastic surgery. This includes body contouring procedures such as liposuction, breast procedures (breast enlargement, reduction, lift and reconstruction) and surgery of the abdomen. Other procedures available are nose reshaping and correction, facelift surgery, other facial procedures such as forehead lift, chemical peel, dermabrasion, fat transplantation, and upper and lower eyelid surgery.

Dr. Grasseschi holds a faculty appointment (Assistant Professor - Clinical) at Northwestern University, and he is also an attending Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon on the medical staff of: The Children's Memorial Hospital of Chicago, IL; Evanston Hospital, Evanston, IL; Glenbrook Hospital, Glenview, IL; Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago, IL; and Shriner's Hospital for Children, Chicago, IL.

Dr. Grasseschi also carries certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and he has kept this current since 1980 to provide maximum, safe medical care to his patients.

The following is Dr. Grasseschi's listing of Professional Memberships:

• American Board of Plastic Surgery
• American College of Surgeons
• American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Chicago Plastic Surgery Society
• Midwestern Association of Plastic Surgeons
• International Society of Clinical Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Jackson Mitchell A. Jackson, M.D.,
is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in refractive surgery. He received his medical degree from Chicago Medical School, completed his internship at Columbus Hospital and his ophthalmology residency at University of Chicago Hospitals. Currently, Dr. Jackson is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Chicago Hospitals and is on staff at many area hospitals.

Dr. Jackson has extensive experience in laser vision correction, performing surgery since its FDA approval for use in 1995. He is involved in the use of a new form of treatment for Keratoconus with the use of Intacs®; Dr. Jackson's practice was recently selected as one of the FDA phase 3 study sites for the PresView™ surgical reduction of presbyopia.

Accomplishments

• Assisted in the design and was the first U.S. surgeon to use the Moria microkeratome system currently used in the LASIK procedure
• Trained over 700 refractive surgeons worldwide on the use of the Moria Microkeratome system
• Selected as one of the international "Refractive Excellence (REX)" faculty by Alcon, manufacturer of the FDA-approved LADARVision® excimer laser system and the LADARWave® CustomCornea® system
• Serving as consultant specialist for Bausch & Lomb Zyoptix custom wavefront excimer laser system
• Speaks at numerous symposiums on refractive surgery and technique
• Certified Proctor for surgeons using the LADARVision laser and LADARWave® procedure
• Named "Top Doctor" in Chicago - Chicago Metro Area 2002 and 2003 - by Castle Connolly Medical, LTD
• Serves on Editorial Boards of two ophthalmic journals - Ophthalmology Management and Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today
• Selected as one of 65 ground breaking doctors by Chicago Magazine, 2004
• Team ophthalmologist for the Chicago Rush Arena Football Team - 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006
• Served as a course instructor for treatment of Keratoconus with use of Intacs

Affiliations

Dr. Jackson is a member and is actively involved in the following professional societies:

• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
• American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
• Illinois Association of Ophthalmology (IAO)
• International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS)
• Chicago Ophthalmology Society (COS)

Dr. Jackson is in demand as a lecturer and has served as a paper panelist on LASIK at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the International Society of Refractive Surgery symposiums.

Confident in laser vision correction, Dr. Jackson experienced the LASIK procedure as a patient in May 2000 and is able to explain the procedure from a patient's perspective.

Dr. Jacobs Brian J. Jacobs, M.D. was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. He graduated medical school and received his M.D. degree from Rush Medical College. He completed his residency in ophthalmology at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Jacobs went on to complete his fellowship in the medical and surgical management of glaucoma at the University of Illinois. He served time as a clinical instructor at Loyola University Medical Center. 

Dr. Jacobs currently is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Rush University and the University of Chicago. In 2006 Dr. Jacobs was given the Patient Care Improvement Project award from the American Glaucoma Society. Dr. Jacobs has published book chapters and numerous articles in the field of ophthalmology. Dr. Jacobs specializes in the medical, laser and surgical management of glaucoma. He looks forward to providing you with expert care for glaucoma and related anterior segment disorders. Your eye health is his top priority and he is dedicated to providing you with the personalized care you deserve using only the latest, most innovative techniques in eye care.

Dr. Lu Leonard Lu, MD, is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon who specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. He has demonstrated a commitment to excellence throughout his education, training, and career. After growing up in the western suburbs of Chicago and graduating as valedictorian of his high school class, he was one of approximately eighty students selected nationally to attend an eight-year combined undergraduate/medical school program at Brown University in Providence, RI.

Dr. Lu subsequently graduated from the Brown-Dartmouth Program in Medicine at the top of his class, earning the Dean’s Award for the most outstanding graduating medical student. Dr. Lu realized that Plastic Surgery was the perfect career for him because it combined precise surgical knowledge and skill with artistry and creativity. He was accepted to the extremely competitive integrated Plastic Surgery Training Program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, considered one of the premier training programs in the country.

Dr. Lu has extensive experience in all aspects of Plastic Surgery, varicose vein treatment, and hair transplantation. He has traveled around the country to train with several nationally-recognized authorities in Plastic Surgery, with whom he learned specialized and innovative techniques.

Dr. Lu is actively engaged in advancing the field of Plastic Surgery, having teaching duties and research interests. He has completed research fellowships at Harvard Medical School, Washington University, and Northwestern University. He has published multiple articles in the peer-reviewed journal, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr Lu is an active member of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Dr. Lu’s practice philosophy is simple: treat all his patients with the care and attention as though they were his family or friends. This is accomplished by combining an affable and compassionate “bedside manner” with outstanding clinical knowledge and surgical skill. His goal is to communicate in understandable and honest terms about the proposed procedure, while delivering natural results that exceeds expectations in a safe and comfortable environment.

Dr. Ritacca Dr. Daniel Ritacca is an honors graduate from the University of Illinois Medical School, class of 1979. He finished medical school at the top of his class as a member of alpha omega alpha honor society. He furthered his education and graduated in Ophthalmology at Northwestern Hospital, in 1984, where he trained in microsurgery of the eye; he has also received training in laser corrective vision surgery, plastic surgery of the eyelids and small cannula liposuction.

He is a volunteer surgeon at the John Stroger hospital teaching 12 doctors a year in vision correction, cosmetic/reconstructive surgery of the eyelids and liposuction. In addition, Dr. Ritacca has implemented the Gang Outreach Program in Illinois in which former gang members can remove old gang tattoos at minimal cost while they break free from the gang and improve their lives. He is involved in donations that include raising money for the Leukemia Foundation, the Allendale Association, a not-for-profit organization that dedicates to the education treatment for foster children in the Chicago area and the organization ‘Feed the Poor’. Dr. Ritacca is well known for his philanthropy work across the world and has served on committees to help the poor as he operates voluntarily in underprivileged countries worldwide.

Dr. Ritacca’s vision is to establish a laser and surgery center that deals with cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, improve the quality of patient’s lives, helping the underserved and poor, while devoting his free time to his family. We are happy to say that his vision is now a reality.