Left Atrial Appendage Closure as an Alternative | UPMC Physician Resources

Experts from the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. recently published results of the OPTION clinical trial in the New England Journal of Medicine. This trial investigated the use of left atrial appendage closure as an alternative to anticoagulation following ablation for atrial fibrillation. UPMC Harrisburg was one of the 10 leading centers for the OPTION trial.

UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute Performs First TricValve Case | UPMC Physician Resources

Experts at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. recently performed their first TricValve case to treat a patient with tricuspid regurgitation. UPMC is amongst the first centers in the country to use this groundbreaking therapy.Hemal Gada, MD, president of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa., is a principal investigator on an innovative trial testing the TricValve^® Transcatheter Bicaval Valves System at UPMC Harrisburg.

UPMC Heart and Vascular Insights: Managing Thoracic Aortic Dissections | UPMC Physician Resources

In this article, Ibrahim Sultan, MD, FACS, FACC, discusses some of the insights, treatment approaches, and research learnings from UPMC in caring for patients with TAD. Dr. Sultan is the Professor and Chief of the Division of Cardiac Surgery, executive vice chair of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and co-director of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute. Dr. Sultan also is the surgical director of the UPMC Center for Heart Valve Disease, and the cardiac surgery director for the newly formed UPMC Center for Aortic Disease.

Beta Blockers Associated with Lower All-Cause Mortality | UPMC Physician Resources

Experts from the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute recently published new research on beta blocker benefit in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in the Clinical Research in Cardiology journal.

Implementation of a Clinical Decision Support System | UPMC Physician Resources

Experts from the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute recently published new research regarding clinical outcomes associated with diltiazem use in heart failure in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy journal.

Afib More Common and Dangerous in Younger People Than Thought | UPMC Physician Resources

Atrial fibrillation (Afib), a common type of arrhythmia that is on the rise in people under the age of 65, is more dangerous in this increasingly younger population than previously thought, according to a new study published in Circulation Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology and authored by physician-scientists at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.

New Treatment for Coronary In-Stent Restenosis in United States | UPMC Physician Resources

William Bachinsky, MD, of UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa., contributed to the review and analysis of a first-of-its-kind trial in the United States that compared angioplasty outcomes between the AGENT Paclitaxel-coated balloon and an uncoated balloon. Researchers evaluated one-year target lesion failure in patients with in-stent restenosis and published their results in JAMA.

Outcomes of Impella 5.0 and 5.5 for Patients with Cardiogenic Shock | UPMC Physician Resources

Experts from the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute and the UPMC Heart Transplant Program recently published new research evaluating the outcomes of patients with cardiogenic shock supported with Impella 5.0 or 5.5^® in the Artificial Organs journal.In this study, researchers aimed to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality and evaluate the outcomes of Impella 5.0 or 5.5 in 137 patients with cardiogenic shock at a single center. Patients were separated into three groups based on their cardiogenic shock etiology: acute myocardial infarction (AMI), acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), and postcardiotomy (PC).

Eating Too Much Protein is Bad for Your Arteries | UPMC Physician Resources

“Our study shows that dialing up your protein intake in pursuit of better metabolic health is not a panacea. You could be doing real damage to your arteries,” said senior and co-corresponding author Babak Razani, MD, PhD, professor of cardiology at Pitt. “Our hope is that this research starts a conversation about ways of modifying diets in a precise manner that can influence body function at a molecular level and dampen disease risks.”

UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute Ranked for Heart Valve Replacement | UPMC Physician Resources

UPMC is proud to be ranked as one of the top hospitals in the United States for heart valve replacement according to WebMD. WebMD and Medscape partnered to recognize U.S. hospitals for excellence based on specific treatments and procedures. Access the full list and read the survey methodology here.

5,000th Open Heart Procedure at UPMC Western Maryland | UPMC Physician Resources

On Oct. 22, UPMC Western Maryland cardiothoracic surgeon Mark Nelson, MD, and his team performed the program’s 5,000th open heart surgery. This milestone is the latest accolade for the cardiac surgery program at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute (HVI) at UPMC Western Maryland. 

UPMC Hamot Recognized as a Carotid Care Quality Champion | UPMC Physician Resources

The Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC Hamot has been identified as a Carotid Care Quality Champion by the Society for Vascular Surgery® Vascular Quality Initiative® (SVS VQI) clinical registry recognition program. The program honors healthcare organizations across the country dedicated to improving the safety and effectiveness of vascular care through participation and engagement in VQI’s carotid artery stenting and carotid endarterectomy registries.

UPMC Expanding Heart Transplant Evaluation in Harrisburg | UPMC Physician Resources

“The UPMC Heart Transplant Program is committed to serving patients across the region by expanding access to pre-transplant evaluation and testing services” says Mary Keebler, MD, medical director of the UPMC Advanced Heart Failure Center and UPMC Heart Transplant Program. “This clinic enables us to improve access to care for patients limiting the burden of travel for pre-transplant appointments.”

UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute Expands Services in York County | UPMC Physician Resources

“We are extremely proud to be able to offer this level of advanced care to patients in York County,” says David Loran, MD, chief of cardiac and vascular surgery, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in central Pa. “Our goal is to provide consistent and convenient access to expert care directly to patients in the communities where they live.”

PCPs and Vascular Surgeons: Partners in Comprehensive Vascular Care | UPMC Physician Resources

Collaborative relationships with vascular surgeons allow primary care physicians to proactively guide the treatment of their patient’s vascular disease. Fewer than half of patients treated by a vascular surgeon require intervention. So, early consultation could be vital to avoiding future procedures.

UPMC Hamot Performs 500th WATCHMAN Procedure | UPMC Physician Resources

The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC Hamot recently performed their 500th WATCHMAN™ implant procedure. UPMC experts Jean Moubarak, MD; Kelly Hayes, MD, PhD; Madhurmeet Singh, DO; and John Wertz, MD, each contributed significantly to achieving this milestone.

UPMC Reported as National Leader in Heart Transplant by SRTR | UPMC Physician Resources

Reported by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), we are proud to announce that UPMC Heart Transplant Program is a top transplant program in two distinct outcome categories. UPMC is the national leader in 90-day survival rate following heart transplantation and is among the top nationally for patient survival rates at 30 days and one-year post transplant.

UPMC Vascular Surgery Earns Three Stars in Vascular Quality Initiative | UPMC Physician Resources

The Society for Vascular Surgery’s Vascular Quality Initiative (SVS VQI) has awarded three stars, the highest possible rating, to the UPMC Division of Vascular Surgery for its active participation in the Registry Participation Program.“The VQI allows multidisciplinary evaluation of outcomes and provides an opportunity to identify practice gaps and streamline patient care,” explains Michael Madigan, MD, UPMC Division of Vascular Surgery and Great Lakes Regional Medical Director.

UPMC Harrisburg is First in the World to Use the Newest TAVR System | UPMC Physician Resources

Hemal Gada, MD, president, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. performed a TAVR procedure using the newest-generation FDA approved Evolut™ FX+ TAVR system for the treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Dr. Gada is the first interventional cardiologist in the world to use this latest Evolut FX+ TAVR system.

UPMC Among the Elite Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery | UPMC Physician Resources

The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in central Pa. has been awarded the highest possible rating of three stars by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) in three out of five total categories for patient care and outcomes, including:

Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG),

Combined Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR+CABG)

Isolated Mitral Valve Replacement/Repair (MVRR)

UPMC Receives STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Star Ratings | UPMC Physician Resources

The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute is home to world-renowned leaders in adult cardiac surgery. We are proud to announce that UPMC has been awarded the highest possible rating of three stars in four procedures across four different UPMC locations by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).

UPMC Hamot: Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

UPMC Harrisburg: Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, Combined Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Aortic Valve Replacement, and Mitral Valve Replacement/Repair

UPMC Passavant: Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

UPMC Presbyterian: Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Aortic Valve Replacement

Calcium Scoring – Provided to Patients in Williamsport | UPMC Physician Resources

“Calcium scoring allows us to find disease without the use of needles and invasive procedures. It allows us to see the disease that is missed by traditional stress testing” explains Michael Desiderio, DO, a cardiologist at UPMC Williamsport. “Based on what we see, we gain insight to the extent and severity of heart disease and can then offer guidance on next steps, which may include medicine or making lifestyle changes.”

Virtual Visits at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute | UPMC Physician Resources

Our virtual clinic has enhanced our scope to include care planning for the following cardiovascular conditions:

Cardiac amyloidosis

Congestive heart failure

Heart and blood vessel problems resulting from cancer treatment

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

UPMC Western Maryland Now Performing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Procedures | UPMC Physician Resources

“The addition of a TAVR program to our existing open heart surgery program will benefit patients who would be considered intermediate to high risk for open heart surgery,” said cardiothoracic surgeon Mark Nelson, MD. “Performing TAVR at UPMC Western Maryland will complement our surgical program, and patients and families will no longer need to travel out of town for this specialized procedure.”

UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute Surgical Team Performs First Robotically-Assisted, Minimally Invasive Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation | UPMC Physician Resources

In December 2023, experts from the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute performed the world's first robotically-assisted, minimally invasive implantation of a HeartMate 3™ left ventricular assist device (LVAD).Collaborating on the case were Johannes Bonatti, MD, FETCS, professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and director of Robotic Cardiac Surgery at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, and David Kaczorowski, MD, associate professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and surgical director of the Center for Advanced Heart Failure at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute. They worked in the operating room with a team of 15 other health care professionals, including anesthesia, scrub techs, perfusionists, and LVAD engineers.

UPMC Hamot Awarded Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification from The Joint Commission | UPMC Physician Resources

For the third recertification period, UPMC Hamot has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark for Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification.

UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. Reaches Over 400 TAVR Procedures in One Year | UPMC Physician Resources

Surgeons and interventional cardiologists at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. recently performed their 400th transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for 2023, making them the first heart program in Pennsylvania to reach this clinical milestone.

UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute Welcomes Irsa Hasan, MD | UPMC Physician Resources

The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute is proud to announce the addition of cardiac surgeon Irsa Hasan, MD, to our team. Dr. Hasan has extensive clinical and research experience relating to cardiothoracic surgery. Her expertise will contribute to the continuation of UPMC’s legacy of life-saving cardiac surgical care.

Expanding Heart Care Expertise at UPMC | UPMC Physician Resources

The team in Southwest Pa. and Northwest Pa. is expanding to include the below experts:

Elizabeth Andraska, MD | Vascular Surgery

Irsa Hasan, MD | Cardiac Surgery

Chad Kosanovich, MD | Cardiology

David Liddle, MD | Pediatric Cardiology

Thomas Melvin, MD | Thoracic Surgery

Santosh Pandit, MD | Cardiology

Katherine Reitz, MD | Vascular Surgery

Jared Romeo, MD | Interventional Cardiology

Roy Sriwattanakomen, MD | Cardiology

Takuya Ogami, MD | Cardiac Surgery

Dr. Ogami Joins UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute | UPMC Physician Resources

UPMC Hamot is proud to welcome Takuya Ogami, MD, who will join our cardiac surgery team in July 2024.Dr. Ogami has extensively researched subjects relating to cardiothoracic surgery medicine, with close to 50 peer-reviewed articles and co-authored books published and numerous oral and written presentations. Dr. Ogami’s expertise will contribute to the continuation of UPMC’s distinguished reputation as a leader in cardiac surgery.

Dr. Shigemura Appointed Surgical Director of Lung Transplant | UPMC Physician Resources

UPMC is proud to welcome back Norihisa Shigemura, MD, who began serving as the surgical director of the UPMC Lung Transplant Program and co-chief of Cardiothoracic Transplant in June 2024.

UPMC Altoona Welcomes its Newest Cardiologist | UPMC Physician Resources

UPMC Altoona is pleased to announce the addition of Sumit Sohal, MD, MS, FACC, to the cardiology team at Blair Medical Associates. 

UPMC Congratulates Four Faculty Members on Their Induction to the AATS | UPMC Physician Resources

The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute is proud to announce that four of our faculty members were inducted into The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) this year. The AATS is an organization dedicated to the advancement of the field of cardiothoracic surgery. Inducted members are physicians who have made significant contributions to the care and treatment of cardiothoracic disease worldwide.We congratulate Francis D. Ferdinand, MD; Johannes Bonatti, MD; Luciana Da Fonseca Da Silva, MD; and Ryan Levy, MD, on their induction.

New Cardiologists Join the UPMC Heart and Vascular Team in NCPA | UPMC Physician Resources

The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in North Central Pa. continues to expand, with the recent addition of three cardiologists. Please join us in welcoming Jeffery A. Gilbert, DO, David L. Ambrose, DO, and Thomas D. Scott, DO.

Danny Chu, MD, FACS, FAHA, Named President-Elect of the Society of University Surgeons | UPMC Physician Resources

The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute congratulates Danny Chu, MD, FACS, FAHA, on being named President-Elect of the Society of University Surgeons (SUS). This distinguished appointment places Dr. Chu amongst an esteemed legacy of surgeons from UPMC who have previously led the SUS.

Pyong Yoon, MD, Honored with the Prestigious Socrates Award from the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association | UPMC Physician Resources

At the 2024 STS Annual Meeting, Pyong Yoon, MD, was honored with the prestigious Socrates Award from the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association (TSDA). This annual accolade recognizes mid- to late-career surgical educators who have demonstrated unwavering commitment to excellence in resident education throughout their careers. 

Applications of Cardiac PET | UPMC

In this CME, Jason Stuck, MD, discusses cardiac stress testing, the benefits of choosing cardiac PET stress testing over alternative stress test options, and more.

Contemporary Management of Atrial Fibrillation | UPMC

In this CME, Madhurmeet Singh, DO, identifies stages of atrial fibrillation, describes rate vs. rhythm control with a focus on AF ablation, discusses the role of AF ablation in heart failure patients, and more.

Anatomic Assessment of Complex Transposition Using Echocardiography | UPMC

In this CME, Lizabeth Lanford, MD, discusses how to identify favorable cardiac anatomy for the Nikaidoh procedure, explains accurate recognition of the VSD location to determine the optimal surgical option, how to implement the use of 3D echo imaging to improve diagnostic accuracy, and more.

Treatment of Pulmonary Embolisms | UPMC

In this CME, Bryan G. Schwartz, MD, discusses how to optimally treat acute PE in the emergency department, how know which patients to refer for consideration of procedures, explains selection of which anticoagulation agent to use, and explains selection of patients to treat with indefinite anticoagulation.