Welcome Letter from Division Chief

Craig R. Smith, MD Calvin F. Barber Professor of Surgery Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Welcome to the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center. Our surgeons help to shape the future of heart and lung surgery, spearheading innovative research and advancing new and less invasive surgical techniques. Our core mission is to provide all of our patients and their families with the best possible care—through outstanding surgical results as well as through comprehensive and compassionate care.

A description of our cardiac surgery section follows. To learn more about thoracic surgery, please click here.

Adult Cardiac Surgery

Performing over 1,600 open-heart procedures a year, the cardiac surgery section stands alone in the region and among the best in the world. The U.S. News & World Report "America's Best Hospitals" survey has ranked NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's cardiac program in the top 10 for seven years running. As of 2007, it is the only cardiac program in the New York region ever to have made the top 10.

In addition to on- and off-pump coronary bypass surgery (CABG), we perform a high volume of valve procedures, and are recognized for our innovation and skill in valve repair. Our surgeons undertake some of the most complex and challenging cases, such as combined bypass and valve repair or replacement procedures.

We offer unparalleled expertise in a range of surgical specialties:

Download the Cardiac Surgery Brochure.

• The Aortic Surgery Program offers expertise in medical, surgical, stent, and minimally invasive management of all types of acute and chronic aortic problems, including aneurysms, Type A and Type B dissection, and aortic root reconstruction.
• With over 25 years of experience, the Cardiac Transplantation Program is one of the top heart transplant programs in the world—performing 70 to 100 heart transplants in a typical year.
• Founded in 1990 to advance the use of cardiac assist devices as a bridge-to-transplantation, the Mechanical Circulatory Support Program now also offers assist devices as a destination therapy for patients with end stage heart failure who are not eligible for a transplant.
• The Minimally Invasive and Robotic Cardiac Surgery Program seeks to surgically treat cardiac disease through smaller incisions, resulting in a faster recovery with less discomfort. We have performed over 800 minimally invasive operations to date and have the most extensive experience in robotic cardiac surgery in the U.S..
• The Surgical Atrial Fibrillation Program offers a variety of surgical solutions to atrial fibrillation, including the Maze procedure, surgical atrial fibrillation ablation (SAFA), and totally endoscopic beating heart atrial fibrillation ablation.

Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

We are recognized leaders in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, with particular expertise in:

• Congenital heart defects
• Mechanical circulatory support devices (LVADs)
• Pediatric heart transplantation
• Ross procedure for aortic valve failure

Our surgeons work closely with the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian to ensure the best possible care for our pediatric patients. In addition, we helped to establish the Schneeweiss Center for Adult Congenital Heart Disease to provide specialized care for adult patients with congenital heart disease.

Research

As part of an academic medical center, research is central to fulfilling our mission. Our physician-scientists have brought forth a range of advances in cardiac surgery. Recent highlights include:

• A $17 million SCCOR grant from the NIH to investigate improving outcomes for end-stage heart failure patients with implanted mechanical devices.
• EVEREST investigation of the Evalve® Cardiovascular Valve Repair System for the non-surgical treatment of mitral valve regurgitation (MR).
• The FREEDOM Trial, a multi-national, NIH-funded randomized comparison of coronary bypass surgery to stenting in diabetics.
• An NIH grant supporting the Columbia Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network, for the following investigations:
  • Atrial fibrillation ablation with mitral valve surgery
  • Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) alone versus CABG plus mitral valve repair for moderate mitral valve regurgitation (MR)
  • Mitral repair versus chordal-sparing valve replacement in severe mitral regurgitation
  • Proof-of-concept Trial of LVADs versus optimal medical management in heart failure patients
  • Phase II evaluation of perioperative atorvastatin in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Partnerships

We recognize that partnerships with other specialists, institutions, and industries can help us to further improve our patient care. Through our close relationship with the Preventive Cardiology Program, and the Center for Advanced Cardiac Care, our patients receive the latest in comprehensive, multidisciplinary care. We frequently partner with industry to advance our development of new surgical devices and minimal access techniques.

Finally, we are sharing our expertise through a network of eight hospitals, whose cardiac surgery programs we help to manage:

• Arnot Odgen Hospital, Elmira, NY
• Bon Secours Maryview Hospital, Hampton Roads, VA
• Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Greenville, SC
• Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA
• Lifespan Health Systems, Rhode Island
• Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, NY
• Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Edison, NJ
• Stamford Medical Center, Stamford, CT
• The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ

Read more about this affiliate program, Columbia HeartSource.