Cardiac Surgery: The Intersection of Technology and Expertise

A fraction of a millimeter. The thickness of a single strand of hair. In cardiac surgery — where technology is beginning to make cases possible that were once unthinkable — precision is crucial. Yet even the best technology is irrelevant unless it’s in the right hands.

“In this era of innovation, we are excited to be involved in the development of new technologies and we are optimistic about the pace in which technology is evolving. But for patients with the most complex cardiovascular conditions, technology alone isn’t enough,” says Tom Nguyen, M.D., FACS, FAC. Dr. Nguyen is chief medical executive, director of minimally invasive valve surgery and the Barry T. Katzen Medical Director Endowed Chair at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, part of Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care.

“Here, we have pulled together a renowned, highly skilled and compassionate group of cardiothoracic surgeons who are able to perform the life-saving procedures patients require, whether it’s a robotic-assisted surgery, a minimally invasive procedure or an open-heart surgery,” he says.

A Multi-Disciplinary Team of South Florida Heart Specialists

Dr. Nguyen leads Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care and its two institutes and teams that are devoted to cardiovascular care — Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute in Miami-Dade County and the Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute in Palm Beach County.

Tom Nguyen, M.D., FACS, FAC, chief medical executive, director of minimally invasive valve surgery and the Barry T. Katzen Medical Director Endowed Chair at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute

The multidisciplinary team includes cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, hypertensive cardiologists, cardiac imaging specialists, anesthesiologists, genetic consultants, electrophysiologists, advanced practice providers and other specialists.

Physicians at both institutes see patients from throughout Florida, the U.S., Latin America and beyond, according to Dr. Nguyen. Procedures offered include minimally invasive and robotic surgery, complex coronary revascularizations, aortic surgery and transcatheter therapies using the newest technologies.

In Miami-Dade County, Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute surgeons include Tom Nguyen, M.D.; Joseph McGinn Jr., M.D.; Marco Bologna, M.D.; Mehrdad Ghoreishi, M.D.; Masaka Nakamura, M.D.; Makoto Hashimoto, M.D.; and Bryan Tomkins, M.D. In Palm Beach County, the team at Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute includes Richard Cartledge, M.D.; Marc Gibber, M.D.; Alexander Kulik, M.D.; and Joseph McGinn III, M.D.

Advancing Knowledge in Their Fields

The surgeons at Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care are considered by peers from around the world to be experts in their fields. They’ve published in peer-reviewed medical journals; served on the faculty of international, national and regional symposiums; taught other surgeons their techniques; and helped train the physicians and surgeons of tomorrow. They actively participate in cardiac surgery research and lead clinical trials in structural heart problems, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, vascular disease, stroke and other conditions.

Joseph McGinn Jr., M.D., thoracic surgeon and the chief of cardiac surgery at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute

According to Dr. Nguyen, Baptist Health physicians continue to pioneer the field, performing many first-in-man procedures – not just in Florida but worldwide. Many have developed new devices and techniques and performed medical “firsts,” he adds.

Dr. McGinn Jr., for example, pioneered a minimally invasive coronary artery bypass graft surgery – the McGinn Technique – that eliminates the need to cut open the patient’s chest or stop the heart. Dr. Ghoreishi developed a normothermic TAR technique that doesn’t require the riskier practice of lowering the patient’s body temperature to temporarily stop the flow of blood. He performed the first case in Florida at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

Mehrdad Ghoreishi, M.D., co-director of aortic surgery and medical director of cardiac surgery research at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute

“It’s why I say that technology alone isn’t enough,” says Dr. Nguyen. “You need the most skilled and knowledgeable cardiothoracic surgeons who not only have years of experience but also are always innovating in order to improve the lives of our patients.”

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