Columbia-Presbyterian NYC surgeons?

[RobinH]

My 82 year old mother needs an aortic valve replacement due to severe aortic stenosis. The surgeons here in NH have deemed her high risk for surgery due to her age combined with some other medical issues and are reluctant to perform the surgery. We want to get a second opinion at Columbia in NYC. Does anyone out there know who the top valve surgeons are at Columbia??

Thanks for your help!

Robin

 

[Jkm7]

You are so close to Boston and two of the top five cardiac surgery centers in the country that I wonder why you wouldn't go to Mass General and/or Brigham and Women's for other opinions. Those two hospitals rank year after year among the top.

 

[Lynlw]

Since you are interested in Columbia and your Mother has been deemed not a surgery candidate, have you considerred looking into the trials for the percutaneous valve replacements? I don't know if she meets all the criteria, but it might be worth looking into http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00530894?term=sapien&rank=2
Cloumbia is one of the investigators and the docs involved are United States, New York
Columbia University Medical Center Recruiting
New York, New York, United States, 10032
Contact: Martin Leon, MD 212-342-3617
Contact: Craig Smith, MD 212-305-8312
Principal Investigator: Martin Leon, MD
Principal Investigator: Craig Smith, MD

IF she isn't interested in the trials, I'm sure they could recomend the best surgeon. I probably would also look at some of the hospitals in Boston if you want more opinions like JKM suggested. Many centers will give 2nd op from the records/cds of tests and the patient doesn't have to travel.

 

[nickd]

Robin.

I had my surgery at New York Presbyterian - Cornell, my surgeon was Dr. Len Girardi and I would highly recommend him. If she is high risk for surgery, either Columbia or Cornell have the trials with the valve replacement through catherization like what Lynlw said.