Author Archives: Margaret Cloud

Paul T. Frantz, M.D. Peter J.K. Starek, M.D. April 22, 2015 Paul T. Frantz, M.D., a heart surgeon, will speak at UNC Surgery Grand Rounds on May 13 as the first Peter J.K. Starek M.D. Visiting Professor in Cardiothoracic Surgery at UNC. Dr. Frantz’s topic is “Challenges, complexities and compromises:...

  UNC’s TAVR team, left to right: Interventional cardiologists Michael Yeung, MD, and John Vavalle, MD, MHS; nurse coordinator Cassie Ramm, RN, BSN; cardiothoracic surgeons Thomas Caranasos, MD, and Andy Kiser, MD. In November 2014, Jim Aspell of Durham became the first patient at UNC Hospitals to receive a transcatheter...

Andy C. Kiser, M.D. March 3, 2014 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has appointed Andy C. Kiser, M.D., as Byah Thomason-Sanford Doxey Distinguished Professor in the Department of Surgery, effective March 1, 2015. Dr. Kiser is chief of the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. He provides cardiac...

Sara Kim, M.D. Mansi Shah, M.D. Updated Jan. 21, 2015 Two UNC residents in General Surgery – Sara Kim, M.D., and Mansi Shah, M.D. – have won scholarships from Women in Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Kim is a graduate of the University of Florida School of Medicine and is in her...

  Thomas Caranasos, MD, Michael Yeung, MD, and John Vavalle, MD, perform the first TAVR procedure at UNC. Dec. 15, 2014 In November 2014, James Aspell of Durham became the first patient at UNC to receive a new heart valve using transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. TAVR is a...

Jennifer S. Nelson, M.D., left, with STSA President Richard Prager, M.D. A study by Jennifer S. Nelson, M.D., of outcomes of children who had the Ross Procedure for aortic valve replacement received the Congenital Heart Surgery President’s Award during the annual meeting of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, Nov. 5-8,...

  Samiya Hicks, now 4, practices ballet. One year after her transplant surgery, Samiya and her mom participated in the radiothon that raises money for the NC Children’s Hospital. Nov. 25, 2014 Born with a congenital heart defect, Samiya Hicks was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at just 4 months...

Peter J.K. Starek, M.D. Nov. 24, 2014 Peter J.K. Starek, M.D., was a valuable member of the faculty of the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery from 1971 until his retirement in 2002. He has been an international leader and researcher in the field of valve replacement and repair. At UNC,...

Nov. 18, 2014 Andy C. Kiser, M.D., chief of the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, spoke at the recent meeting of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) on a suprasternal direct approach TAVR procedure that he developed. TAVR is transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a less invasive procedure for valve...

UNC’s ventricular assist device (VAD) program had tremendous growth in 2013-2014. Ventricular assist devices (VAD) are mechanical devices implanted in open heart surgery to provide increased blood flow for heart failure patients, greatly improving their quality of life and survival. The devices may be used as a bridge to heart...