Congratulations to Ruben Bocanegra, a physician’s assistant in the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, who received a UNC “Star Heels” award at the UNC Department of Surgery’s Grand Rounds on June 8, 2011. Bocanegra, a longtime employee of the division, assists cardiac surgeons in the operating room. He was complimented for being a technically superb … Read more

Richard H. Feins, M.D., of the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, was honored by the Division of Nursing at UNC Hospitals as a “Friend of Nursing” on May 6, during Nurses Week 2011. See the full list of winners here.

  Crystal Sharpe, left, and her mother, Patricia Sanders. A new heart and a new kidney have given a 28-year-old Wilson woman a second chance at life. In late March, Crystal Sharpe became the 11th recipient of a heart and kidney transplant at UNC Hospitals. She had been ill with kidney problems since she was … Read more

Richard H. Feins, MD The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has awarded a three-year, $1.05 million grant to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to study use of simulators for cardiac surgery training. The multi-institution project will study whether resident physicians who are learning cardiothoracic surgery can become safer surgeons by … Read more

Andy C. Kiser, MD The Convergent procedure, pioneered by Andy Kiser, a UNC cardiac surgeon, is an innovative, minimally invasive procedure that provides effective treatment of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. A cardiac surgeon and an electrophysiologist work together to treat the inside and outside of the heart, redirecting electric impulses so that the patient … Read more

  Boming Dong, MD, PhD, checks lungs with bronchoscopy during ex-vivo perfusion in Dr. Egan’s lab at UNC. (Photo from AJT Report.) Ex-vivo perfusion offers a chance to evaluate lungs for transplant and also offers the chance to modify the lung to make it suitable for transplantation. Dr. Thomas Egan is featured in a recent … Read more

Richard H. Feins, MD, of the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, was among 60 UNC Hospitals doctors recently named to the America’s Top Doctors list, published by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd.

Brian Ainsley received a VAD before getting a new heart. (Photo from UNC Health Care) UNC has become a leader in use of ventricular assist devices (VAD) to treat patients with heart failure. A VAD is a mechanical circulatory device that provides continuous blood flow, replacing the function of a failing heart. UNC heart surgeon … Read more

  Wesley Telsrow A double-lung transplant gives a 22-year-old cystic fibrosis patient a new lease on life. For the first time in his young life, Wesley Telsrow can sleep lying down rather than sitting up and laugh without coughing. Nirmal Veeramachaneni, MD, was his transplant surgeon.

Congratulations to Dr. Richard H. Feins and Dr. Michael R. Mill of the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, who are included in the latest compilation of The Best Doctors in America® database for 2011-2012.  Dr. Feins specializes in lung and other chest surgery, including treatment of cancers.  Dr. Mill specializes in pediatric heart surgery. Only … Read more