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 transplant, or as a destination … Read more
During a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure, the patient’s aortic valve is replaced using a minimally-invasive approach which doesn’t require open heart surgery. Image by Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA. UNC has begun a program to offer transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to patients who are too frail or ill to undergo open heart surgery. … Read more
Jason Long, M.D., M.P.H. Jason Long, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of surgery in UNC’s Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, will be the guest on the “Your Health” radio program – he will discuss “Heart and Lung Surgery: Past, Present and Future.” Please tune in! The show airs on these stations: WCHL – 97.9 FM • Saturday, … Read more
Thomas G. Caranasos, M.D. We welcome Thomas G. Caranasos M.D., who joined the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery in July 2014 as assistant professor of surgery. Dr. Caranasos, a heart and lung surgeon who specializes in adult cardiac surgery, has a special interest in aortic surgery, including the ascending aorta, arch pathology, thoracic aorta and … Read more
The cardiac surgery and cardiology specialties at UNC Hospitals were recently ranked as “high performing” by U.S. News & World Report in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” issue. That means they are among the top 25 percent of hospitals in their specialty nationally in data compiled by U.S. News & World Report.
The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at UNC Hospitals recently celebrated its fifth straight year of having no cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Widespread use of mechanical ventilation puts the CICU’s critically ill patients at a particularly high risk for developing VAP. In 2008, the CICU began new practices to help reduce cases of VAP … Read more
Rex Healthcare plans to start construction of its new heart tower this fall. The 115-bed hospital, owned by UNC Health Care, will be home to North Carolina Heart & Vascular.
Craig Wilkins Andy Kiser and Paul Mounsey About five years ago, Craig Wilkins was feeling tired and breathless and decided to see his family doctor in Cary, N.C., before going on a trip. Craig was otherwise healthy and had no history of heart disease, but his doctor discovered he had atrial fibrillation, a condition … Read more
Residents and medical students at UNC are invited to submit abstracts for the annual meeting of the Nathan A. Womack Surgical Society, to be held at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from May 1 to 3, 2014. Abstract submissions will be accepted until Friday, April 4, 2014, at 11 p.m. EDT. Four … Read more
Richard H. Feins, MD Ron Alterovitz, PhD Ron Alterovitz, PhD, assistant professor of computer science and head of the Computational Robotics Research Group in the UNC Department of Computer Science, has been investigating new algorithms that can enable robotic tentacles to achieve depth and precision inside the human body. He has focused on a … Read more
