Best cardiologists: TOP 456 doctors

Born in Ankara in 1980, he received his primary and secondary education in Artvin, his hometown. He graduated from Inebolu High School in 1997 and started studying at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine the same year. He received his Medical Doctor degree in 2003 and ranked high in the medical specialization exam the same year.

He started his cardiology specialization education in the Department of Cardiology at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine and became a cardiology specialist in 2008.

He served as an interventional cardiologist in Rize Education and Research Hospital during his mandatory service.

He worked in the field of electrophysiology with Prof. Dr. Remzi Karaoğuz at Ankara Güven Hospital. He became an Associate Professor in January 2014 and a Professor in 2023.

Throughout his academic career, he has published many scientific publications that have been published nationally and internationally and have received high citations. He provides patent and consultancy services for medical engineering in addition to clinical medical education and treatment services. He is a member of national and international scientific societies. He is currently working in interventional cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology fields in the Cardiology Clinic at Ankara Koru Çukurambar Hospital.

His medical interests include:

Cardiac electrophysiological (EPS) study and ablation therapy

Implantation and follow-up of cardiac pacemakers

Interventional Cardiology

Prof. Raffaello Furlan is the Unit Director of the Internal Medicine Center Unit.

Since 1990 he has been focusing his clinical interests on hypotensive phenomena and episodes of loss of consciousness, organizing and developing a functional multidisciplinary unit called "Syncope and Posture Disorders Unit", as part of the Internal Medicine Unit where he worked (currently Medical Clinic, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, and in the past L. Sacco Hospital, Milan, and Bolognini Hospital, Bergamo). 

This unit is composed of a neurologist, an endocrinologist, a cardiologist and a psychiatrist, in accordance with clinical-care facilitated protocols. Thanks to this organizational structure, and thanks to the use a special clinical laboratory, more than 1600 tilt tests have been carried out, together with intensive work with outpatients and inpatients, which led to the care of patients also from other regions in Italy and abroad (France, Switzerland, Australia, Comoros Islands and United States).

The Syncope and Posture Disorders Unit is currently part of a worldwide network of centres that refer to the National Dysautonomia Research Foundation, an American non-profit foundation providing advice and support to patients with different types of dysautonomia and financing international research protocols on the subject.  

Research areas of interest:

From 1977 to 1984, he took an active part in studies conducted on experimental models, to clarify the nervous mechanisms of cardiac, cardio-vascular and vascular reflexes involved in the regulation of blood pressure and in the genesis of cardiac pain. He also applied techniques of direct recording of sympathetic nerve activity and spectral analysis to the study of cardiovascular variability in the physiological, pathophysiologic and pathological  fields, studying the changes in the nervous control of the cardiovascular system during postural changes, physical training, neuromediated syncope in patients suffering from dysutopianism (Pure Autonomic Failure), and in subjects with Chronic Orthostatic Intolerance, Fibromyalgia, Esophageal Reflux Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Parkinson’s disease. 

Since January 2004, the Syncope Unit directed by Prof. Furlan has conceived, realized and coordinated some observational multicentric studies aimed at studying the short-term prognosis of syncope, to evaluate the effectiveness of risk scales in the emergency room and the role of clinical judgement (steps studies, Short Term Prognosis of Syncope). The Syncope Unit was also an active part of EGSYS2 and other multicenter syncope studies. Currently, a study is underway to assess the effects of bilateral plantar stimulation on the path and neurovegetative profile of cardiovascular regulation in Parkinson’s disease. It involves 10 hospitals sponsored by the Lombardy region on syncope costs and a multicentric European study on the use of neuronal networks for syncope management in the emergency room.

Previous experience:

2007-2012 Hospital, Seriate, Italy
Director of Internal Medicine Unit, Outpatients and Day Hospital for medicine. 
1982-2007 Hospital, Milan, Italy
• Hospital assistant of Internal Medicine (Medicine II) until 1990. During this period, he was directly responsible for 8 beds in this Department and carried out regular call duties in the A&E Department. He was also involved in invasive measurements of blood pressure.

• Co-manager assistant in Internal Medicine (Medicine II; from February 1990). During this period, he was responsible for 12-18 beds of the Medicine Department, coordinating the work of two assistants. From January 2002 to January 2005 he had the title of "High Specialisation" in the field of disorders from orthostatic intolerance. From January 2005 he was responsible for the simple structure "Unit for Syncopes and Posture Disorders". 
• Following the incorporation process of Italian hospitals (as from 1996), he was involved in programmes for the ottimization of efficiency and cost reduction of the Medicine II Department and he had an active part in the discussion of the annual budget from 1998. He was responsible for the Day Hospital in Medicine II until January 2005. 

• He followed the course for Directors of Complex Operative Units, hospital area, edition UBMDSCO0201, held at the School of Management in Health of the Lombardy Region (I.Re.F.) in 2002, discussing the final project entitled "Evaluation of diagnostic performance and cost analysis of tilt test in the diagnosis of syncopal episodes", obtaining the resulting certification.

Publications: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=furlan r

Dott. Antonio Frontera is the Electrophysiology Unit Director in Humanitas Research Hospital.  

Medical areas of interest: 

After graduating in Medicine and Surgery at the University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome in 2006, he specialized in Cardiology at the same university in 2012.

Soon after his specialization he moved to England where he was hired as a Clinical and Research Fellow in cardiac electrophysiology at the Bristol Heart Institute (NHS), Bristol. 
He won a scholarship from the European Society of Aritmology (EHRA) and completed his training in cardiac electrophysiology at the prestigious Haut Léveque Hospital in Bordeaux, France, directed by Prof. Michel Haïssaguerre. In the same French university, he obtained his PhD.

During these 5 years of training abroad, he performed about 800 trans catheter ablation surgeries focusing mainly on the treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias. As a researcher, he has published nearly 100 scientific papers on innovation and trans catheter ablation techniques, defibrillator and pacemaker functioning algorithms.

Back to Italy, he was employed at the Aritmology Unit of the San Raffale Hospital specializing in the treatment of ventricular tachycardia, performing more than 150 procedures as a first and second operator.

To date, Dr. Frontera is the author of more than 145 scientific papers published in international journals. He constantly participates in national and international congresses of the sector.

Research areas of interest:
He has particular interest in the analysis of endocavitary signals (EGMs) in ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation.

Thanks to a close collaboration with the Mathematics department of Politecnico di Milano, directed by Prof. Quarteroni, he studied innovative techniques for the treatment of complex arrhythmias.

Previous experience:
 

• Clinical and Research Fellow in Cardiac Electrophysiology - Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol, UK
• Clinical and Research Fellow in Cardiac Electrophysiology - Hôpital Haut Léveque, Bordeaux, FR

Publications: 

Sinus node exit, crista terminalis conduction, interatrial connection and wavefront collision: key features of human atrial activation in sinus rhythm.
Pambrun T, Derval N, Duchateau J, Ramirez FD, Chauvel R, Tixier R, Marchand H, Bouyer B, Welte N, André C, Nakashima T, Nakatani Y, Kamakura T, Takagi T, Krisai P, Ascione C, Balbo C, Cheniti G, Vlachos K, Bourier F, Takigawa M, Kitamura T, Frontera A, Meo M, Denis A, Sacher F, Hocini M, Jaïs P, Haïssaguerre M.Heart Rhythm. 2022 Jan 13

Electrogram fractionation during sinus rhythm occurs in normal voltage atrial tissue in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Frontera A, Limite LR, Pagani S, Cireddu M, Vlachos K, Martin C, Takigawa M, Kitamura T, Bourier F, Cheniti G, Pambrun T, Sacher F, Derval N, Hocini M, Quarteroni A, Della Bella P, Haissaguerre M, Jaïs P.Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2021

Slow Conduction Corridors and Pivot Sites Characterize the Electrical Remodeling in Atrial Fibrillation - ScienceDirect
Antonio Frontera MD, Ph.D1, Stefano Pagani Ph.D2, Luca Rosario Limite MD1, Andrea Peirone MD1, Francesco Fioravanti MD1, Bogdan Enache MD6, Jose Cuellar, MD4, Konstantinos Vlachos, MD5, Christian Meyer, MD, MA7, Giovanni Montesano, MD8, Andrea Manzoni, Ph.D2, Luca Dedè2 Ph.D2, Alfio Quarteroni, Ph.D2,3, Decebal Gabriel Lațcu, MD6, Pietro Rossi MD, Ph.D9, Paolo Della Bella MD1.
JACC EP Jan 2022

Right ventricular outflow tract electroanatomical abnormalities in asymptomatic and high-risk symptomatic patients with Brugada syndrome: Evidence for a new risk stratification tool?
Letsas KP, Vlachos K, Conte G, Efremidis M, Nakashima T, Duchateau J, Bazoukis G, Frontera A, Mililis P, Tse G, Cheniti G, Takigawa M, Pambrun T, Prappa E, Sacher F, Derval N, Sideris A, Auricchio A, Jais P, Haissaguerre M, Hocini M.J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2021

Effect of electrode size and spacing on electrograms: Optimized electrode configuration for near-field electrogram characterization.
Takigawa M, Kitamura T, Basu S, Bartal M, Martin CA, Martin R, Cheniti G, Vlachos K, Pillois X, Frontera A, Massoullié G, Thompson N, Bourier F, Lam A, Duchateau J, Pambrun T, Denis A, Derval N, Cochet H, Haïssaguerre M, Sacher F, Hocini M, Jaïs P.Heart Rhythm. 2022 Jan;

Dr. Daniela Pini is the Head of the Cardio-respiratory rehabilitation Unit.

Medical areas of interest: Dr. Daniela Pini has been working and researching heart failure and has gained considerable experience in the management of advanced forms of this pathology. She is also very interested in the evaluation and "overall" management of patients suffering from this disease, which mainly affects elderly people and who already have other chronic diseases, which, if neglected, can easily impair the effectiveness of treatment for heart failure itself.

Research areas of interest: new therapies for advanced heart failure: replacement therapy of the heart with mechanical assistance devices to the circulation or heart transplant. New drugs and devices. Multidisciplinary patient management programs.

Further information of interest: thanks to the high competence of cardiosurgeons, electrophysiologists and hemodynamists, Humanitas can count, as a clinical cardiologist, on a team that allows it to offer the patient all the range of therapeutic options for heart failure.

From June 2000 to October 2001 she was Visiting Assistant Professor at the Cardiovascular Division Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. During this period, she worked in the Heart Failure/Heart Transplantation Program, where she participated in the management of patients with advanced heart failure waiting for transplantation, dealing in particular with medical complications in patients with mechanical assistance devices. She has also worked with kidney, kidney-pancreas, pancreas-insulae, lung, liver and heart transplant teams, dealing with the multiple aspects of managing solid organ transplant recipients.

She worked in the Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital, at the Cardiomyopathy and Heart Transplantation Service, dealing mainly with patients with advanced heart failure and undergoing a cardiac transplant.

Dr. Pini is a member of the coordination committee of the Decompensation Area of the National Association of Medical Hospital Cardiologists – ANMCO. In the last two years she has been mainly concerned on building a network of “heart failure clinics” on the national territory.

Biography

Dr. Mehdi Afrit is a Medical Oncologist who practices at Burjeel Specialty Hospital in Sharjah. He has over 11 years of experience caring for and managing cancer patients. He has extensive experience providing chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy to patients. He earned a Certificate of Medical Oncology from the Gustave Roussy Institute in Paris, France, where he received training in antitumor chemotherapy and cancer medical treatment. Additionally, he holds an international certificate in breast diseases. He also has a certificate in Good Clinical Practice from Trans Celerate Biopharma Inc. and a certificate in Clinical Trial Management: Good Clinical Practice from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians. He previously worked for over five years as an Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology at Tunis’s Faculty of Medicine. He later practiced as a Consultant, Medical Oncologist for six years at Arianna’s hospital in Tunisia. He later worked for two years as a Specialist Medical Oncologist at Zulekha Hospital. He was also an investigator in three international clinical trials and holds clinical trial auditing and CRO certifications and a GCP Training Certificate from 2016. He is a member in good standing of the Emirates Oncology Society (EOS), the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). His clinical expertise includes but is not limited to the following:

• Oncology care and treatment for chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immune therapy, and target therapy
• Breast cancer
• Solid tumor diagnosis
• Digestive cancer
• Gynecological cancer
• Lung cancer
• Genitourinary cancer
• Sarcoma

Awards & Achievements

• Award from Himaya Foundations and University of Sharjah

Research & Publications

• Clinicopathological Features of Gastric Cancer in a Cohort of Gulf Council Countries' Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study of 96 Cases. Journal of Oncology Research Reviews & Reports Volume 2(2): 1-3.
• The Burden of Gynecologic Cancers in the UAE. Journal of Oncology Research Reviews & Reports Volume 2(4): 1-6.
• The Emirates Oncology Task Force Clinical Practice Guideline on Screening for SARS-CoV-2 in Asymptomatic Adult Cancer Patients Before Anti-Cancer Therapy. Journal of Oncology Research Reviews & Reports Volume 2(4): 1-6.
• The State of Cancer Care in the United Arab Emirates in 2020: Challenges and Recommendations, A report by the United Arab Emirates Oncology Task Force. Humaid Al-Shamsi, Humaa Darr, Ibrahim Abu-Gheida , Jawaher Ansari, Martine, Mehdi Afrit, Mohamad H Masri, Mohamed Abuhaleeqa. Gulf J Oncology 2020 Jan;1(32):71-87.
• Primary Bone Lymphoma: Tunisian Multicentric Retrospective Study About 32 Cases. Ben Ayed C, Laabidi S, Said N, Afrit M, Ben Ahmed S, Boussen H. Tunis Med. 2018 May;96(5):269-272.
• First Site of Recurrence After Breast Cancer Adjuvant Treatment in the Era of Multimodality Therapy: Which Imaging for Which Patient During Follow-up? Nesrine M, Mehdi B, Houda EB, Soumaya L, Mehdi A, Bechir Z, Hamouda B. Breast Dis. 2017 Nov 21

Prof. Dr. Halil Başel is a highly experienced cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon affiliated with Lokman Hekim University Hospital in Ankara, Turkey. With decades of expertise, he specializes in complex cardiovascular surgeries, thoracic procedures, and vascular interventions. He has contributed extensively to medical literature, presenting at numerous national and international congresses, particularly in areas like minimally invasive cardiovascular techniques, management of aneurysms, and advancements in thoracic surgery.

He has also been actively involved in educational and research endeavors, offering innovative approaches in heart and vascular surgeries, including treatments for valve disorders and peripheral arterial conditions.

Professor Dr. Gökmen
General Surgeon

EDUCATION

• 1994: Bursa Uludağ University - Faculty of Medicine, MD
• 2000: Istanbul Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital - General Surgery Specialization, MS

EXPERTISE

• Gastric Bypass / RNY
• Mini Gastric Bypass / MGB
• Gastric Sleeve / Fundectomy
• Gastric Banding / Bariatric Surgeries
• Gastroscopic Procedures
• Gastric Balloon Placement
• Gastric Elipse Balloon
• Gastric Botox
• Sad-S Surgery
• Distalization of RYGB
• Hernia Repair
• First and Only Operator in Turkey

TRAINING AND COURSES

• Master of Surgery:
  • Temple University School of Medicine - Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery Courses
  • European Institute of Telesurgery - Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Courses (2012)
  • European Institute of Telesurgery - Advanced Colorectal Surgery Courses (2012)
  • Case Da Vinci Robotic Surgery Courses (2014)
  • Venous Diseases and Endovascular Surgery Course (2015)

MEMBERSHIPS

• UTACD: Turkish Association of Trauma and Emergency Surgery
• TSCRS: Turkish Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery
• TSA: Turkish Surgical Association

NUMBER OF CASES

• Experience of over 40,000 surgical cases in 29 years, including:
  • 20,000 Bariatric Surgeries
  • Approximately 107+ Laparoscopic Colon Resections
  • Approximately 100+ Laparoscopic Total Gastric Resections
  • Approximately 1,150+ Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomies
  • Approximately 780+ Laparoscopic Mini Gastric Bypasses
  • Approximately 1,200+ Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypasses
  • Approximately 1,550+ Laparoscopic Cholecystectomies

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Tuncer is a distinguished cardiologist at Lokman Hekim Van Hospital with over 30 years of medical experience. Fluent in Turkish and English, he earned his medical degree from Selçuk University in 1989 and attained a professorship in cardiology at Yüzüncü Yıl University in 2014. He has held key roles in institutions like Seydisehir and Erzurum before joining Lokman Hekim in 2021. Known for his dedication to advancing cardiac care, he specializes in comprehensive cardiology services, ensuring quality patient care through his expertise and commitment to the medical field.