Best Heart Valve Replacement cardiac surgeons: TOP 139 doctors

Education Dr. Castriota graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Milan. He continued his postgraduate training at the University of Bologna where he obtained two specializations: the first one in Cardiology in 1992 and then in Radiology. From 1995 to 1996 he spent a period as a Fellow in the "Arizona Heart Institute" under the supervision of Professor Diethrich.

Research Dr. Castriota is an active member of some scientific societies, such as SIRM (Italian Society of Medical Radiology), Fellow of the Scientific College of the Italian Society of Invasive Cardiology (GISE), Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC), European Cardiovascular Interventional Society (EAPCI) and of ISES, International Society of Endovascular Specialist. He is the principal investigator of a recent Protected TAVR study, aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a particular device for brain protection during aortic valve replacement surgery using the TAVI endovascular method.

Publications He is a member of the International Editorial Board of Eurointervention, speaker and chairman for the execution of live cases in national and international conferences.

Author of about 150 full-length publications

Author of over 20 chapters in specialized volumes

Awards: NHMRC Career Development Fellowship, Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, 2015.

• Dr. Ali Fedakar specializes in innovative Heart Valve Replacement techniques.
• Methods include transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), minimally invasive surgery, and robotic-assisted procedures.
• International training across multiple renowned institutions, enhancing valve replacement expertise.
• Board-certified by the Turkish Board of Cardiovascular Surgery, validating professional competence.
• Member of the Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery, signifying professional recognition.
• Offers remote consultations for global patients needing Heart Valve Replacement advice.
• Fluent in English and Turkish, ensuring clear communication with a broad patient base.

A doctor with over 20 years of education and experience in cardiology, including a Professor's degree. 52 international articles and 20 papers published, as well as 3 chapters in National/International books. Member of multiple organizations including the Turkish Society of Cardiology, Stem Cell and Cellular Therapies Association, and the European Society of Cardiology.

Op. Dr. Faruk Gençoğlu completed his medical faculty career, which he started at Samsun 19 Mayıs University, by joining the academic staff of Istanbul Cerrahpaşa Cardiology Institute in 2015 and receiving his specialization in 2020. Gençoğlu, who actively took part in approximately 3 thousand cases during this process; He has performed surgery for adult cardiovascular diseases such as adult coronary artery disease, heart valve diseases (aortic-mitral-tricuspid), aortic surgery, carotid surgery, peripheral vascular diseases, venous insufficiency (varicose veins), deep vein thrombosis. Gençoğlu, who restarted cardiac surgery at Batman Training and Research Hospital in 2021, served as the clinical chief of open heart surgery for 2 years. 

FIELDS OF MEDICAL INTERESTS

Adult coronary artery disease,

Heart valve diseases (aortic-mitral-tricuspid)

Aortic surgery,

carotid surgery,

Peripheral vascular diseases,

Venous insufficiency (varicose veins),

deep vein thrombosis

• Dr. Kazim Besirli specializes in advanced heart valve replacement techniques.
• Performs transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), minimally invasive surgery, and robotic-assisted procedures.
• International training includes work in various hospitals across multiple countries.
• Renowned for his role as Head of Cardiovascular Surgery at Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty.
• Holds a master's degree in Health Institutions Management, enhancing his medical leadership.
• Member of professional societies, contributing to the advancement of cardiovascular surgery.
• Offers online consultations for patients seeking expertise in heart valve replacement.
• Communicates fluently in multiple languages to cater to a diverse patient base.

Duties:

1985 – 1986 Istanbul University Cardiology Institute, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, General Practitioner

1986 – 1992, Istanbul University Cardiology Institute, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Assistant Professor

1993-2012 Vehbi Koç Vakfı Amerikan Hastanesi (Hospital), Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Specialist Physician

2012-2017 İstanbul Medipol University, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Assistant Professor

2017 – 2019 İstinye University LIV Hospital, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Assoc. Prof.

2019 – 2024, Freelance Consultant Physician

2024 – Today, Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Assoc. Prof.

Memberships in Scientific Organizations:

• Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery
• Turkish Society of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
• Turkish Society of Cardiology

• AREAS OF INTEREST
• Spine surgery
• Scoliosis
• Kyphosis
• Childhood spinal diseases
• Degenerative spine diseases
• Lumbar cervical disc herniation
• Knee hip joint disorders
• Orthopedic trauma surgery

• Education and Specialization
• 2010 - Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine - Medical Education
• 2016 - Medeniyet University Goztepe Training and Research Hospital - Specialization

• Experience
• 2016 - 2022 - Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital
• 2015 -2016 - Chicago Loyola University, Illinois, USA

• Courses and Certificates
• 13.12.2019-14.12.2019 Turkish Spine Society Eurospine Accredited Education Modules
• 08.11.2019-10.11.2019 Turkish Spine Society Eurospine Accredited Education Modules
• 31.08.2015-04.09.2015 Basic Microsurgery Course, MICROSURGERY EDUCATION-RESEARCH LABORATORY
• AO Trauma Course-Basic Principles of Fracture Management
• 07.06.2014-10.06.2014 Fracture Management, Kodi Kojima Chairperson AOTrauma Education Commission
• 01.03.2013-02.03.2013 Instrumentation in Arthroscopic Surgery

• Professional Memberships
• Turkish Orthopedics and Traumatology Association (TOTBİD)
• Turkish Medical Association - Istanbul Medical Chamber

Personal information

Title: Professor Doctor

Branch: Pulmonary Diseases

Work History:

1  Ilıca Health Center \ Health Center Physician (Compulsory Service)

2   Florence Nightingale Hospital

3   Onze Lieve Vrouw Clinic (OLV) Aalst Belgium

4   Istanbul Bilim University (Assistant Professor)

5   Florence Nightingale Hospital (Associate Professor)

6   Istanbul Bilim University (Professor)

Medical Specialties and Subspecialties:

1   Minimally invasive heart surgery

2   Aortic surgery

3   Cover Repairs

4   Arrhythmia Surgery

Special advanced health technologies:

1   Robotic heart surgery (Da Vinci Robotic System)

2   Port Access Surgery

Education

1991 - Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine

1998 - Istanbul University Cardiology Institute (Specialization)

Experiences

Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine 2007-2013

Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine 2014-2022

Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cardiology Institute 2022

Schools / Trainings

Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, L11an1 2001-2007

Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Specialization 2007-2013

Aortic Dilation (Aneurysm)

Heart Valve Problems

Aortic Dissection

Coronary Artery Disease

Carotid Artery Occlusion (Carotid Stenosis)

Varicose Veins

Peripheral Vascular Disease

Aortic Insufficiency

Aortic Valve Diseases

Mitral Insufficiency

Mitral Valve Problem

Mitral Stenosis

Varicose Ulcer

Diabetic Foot

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Raynaud's Disease

Rheumatic Heart Disease

Ischemic Heart Disease

Heart Pain

Leg Artery Occlusion

Capillary Rupture

Heart Failure

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Aortic Arch Aneurysm

Ascending Aortic Aneurysm

Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Carotid

In 2007, I graduated from Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine and received the title of “Medical Doctor”. In the same year, as a result of the TUS exam I took, I started my specialization training at Istanbul University, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery.

During my specialization training, in 2010, I worked as a guest doctor at “Lenox Hill Hospital, Aortic Wellness Center” in New York, USA, on aortic valve-preserving surgery, aortic root surgery, aortic arch surgery, thoracoabdominal aortic surgery and robotic heart surgery.

In 2013, I worked as a “fellow” at the “Landeskrankenhaus Salzburg, Paracelsus Universitätsklinik für Gefäßchirurgie und endovaskuläre Chirurgie” clinic in Salzburg, Austria, and conducted studies on endovascular and advanced vascular surgery techniques.

In 2013, I worked as a visiting physician at the “Vita-Salute University, Scientific Institute, Ospedale San Raffaele, dipartimento di chirurgia vascolare ed endovascolare” clinic in Milan, Italy, on endovascular techniques, advanced vascular techniques and surgical treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

In 2013, I completed my assistant training and earned the title of “Cardiovascular Surgery Specialist”.

As of 2014, I started working as a “Specialist Doctor” at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University.

In 2016, I received the title of “Assistant Professor Doctor”. In the same year, I received the “Certificate of Proficiency” issued by the “Turkish Cardiovascular Surgery Qualification Board”.

In 2017, I worked as a visiting doctor for 3 months at the “Landeskrankenhaus Nürnberg, Paracelsus Universitätsklinik für Gefäßchirurgie und endovaskuläre Chirurgie” clinic in Nuremberg, Germany, on advanced endovascular (FEVAR, BEVAR, CHEVAR, EVAR, TEVAR) techniques in aortic diseases.

I received the title of “Associate Professor” in 2019. I am fluent in English.

I have been working at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Cardiology Institute, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery since 2022

Experience

• 2022 
• Medipol Bahçelievler Hospital  
•  
• 2017 - 2022

Acıbadem International Hospital

•  
• 2017 - 2017

Istanbul Aydin University Florya Hospital

•  
• 2013 - 2017

Acıbadem Health Group

• 2009 - 2013

Medical Park Bahçelievler Hospital

• 2002 - 2009

Medical Park Fatih Hospital

• 2001 - 2002

Istanbul Memorial Şişli Hospital

• 2009

Dicle University

Education 

-   2001

I.U. Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Cardiovascular Surgery

-   1994

I.U. Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Ottavio Alfieri is an award-winning heart surgeon with over 15 years of experience in cardiac surgery, performing more than 15,000 cardiac procedures. He is the author of over 600 peer-reviewed articles and several books devoted to cardiac surgery, and is the developer of the "Alfieri Mitral Repair" technique. He has been awarded numerous honors, including the 'Ambrogino d'Oro' and the gold medal from the European Cardiology Society for his contributions to the field. He is a member of the European Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, the European Society of Cardiology, and the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

The prof. Giuseppe Speziale holds the positions of the National Coordinator of Cardiac Surgery of GVM Care & Research, the Director of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Anthea Hospital and Città di Lecce Hospital, and Director of the Department of Cardiac Surgery of the Santa Maria Hospital. He works at the Cardiological Clinical Institute (ICC) and San Carlo di Nancy Hospital in Rome. Since 2011 he has also held the position of Vice President of GVM Care & Research. In 2012 he occupied the charge of President of Confindustria Puglia, Health Section, and since 2018 he is Vice President of Aiop Puglia (Italian association of private hospitals). The prof. Speziale is a cardiac surgeon specializing in the minimally invasive surgical treatment of valve diseases, expert in minimally invasive repair of the mitral valve, in On and Off Pump myocardial revascularization, in thoracic aortic surgery. He is Co - Founder and President of the Scientific Committee of Mitral Academy, an independent association born from the passion for mitral surgery and the desire to pursue and share excellence in restorative surgery, with particular attention to minimally invasive techniques and the evaluation of potential therapeutic treatments deriving from the use of new technologies. Until 2016 he was elected Director of the Italian Society of Cardiac Surgery. He is part of the following associations: AATS (American Association for Thoracic Surgery), Italian Society of Cardiology Accredited Hospital, SICOA (active member), ISMICS (International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery). Since 2004 he has held the position of Scientific Director of the Italian Cardiopathic Association onlus.

In the field of scientific research, he focuses on new approaches, applicable in the field of minimally invasive and non-invasive mitral, aortic, cardiac arrhythmias and tricuspid surgery. He was the coordinator and researcher of the various projects of the National Research Council on Myocardial Infarction, on the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, on new technologies for carrying out coronary, cardiopulmonary and normothermic bypass. He was an adjunct professor at the Sapienza University of Rome where he held the Chair of Cardiology II, and at the University of Ferrara, where he teaches Cardiac Surgery. He has presented numerous scientific papers at national and international congresses of cardiology and cardiac surgery.

Bibliography: He is co-author of 6 books known nationally and internationally. The most recent one is Advances in Treatments for Aortic Valve and Root Diseases, publisher Springer International Publishing, 2018.

He is Reviewer and author of over 90 publications of multiple journals, such as Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Journal of Geriatric Cardiology, Heart & Lung: The Journal of Cardiopulmonary and Acute Care, European Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Journal on Cardiac, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery etc.

Awards: “Top Doctors Awards”, 2021

Specializes in cardiovascular disorders. Uses advanced diagnostic methods.

• Dr. Fernando Villagra Blanco specializes in heart valve replacement procedures.
• Utilizes techniques such as TAVR, Ross Procedure, and mechanical/biological valve implants.
• International training in the USA, at University of Connecticut (UCON).
• Holds ECFMG certification for medical practice in the United States.
• Member of renowned heart surgery professional associations.
• Offers online consultations for patients needing heart valve replacement.
• Fluent in both Spanish and English.