Aortic Surgery
When you have a heart condition or cardiac disease that requires surgery, you need a team of experts to handle your care and give you the best possible outcome.
Surgical excellence at Ohio State
Our experts provide cutting-edge treatment and procedures for patients with heart and vascular diseases. Learn more about our surgical areas of expertise:
Cardiac surgery patient stories
Why choose Ohio State for heart surgery?
Our team of skilled cardiac surgeons (sometimes referred to as cardiothoracic surgeons) trained at some of the most highly regarded institutions around the world and continue to bring the most advanced techniques and skills to the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. Each of our cardiovascular surgeons performs a variety of procedures and specializes in unique areas, allowing us to serve the full spectrum of heart surgery needs for our patients.
We offer treatments from the simplest procedures to the most complex, including open-heart surgeries, heart and lung transplants, placement of heart pumps and even total artificial heart procedures. Because we’re an academic health center, our surgeons are leading or participating in research and clinical trials to develop and test new lifesaving surgical options.
We guide you through a personalized journey to deliver the right surgical treatment — whether it’s a traditional heart surgery or a minimally invasive surgery — that will deliver the best outcome for you.
World-class facilities and the full spectrum of treatments
Heart surgery at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is performed at the world-class Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital, where we have dedicated heart surgery suites and an entire floor and staff dedicated to people recovering from heart surgery. This means our nurses and staff are acutely experienced in the unique recovery needs of those who have just had heart surgery.
Cardiac Surgery at a Glance
- 1,009 total operations performed in 2023
- 4 cardiac procedures ranked high performing
- $8M+ in research funding
- 675+ heart transplants performed all time
- 600+ lung transplants performed all time
Outstanding patient care
Cardiac surgery for prevention and quality of life
Nahush Mokadam, MD, cardiac surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, explains how cardiac surgery can be an effective and appropriate treatment option to improve quality of life and actually prevent life-threatening heart conditions.
Cardiac surgery research and training
Cardiac surgery simulation training
Ohio State cardiac surgery fellows are among only a handful in the nation to receive training on the KindHeart™ cardiac surgery simulator. Watch as Nahush Mokadam, MD explains how the curriculum and simulator work to give our fellows an invaluable hands-on experience.
Excellence and innovation in patient care, education and research
The Ohio State Heart and Vascular Center cardiac surgery team brings together highly skilled surgeons, the most advanced technology and world-class facilities to deliver exceptional surgical heart care.
Meet our cardiac surgeons
Bryan Whitson, MD, PhD
Director, Division of Cardiac Surgery;
Interim Co-Director, Heart and Vascular Center;
Section Chief, Thoracic Transplantation
John Bozinovski, MD
Associate Medical Director, Aortic Center;
Program Director, Cardiothoracic Surgery Traditional Residency
Kukbin Choi, MD
Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiac Surgery
Matthew Henn, MD
Surgical Director, Ross Heart Hospital Perioperative Services;
Interim Surgical Director, Heart Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support;
Associated Program Director, Cardiothoracic Surgery Integrated Residency
Nahush Mokadam, MD
Program Director, Cardiothoracic Surgery Integrated Residency
Our nurse practitioners and physician assistants
Advanced practice providers, or APPs, are medical providers (nurse practitioners) who are trained and educated similarly to physicians. They work in all areas of the hospital and clinic, and patients can be treated by an APP in the emergency department, operating room or during routine visits.