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Maral Ouzounian
@OuzounianMD
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Head, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN | Munk Chair in Advanced Therapeutics | Associate Prof @UofTSurgery @UofT
Toronto
Joined January 2015
I am honoured to lead this outstanding program. We have an incredible legacy and I have the immense privilege of shaping a small part of it’s future. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UHN @UofTCVsurgery @UofTSurgery @UofT.
Congratulations Maral Ouzounian (@OuzounianMD), new Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery @UHN_Surgery and @PMunkCardiacCtr. An exceptional surgeon-scientist entrusted with the future of this historic program. @Skeshavjee, @drbarryrubin, @UofTSurgery
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In this locker room we talk about the valve/aorta we will repair that day. #DayoftheGirl #ILookLikeASurgeon @WomenSurgeons @WomenInThoracic
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I am extremely proud of these outstanding aortic surgeons: @jenn_cy_chung and Dr. Marina Ibrahim. Fixing thoracoabdominal aneurysms. while growing humans!. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHNwomen @UHN_Surgery @UofTVascular @UofTCVsurgery @WomenAs1 @WomenSurgeons @WomenInThoracic @CtacSurg
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How did this get published in @NEJM? . No control group - 53 patients - 13% mortality - 8 pts w no data - 56 authors - funded by Gilead. While we need data quickly during a pandemic, I have learned nothing from this report. RCT is underway - reserving judgment until then.
A cohort of patients with severe Covid-19 received treatment with remdesivir under a compassionate-use protocol. Improvement in oxygen-support status was observed in 68% of patients, and overall mortality was 13% over a median follow-up of 26 days. #COVID19.
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Having worked all weekend at @UHN, I can tell you hundreds of healthcare workers were not on holiday and would have gladly worked in a vaccine clinic. Why has vaccine rollout been so dismally slow? Lives are being lost every day. Where is the accountability?.
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Look who I found at the airport! . Who else is headed to Boston? . So excited for this year’s meeting! #AATS2022 #Backtogether @AATSHQ @AATSED @SKeshavjee
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Aortic team led by @jenn_cy_chung taking care of a type A dissection at @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UHN @UofTSurgery @UofTVascular
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Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦 Spending the day wearing my mask and taking care of patients who need cardiac surgery with my partner Dr. Badiwala @BadiwalaMD. Grateful to live in 🇨🇦 and work at @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UHN @UofTCVsurgery @UofTSurgery
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Very tough year for cardiac surgery match in 🇨🇦. Only 7 English program positions in the country and dozens of outstanding applicants. Sending strength to those who are unmatched. Don’t let this moment define you and keep chasing your dream! . @CaRMS_CA #CaRMS2023 #CaRMS2023.
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Incredible news!! . First female president of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery has been nominated. It took 100 years, but the day has come!! Huge congrats and incredibly well deserved Dr. Yolanda Colson #TSSMN #AATS2020 #leadership @AATSHQ @AATSED @WomenInThoracic.
Congrats to Dr. Yolonda Colson @MGHSurgery , elected Vice-President @AATSHQ and future President in 2 years!. Leader extraordinaire! @WomenInThoracic @WomenSurgeons .#AATS2020
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Happy Thanksgiving from the cardiac OR! This is TeamUHN this weekend. Please stay home and wear your masks so we can continue to take care of you and your families. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UofTCVsurgery @UHN #COVID19Ontario #StayHome
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Happy thanksgiving from the cardiac OR! . Grateful for this fantastic team taking care of our patients this weekend. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UHN @UofTCVsurgery @UofTSurgery
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Inspiring thread! Came to Canada age 5 - refugee parents. Fasttrack to 2020 - my sisters Gascia: prof @UniofOxford + Karen: Julliard cellist @aizuriquartet. I'm associate prof @UofTSurgery and fellowship director cardiac surgery @UHN_Surgery @PMunkCardiacCtr . #HappyImmigrantDocs
I’ll play. Came to the US at age 5 with Mom. Didn’t speak English. We lived in a basement for two years. Had no car. Mom get her PhD when I was 10. I graduated from @StanfordMed 16 yrs later. This is happiness. #HappyImmigrantDocs .
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Ross master surgeon @IHamamsy kicking off the Ross Summit with faculty @MichaelMwachu @Mark_PetersonMD @BavariaMd @chrisryanburke & others. True example of dedication to studying the biology and outcomes, perfecting the techniques & disseminating to others. Bravo Ismail! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
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I wrapped up a weekend of call w baby boy #2 showing up 5 wks early. Thankful for my family & supportive partners looking after my patients
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There will never again be another surgeon who does 3800+ open thoracoabdominal aneurysm repairs. Huge congratulations to my friend and mentor @JCoselli_MD @BCM_Surgery. There is no one like you!! #GOAT #AortaEd @AATSHQ.
Today, I reached a milestone, having completed my 3,800th thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Back in May 2000, I performed my 1,510th, surpassing the previous record holder, Dr. E. Stanley Crawford's 1,509th. Many thanks to the team that made this possible. #NotRetiredYet
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I am beyond grateful that my 92 yo grandmother is getting her first covid vaccine dose tomorrow at @Sunnybrook. #CovidVaccine #ThisIsOurShot #covidzero #COVID19Ontario
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Proud to assume the Presidency of the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons @cscs_sccc from @ansarhassan99 . Looking forward to highlighting the talent, innovation & scientific contributions by surgeons & trainees across 🇨🇦. @SCC_CCS @SCC_CCS_Trainee @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery
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🚨 Attention all cardiac surgeons and trainees! 🚨. With support from @AATSHQ Foundation, @PMunkCardiacCtr is hosting the "Tirone David Symposium on Operative Techniques" in Toronto June 6-7, 2025. Do not miss this unique highly technical meeting focused on valve repair!
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This is one of the longest follow-ups of patients with Marfan syndrome who underwent valve-sparing root replacement at @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN @UHN_Surgery @UofT . We found low rates of reoperation (7.5% at 20 yrs) but an ongoing risk of late distal aortic dissections (20% at 20yrs.
New study of aortic valve sparing operations in 189 patients with #Marfan syndrome followed prospectively for a median of 14 years showed low rate of valve-related events but a constant risk of distal dissections. #JACC #CardioTwitter @tirone_david
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I had a great time crashing mitral conclave with my aortic friends and leaders in the field. Provocative discussion with a lot of differing viewpoints on a controversial topic. @AATSHQ #Mitral2023
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It has been a privilege to be the Adult Cardiac Co-Chair for this year’s AATS Annual Meeting with my brilliant partner in crime @JoChikweMD. We want to hear from you!! Tell us how to make it better. DMs open. RT! #AATS2022 @AATSHQ @AATSED @tssmn @SKeshavjee @DrYolondaColson.
It’s a wrap!!! Tell your Meeting Co-Chairs @OuzounianMD and me, what you enjoyed at #AATS2022 and what you want to do differently in 2023…reply or DM or fill in the survey 👇#CardioTwitter @tssmn #AATSBackTogether 👏👏👏Kudos to the awesome AATS Admin Team. See you all in LA!
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My one year old knows vaccines are important. Very disturbed by the recent outbreaks of preventable illness and harm to children. #VaccinesCauseAdults #VaccinesSaveLives #VaccinateYourKids
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We were honored to have @FaisalBakaeen global leader in cardiac surgery be our visiting professor at @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UofTCVsurgery. Brilliant lecture and thank you for being so generous with your time with our trainees! Thank you my friend - see you soon @AATSHQ
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I could not agree more. I spent a year training with @JCoselli_MD @BCM_Surgery @Texas_Heart as his aortic fellow. I have never met a more dedicated and masterful surgeon who always put his patients first. Always did the right thing. Has helped more people than one can imagine.
I have never seen anyone more dedicated to the well-being of his patients. Patients always came first. He worked super-human hours to save the lives of countless patients-many were turned down by other surgeons because of the risk/complexity of the surgery. He was their last hope.
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Very proud of my PhD student Dr. Rodolfo Rocha successfully defending his thesis today. Special thanks to co-supervisor Dr. Lindsay @UofTVascular, committee members @TL_Forbes @Dr_Alomran @DouglasLeeMD, and examiners @AndrewDueckMD and Dr. Marc Schermerhorn @harvardmed.
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This is my fabulous OR team today taking care of cardiac emergencies and wishing you a happy Easter/Passover. You too can save a life this weekend by staying home and not relaxing physical distancing rules. Every action matters! Please keep our community safe. #COVID19ON
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We had a fantastic end of the year dinner overlooking the Toronto skyline celebrating our graduating @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UHN cardiac surgery fellows. Congratulations to these outstanding surgeons and to our stellar world-class faculty who trained them! Onwards!
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Happy International Women/Girls in Science Day!! . Check out this amazing profile of my partner - superb surgeon & scientist Dr. @jenn_cy_chung! Live your best life!. #WomenInScience #WomenInSTEM @SCC_CCS @SCC_CCS_Trainee @UHN @UHNwomen @UofTCVsurgery @UofTSurgery @uoftmedicine.
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‘If you want to advance you need intellectual humility’: spoken by William Bigelow and deeply embodied by Sir Mahdi Yacoub - this year’s honoured Bigelow lecturer. #CCC2019 #CCCMTL @SCC_CCS_Trainee @SCC_CCS
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First day of 1st grade for this little guy! . #Maskup and #StayHomeSaveLives Ontario so that our kids can stay in school and we can keep taking care of your cardiac and vascular needs. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UHN #2ndwave #C19
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HUGE congrats to my brilliant student @MElbatarny @UofTSurgery who had a stellar defense today of an outstanding PhD. Thank you to Co-Supervisor Tony Gramolini, external @scottlemaire & all who participated. Bravo Malak!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Cardiac Surgeon Scientist in the making
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Dr. Boodhwani describing TITAN:SvS - the very important RCT underway randomizing pts w root/ascending aortic aneurysms between 5.0 and 5.4 cm to surveillance vs. early surgery. Will provide crucial data in the management of proximal aneurysms! @JehangirAppoo @CtacSurg
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Streets are eerily quiet heading to work @UHN this am. Thinking of the most vulnerable we are trying to protect. Here are the youngest and oldest in my family: 2yr old son & 91yr old grandma. Who are you staying home for? Share who you are fighting for. #StayHomeSaveLives
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How many surgeons do you know who can expertly do a Ross, valve-sparing root, mini-mitral repair, total arch / FET, & TAVI? I know exactly one @MichaelMwachu. Inspiring rounds given this morning @DALsurgresearch Kinley Lecture by a great surgical leader & friend. Tidbits below
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Yet another incredibly well deserved lifetime achievement award for Dr. David. Few if any in our field have had as much impact as he has…!!. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UofTCVsurgery @UofTSurgery.
Congratulations to Dr. Tirone David, Melanie Munk Chair of Cardiovascular Surgery at @UHN's Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, on his Lifetime Achievement Award from the European Society of Cardiovascular and EndoVascular Surgery!
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Recruiting our next aortic fellow! . This is a fantastic opportunity for a cardiac or vascular surgery grad to gain expertise in both endo + open aortic surgery. Brainchild of @TL_Forbes. @VascularSVS @CtacSurg .@cscs_sccc @SCC_CCS_Trainee @AATSHQ @STS_CTsurgery @CanadianSVS.
The #UofT Fellowship in Advanced Aortic Surgery is a joint offering of @UofTVascular & @UofTCVsurgery at 3 great hospitals @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN @UnityHealthTO @Sunnybrook Check out this posting for more info
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Devastated to hear that 2 residents have died in NY and another in Detroit fighting #COVID19. We must protect our trainees with adequate PPE. Limit their exposure to covid as much as possible esp AGMPs. They are just starting their careers! @uoftmedicine @UofTMedDean.
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Arrived in beautiful Cartagena! . Excited to connect with friends and colleagues from @LATAM_LACES @STS_CTsurgery and @EACTS! . Great to see the societies coming together for a joint meeting in LatAm.
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True inspiration from #Schwarzenegger. Give back. Be useful. Push through the naysayers. Work your ass off. Make it happen. Incredible interview with @LarsSvenssonMD - words to live by! . #AATS2024 @AATSHQ @Schwarzenegger
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Thanks @MGHHeartHealth for the invitation to present later this week on my favorite topic - the aorta! I am looking especially forward to spending (zoom) time with the cardiology and cardiac surgery fellows. @MGHCVFellows @eisselbacher @MarkELindsay
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We loved hosting @BadhwarVinay from @wvu_surgery as our Visiting Professor @PMunkCardiacCtr @UofTCVsurgery @UHN_Surgery @UHN @UofTSurgery who gave an outstanding lecture on innovation in cardiac surgery. Thank you for visiting Toronto and sharing your insights!
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Very proud of the Toronto Aortic Team (part of it anyway!) at #CLEAorta. Best team ever! . Our patients win when we work together. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UHN @UofTCardio @UofTVascular @UofTCVsurgery @CleClinicHVTI
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Thanks #NYValves2024! . We had some top surgical talent discussing aortic valve repair, the Ross procedure, complex valve management. Loved being on these panels with friends from far and wide. @Mark_PetersonMD @MichaelMwachu @IHamamsy
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It was great having #AATS2024 @AATSHQ in Toronto as we were able to invite many of our ward, OR, and ICU nurses to attend. @. Great to share the excitement of AATS with the team that makes the magic happen every day @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UHN
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I was so impressed by Dr. Elbatarny's @MElbatarny first PhD committee meeting yesterday. Brilliant surgeon scientist in the making. Cannot wait to see her output. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UofTCVsurgery @UofTSurgery @uoftphysiology
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Dr. Lawton describes the top 10 reasons why why YOU should be a surgeon scientist. #Bigelow @UofTSurgery @hopkinssurgery @WomenSurgeons @WomenInThoracic @uoftmedicine
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Leaving the #RossSummit invigorated. Congrats to @IHamamsy @MountSinaiHeart for yet another successful meeting! . Great catching up with old and new friends and discussing all things Ross.
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Proud of our @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UofTCVsurgery surgeons Dr. Davierwala @PirozeD and Dr. Vivek Rao - currently halfway around the world at #IACTSCON2023. 🇮🇳 . Presentations on minimally invasive mitral valve repair, LVADs, root enlargements, Stitch3, and more!! 👏🏼👏🏼
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So excited to welcome my new partner Dr. Jennifer Chung - Cardiac Surgeon and aortic specialist - to the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery at Toronto General Hospital. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN @UHN_Surgery @UofTSurgery
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Selfie with my awesome 3rd year medical student (who is going to be a CT surgeon) and her poster at #AATS2018 Aortic Symposium
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@JCoselli_MD @CtacSurg We are so honored to host master aortic surgeon @JCoselli_MD who has had profound impact on aortic surgery across the world. @CtacSurg
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SO this happened today. My sister, brilliant cellist Karen Ouzounian from @aizuriquartet and @afarcrymusic has been nominated for TWO Grammy awards for best chamber music. Check out and I could not be more proud!!!
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Many changes @UHN + @UHN_Surgery today including: daily reporting of covid+ pts on ward/ICU; mandatory surgical masks for all HCWs in all clinical areas; further reduction of all clinical activity; routine covid testing of all surgical patients (time permitting). #COVID19 1/.
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And we’re off!! . Lansman and @JCoselli_MD kick off the 19th Aortic Symposium. Packed room for the best aortic meeting in the world. Tweet great content as you see it!. #Aortic2024 @AATSHQ @AATSED
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I am completely blown away by our 103rd presidential address. Inspiring in every way!! . Thank you for your visionary leadership @DrYolondaColson . #AATS2023 @AATSHQ @AATSHQ
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Thanks @JamesRutka for hosting @UofTSurgery promotions dinner tonight. Happy to take a moment to celebrate! @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN @UHN_Surgery @uoftmedicine @UofTMedDean
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Ross Resurgence in N America by @AmineMazineMD @UofTCVsurgery . Take home message: Ross should only be done in expert centers where surgical risk is extremely low. #AATS2024 @AATSHQ
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Great seeing the Toronto crew @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UofTCVsurgery presenting science at @EACTS . Congrats to the organizing committee @pomyers @rafasadaba et al for yet another fantastic meeting! Great science, innovation, & networking. See you in Copenhagen! 🇩🇰
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Superstar surgeon @jenn_cy_chung is back at work today. Some key slides below from her research presented at #AATS2019 showing poor outcomes in the elderly undergoing arch repair. CTAC data from 2500 patients across Canada @CtacSurg @WomenInThoracic @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery
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I had a blast visiting this outstanding program and spending time with the residents and faculty. What an amazing team!! @ChrisMalaisrie @MehtaCK #DougJohnston et al.
We were so thankful to have Dr. Maral Ouzounian provide an exceptional grand rounds about reconstructive aortic valve surgery, and demonstrate techniques in a trainee wet lab last week, as our inaugural aortic surgery grand rounds speaker! @OuzounianMD
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Prof De Paulis opening @EACTS Aortic Forum in Bologna. Looking forward to a fantastic program. Great to be with friends in Italy! @JCoselli_MD @BavariaMd @KarenMKimMD1 @schaefers_hans @LaurentDeKer
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Congrats to @BavariaMd, Munir Boodhwani, @NimeshDesaiMD and @PrashanthVall12 for bringing us together for a focused 2 days of aortic valve repair. Fantastic time reconnecting w friends who love valve reconstruction
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Anyone else impressed by all of the trainees who presented at #AATS2021? Polished presentations, great discussions - fantastic!. Tagging a few @hibazghandour @williamcfrankel @BusraCangutMD @paige_newellMD . I am missing many more! Please introduce yourselves or your trainees!
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💥Not to be missed AATS webinar. As a former aortic fellow of Dr. Coselli, I can attest to his absolutely amazing ability to deal w the toughest cases & complications. Join us! You won’t be disappointed . @AATSHQ @BCM_Surgery @AATSED @MarcMoon_AATS @scottlemaire @DrRosengart.
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Rounding in the CVICU and wishing our patients and coworkers a Happy New Year! Grateful for all the healthcare workers working today and every holiday. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN_Surgery @UofTSurgery
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Excited to start the day at Ohio State University - ‘Eliminating Paralysis After Aortic Surgery’ - brainchild of Hamdy Awad. Keynote by none other than @JCoselli_MD @BCM_Surgery - brings incredible insight to this devastating complication. Progress here crucial to our patients!
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You know you're a surgeon when your usual photo stream is interrupted by. #ilooklikeasurgeon @SurgTweet
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Our president Dr. David Adams welcomes 97 new members to the AATS - an increasingly diverse organization of cardiothoracic surgeons. Proud to be a new member! #AATS2019
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Dr. Elefteriades suggests that aortopathy with a tricuspid valve worse than that related to bicuspid valves. The Yale aortic group continues to provide important natural history data. @JElefteriades @MohammadAZafar #AATS2020 #TSSMN
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Proud to be part of this amazing team! Our patients push us to constantly do better. @PMunkCardiacCtr @UHN @UHN_Surgery @UofTSurgery @UofTCardio @UofTCVsurgery.
Congratulations to our team for performing @UHN’s first successful same day TAVI (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) procedure! A grateful patient with a damaged aortic valve was treated in the morning and home by dinner time.
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En route to NY! . Can’t wait to see aortic friends from around the world at #Aortic2024. Safe travels and see you tomorrow!.
#Aortic2024 begins tomorrow! We can't wait to see you in New York. Stay tuned for live tweets during the event and be sure to add the official meeting hashtag to your posts. Registration is open today from 2:00pm-6:00pm. Safe travels to all attendees!
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We recently had woman with severe chest pain for 3 days before going to ER. Diagnosed with an acute type A dissection but sadly died before she could be transferred for an emergency operation. Please do not delay urgent medical care! Call 911. We are here to help. #covidphobia.
Another one. Gosh we need our patients to not delay coming to the hospital. The collection of stories is lives that will be affected by #covidphobia Call 9-1-1 please and don’t delay!!!
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Great first session on Aortic Dissection moderated by @OPreventzaMD and Doug Johnston. Mike Fischbein @StanfordCTSurg wraps up the session with a provocative talk on regionalization of care in acute dissection. #AATS2023
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Congratulations to our outstanding @UofTCVsurgery @UofT resident @derrickytam who won the Paul Cartier award & Dr. Stephen Fremes who won the 1st @cscs_sccc Achievement Award bestowed by @cscs_sccc prez @ansarhassan99 . Two amazing humans and surgeons. Bravo!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 #CCC2023
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Profound wisdom from my two mentors on the podium at the inaugural Sugarbaker Memorial Lecture. The pursuit of excellence - a driving force in CT surgeons’ lives. #AATS2019 @UHN_Surgery @UHN @UofTSurgery @SKeshavjee @PMunkCardiacCtr
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Our trainees were absolutely blown away by the inspiring journey of @SKeshavjee! Thank you Shaf for giving us a glimpse into your revolutionary work. @cscs_sccc @SCC_CCS_Trainee @TSRA_official @AATSHQ @AATSED @UHN_Surgery @UHNTransplant @ctsnetorg @TheRakeshArora
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The month of March was tough:.🇺🇸 deaths went from 1 to 3889.🇨🇦 deaths from 0 to 101 . April will be worse - but we will prevail. Every person’s actions matter. Do your part. Stay home and wash your hands!! #StayHomeSaveLives.
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I would not be where I am today without Chris Feindel. Masterful surgeon - technically brilliant & did the most challenging cases. Always cool/calm & above all else an exemplary human. His kindness and wise counsel have been my guiding light. @UHN_Surgery @UHN @UofTSurgery.
This weekend we celebrated the career of Dr. Chris Feindel and the legacy he leaves behind as he transitions into retirement. Special thanks to @drbarryrubin @OuzounianMD Dr. Rao & Dr. David for sharing their fondest memories & experiences working alongside one of the very best.
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Med students applying to cardiac surgery!. Check out this awesome video made by our super talented cardiac surgery resident @MElbatarny highlighting our amazing program @UofTCVsurgery @UofTSurgery @uoftmedicine @UofTBMSA @SCC_CCS_Trainee @SCC_CCS @cscs_sccc.
For trainees who couldn’t come to @UofTCVsurgery on elective, check out our video to get a sneak peek into our life as cardiac surgery residents in Toronto! @BobbyYanagawa @OuzounianMD @derrickytam @rpribeiroMD @AmineMazineMD @NedadurRashmi
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