Overview
I'm proud to work at Duke as it has a tremendous hospital and tremendous people to work with. The quality of care here is excellent and really can’t be compared to anywhere else. That’s what keeps me here. We do more complex heart surgeries here than almost anyone else in the country. When you need heart surgery, you want it done by someone who does a lot of it. Our numbers are comparable to the top places in the country. We do complex surgery and we do it well. The thing about heart surgery is that we make people better. That’s what I really like – helping people who couldn’t breathe or couldn’t walk because their heart was failing, and we were able to make them better.
Dr. Gaca is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Aortic Valve Replacement. His top areas of expertise are Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Aortic Dissection, Cystic Medial Necrosis of Aorta, Aortic Valve Replacement, and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).
His clinical research consists of co-authoring 97 peer reviewed articles and participating in 2 clinical trials. MediFind looks at clinical research from the past 15 years. In particular, he has co-authored 13 articles in the study of Aortic Valve Replacement.
Insurance
Accepted insurance can change. Please verify directly with the provider.
Accepted insurance plans:
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- HMO
- INDEMNITY
- POS
- PPO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- HMO
- POS
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
Locations
2301 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27705
2100 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Clinical Research
Clinical research consists of overseeing clinical studies of patients undergoing new treatments and therapies, and publishing articles in peer reviewed medical journals. Providers who actively participate in clinical research are generally at the forefront of the fields and aware of the most up-to-date advances in treatments for their patients.
2 Clinical Trials
Private Diagnostic Clinic PLLC
George Hughes is a Thoracic Surgeon in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Hughes is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Aortic Valve Replacement. His top areas of expertise are Aortic Dissection, Cystic Medial Necrosis of Aorta, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), and Aortic Valve Replacement.
Carolina Cardiovascular Surgical Associates P.A.
Judson Williams is a Thoracic Surgeon in Raleigh, North Carolina. Dr. Williams is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in Aortic Valve Replacement. His top areas of expertise are Aortic Valve Stenosis, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Bicuspid Aortic Valve, Heart Bypass Surgery, and Aortic Valve Replacement.
Rex Hospital Inc.
Ryan Plichta is a Thoracic Surgeon in Raleigh, North Carolina. Dr. Plichta is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in Aortic Valve Replacement. His top areas of expertise are Aortic Dissection, Cystic Medial Necrosis of Aorta, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Aortic Valve Replacement, and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Distinguished
- Aortic Valve ReplacementDr. Gaca isDistinguished. Learn about Aortic Valve Replacement.
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
- Advanced
- Aortic DissectionDr. Gaca isAdvanced. Learn about Aortic Dissection.
- Cystic Medial Necrosis of Aorta
- Heart Bypass SurgeryDr. Gaca isAdvanced. Learn about Heart Bypass Surgery.
- Heart Valve RepairDr. Gaca isAdvanced. Learn about Heart Valve Repair.
- Pacemaker ImplantationDr. Gaca isAdvanced. Learn about Pacemaker Implantation.
- Thoracic Aortic AneurysmDr. Gaca isAdvanced. Learn about Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm.
- Experienced
- Aneurysm RepairDr. Gaca isExperienced. Learn about Aneurysm Repair.
- Collapsed LungDr. Gaca isExperienced. Learn about Collapsed Lung.
- Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)Dr. Gaca isExperienced. Learn about Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG).
- Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF)
- HypothermiaDr. Gaca isExperienced. Learn about Hypothermia.
- NecrosisDr. Gaca isExperienced. Learn about Necrosis.