Dr. Hiroo Takayama is Vice Chair of Cardiac, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He has more than 20 years of experience in treating patients with heart and vascular problems. As the co-Director of the Aortic Center at NYP/Columbia, Dr. Takayama has contributed to the care of over 4,000 patients by performing a variety of aortic and cardiac surgical procedures, approximately 300-350 operations every year.Dr. Takayama is internationally recognized for his work on complex aortic surgery (minimally invasive aortic surgery, valve-sparing aortic root replacement, aortic valve repair, aortic arch and thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair), hybrid aortic surgery (thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair), myectomy for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and heart failure surgery.He is a leader in outcome research in aortic diseases and heart failure. He has published more than 300-350 manuscripts in prestigious, peer-reviewed journals and has authored numerous book chapters about heart disease.Dr. Takayama attended University of Tokyo for Medical School, did his internship at University of Tokyo, general surgery residency in University of Washington Medical Center, and cardio-thoracic surgery fellowship in New-York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Takayama is highly rated in 30 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Cardiogenic Shock, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Aortic Dissection, Heart Transplant, and Lung Transplant.

Michael Borger is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Borger is highly rated in 24 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Mitral Valve Prolapse, Mitral Valve Regurgitation, Endocarditis, Aortic Valve Replacement, and Heart Bypass Surgery.

Koji Takeda, MD, PhD is a cardiac surgeon and Surgical Director for Adult Heart Transplant at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.Dr. Takeda has a focus on heart failure, heart transplant surgery and mechanical circulatory support through ventricular assist devices (VADs). In addition to his clinical work, he is an active researcher in all of these areas, as well as in cardiac regeneration therapy.Dr. Takeda completed his medical training, post-graduate training, residency and fellowship in Osaka, Japan, after which he completed an advanced cardiovascular surgery fellowship at Northwestern University, Chicago. He is the recipient of multiple honors and awards including the American College of Chest Physicians Award, Japan Branch, 2009; and chief resident award and best resident award, 2005, at the National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan. Dr. Takeda is highly rated in 18 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Cardiogenic Shock, Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Heart Transplant, and Heart Valve Repair.

Brendon Stiles, MD, is Professor and Chief, Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Department of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery at Montefiore Einstein, and the Associate Director for Surgical Services in the Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center. Dr. Stiles’ clinical focus is on the treatment of lung and esophageal cancer and unusual thoracic cancers including metastatic tumors and those invading the heart. He also has a clinical interest in treating benign chest and upper gastrointestinal diseases. Taking a patient-first philosophy, Dr. Stiles provides world-class personalized care, using minimally invasive, organ-sparing techniques and targeting surgical therapy to the specific needs of the patient and his or her individual tumor.“The recruitment of Dr. Stiles elevates the treatment of lung cancer to a historic level,” said Robert E. Michler, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief and Chairman and Professor, Department of Surgery and Department of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery at Montefiore-Einstein. “Every thoracic surgical therapy available anywhere in the world will now be offered by Dr. Stiles at Montefiore-Einstein.”After earning his Bachelor of Arts in 1994 at the University of Virginia, Dr. Stiles continued at UVA, earning his Doctor of Medicine in 1999.  He conducted his training in general surgery at the University of Virginia Health System. From 2001 to 2003, Dr. Stiles served as a surgical research fellow at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center before returning to the University of Virginia Health System to complete his surgical residency. Dr. Stiles completed a cardiothoracic surgery residency at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in 2008. Dr. Stiles joined the faculty at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell before being recruited by Dr. Michler to Montefiore-Einstein in 2021. Dr. Stiles is highly rated in 12 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Esophageal Cancer, Lymphadenectomy, and Thymectomy.

David Kalfa is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Kalfa is highly rated in 14 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Vein Stenosis, Transposition of the Great Arteries, Ebstein's Anomaly, Heart Valve Repair, and Heart Transplant.

Edward Buratto is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Buratto is highly rated in 14 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Atrioventricular Septal Defect, Transposition of the Great Arteries, Ventricular Septal Defects, Heart Valve Repair, and Heart Transplant.

Elie Elmann is a Thoracic Surgeon in Hackensack, New Jersey. Dr. Elmann is highly rated in 12 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Pleurisy, Pleural Effusion, Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Heart Bypass Surgery, and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG).

Paul Kurlansky is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Kurlansky is highly rated in 12 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Cardiogenic Shock, Tricuspid Regurgitation, Aortic Regurgitation, Heart Bypass Surgery, and Heart Transplant.

Geoffrey Pelz is a Thoracic Surgeon in Hackensack, New Jersey. Dr. Pelz is highly rated in 9 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma, Gastrostomy, and Endoscopy.

Rachel Vanderlaan is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Vanderlaan is highly rated in 5 conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Vein Stenosis, Pulmonary Valve Stenosis, Truncus Arteriosus, Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return, and Heart Transplant.

Frank D'ovidio is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. D'ovidio is highly rated in 4 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Achalasia, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Lung Transplant, and Gastrostomy.

Jan Quaegebeur is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Quaegebeur is highly rated in 2 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Partial Atrioventricular Canal, Transposition of the Great Arteries, Congenital Coronary Artery Malformation, Tetralogy of Fallot, and Heart Transplant.

Joshua Sonett is a Thoracic Surgeon and a Transplant Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Sonett is highly rated in 20 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Lung Adenocarcinoma, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Thymectomy, and Endoscopy. Dr. Sonett is currently accepting new patients.

Dr. Geirsson is a renowned cardiac surgeon, Chief of Cardiac Surgery, and the Director of the Cardiovascular Institute at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. With an upbringing and medical education in Iceland, he honed his skills in General Surgery at Yale University and Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania between 1998 and 2007. During his tenure at Yale as the Director of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery from 2007 to 2013, he made significant contributions to the field. Dr. Geirsson then returned to Iceland from 2013 to 2016, serving as a Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Landspitali University Hospital in Reykjavik. Driven by his passion for innovative approaches, he returned to Yale in 2016 and was appointed as the Chief of the Division of Cardiac Surgery in 2017. He joined Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian in 2023.Dr. Geirsson's clinical practice focuses on minimally invasive cardiac surgery and valve surgery, specializing in robotic mitral valve repair and aortic valve repair. He achieved notable milestones by performing the first minimally right thoracotomy mitral valve surgery at YNHH in 2009 and the first robotic mitral valve surgery at YNHH in 2018. Moreover, his research endeavors encompass both basic and clinical science, concentrating on mitral valve prolapse and valve disease.With his expertise, dedication, and commitment to advancing cardiac surgery, Dr. Geirsson continues to make significant contributions to the field and improve patient outcomes. Dr. Geirsson is highly rated in 19 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Mitral Valve Regurgitation, Aortic Dissection, Endocarditis, Heart Bypass Surgery, and Aortic Valve Replacement.

Raja Flores is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Flores is highly rated in 18 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Endoscopy, and Thymectomy.

Derek Brinster is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Brinster is highly rated in 18 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Aortic Dissection, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Cystic Medial Necrosis of Aorta, Aortic Valve Replacement, and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).

Valerie Rusch is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Rusch is highly rated in 18 conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Lung Adenocarcinoma, Tissue Biopsy, and Thymectomy.

Dr. Mark E. Ginsburg is an associate Professor of Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center and surgical director of the Diaphragm Program and the Lung Volume Reduction program. Dr. Ginsburg received his MD from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1980, completed his General Surgery residency in 1985 and Thoracic and Cardiovascular Residency in 1987 both at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He is renown for his surgical work in patients with disorders of the Diaphragm, and is one of few surgeons in the country to perform pacing of the diaphragm. Dr. Ginsburg has lectured and published extensively on this subject, and recently addressed the 95th AATS Annual Meeting in 2015, presenting ten-year data on lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS). The results, based primarily on surgical experience in the Division of Thoracic Surgery at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia, showed durable benefits that should promote wider adoption of LVRS in patients with severe emphysema. Dr. Ginsburg has been an invited speaker and principal and co-investigator of numerous clinical trials, author of numerous publications in renown journals such as the Journal of The American College of Cardiology, Annals of Thoracic Surgery, and the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplant, among many others, including co-author of the book, Lung Volume Reduction Surgery published by Humana Press. He’s also currently on the department of surgery QA committee and is a member of numerous professional societies including, the American College of Surgeons, New York State Medical Society, New York Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Dr. Ginsburg is highly rated in 15 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Lung Nodules, Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Lung Cancer, Advanced Bronchoscopy, and Thymectomy.

Dr. Ebright joined Columbia University Irving Medical Center after serving on the faculty at Boston University School of Medicine for six years. There, he was Director of the Center for Thoracic Oncology and Co-Director of the Lung CyberKnife Program. At Columbia, he sees patients for thoracic surgery and serves as Vice Chair of Surgery at Stamford Hospital, a Columbia partner site in Connecticut.He has numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and has authored book chapters on a variety of topics related to thoracic surgery. In addition, he has been selected as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, as identified in Boston, New York and Connecticut magazines. Dr. Ebright is highly rated in 14 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Lung Adenocarcinoma, Endoscopy, and Gastrostomy.

Yoshifumi Naka is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Naka is highly rated in 12 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Cardiogenic Shock, Tricuspid Regurgitation, Hemolysis, Heart Transplant, and Heart Valve Repair.

Craig Smith is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Smith is highly rated in 11 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Atrial Myxoma, Heart Tumor, Constrictive Pericarditis, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), and Heart Bypass Surgery.

Dr. Oommen comes to NYP from Boston, where he served as a thoracic surgery attending at Boston Medical Center and at Thoracic Surgery Associates. Dr. Oommen’s training included a joint MBA and medical degree at Howard University in 2004; general surgery residency at New York Medical College; cardiothoracic surgery residency at Montefiore-Albert Einstein College of Medicine; and minimally invasive thoracic surgery fellowship at Boston Medical Center.In addition to his professional duties, Dr. Oommen volunteers as Medical Director for the non-profit organization Love Without Reason. Dr. Oommen is highly rated in 10 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Lung Adenocarcinoma, Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma, and Gastrostomy.

B. Payne Stanifer, MD, MPH has been with the Department of Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center since 2017. He completed his fellowship as the chief fellow in thoracic surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL where he trained under Dr. Malcolm DeCamp and Dr. Patrick McCarthy in thoracic and cardiac surgery. His clinical interests encompass all areas of thoracic surgery including lung and esophageal cancer, thymic tumors, tracheal resection and reconstruction, and surgery for tracheomalacia (tracheoplasty), chest wall, diaphragm, benign esophageal disease, surgery for emphysema, and lung transplant. He has skills in both minimally invasive and complex open surgery of the chest and the abdomen. Dr. Stanifer has a special interest in complex VATS pulmonary surgery including lobectomy and segmentectomy. He prefers minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy and VATS for the esophagus whenever possible but performs all forms of esophagectomies based on the patient’s needs. Dr. Stanifer has authored numerous presentations, abstracts, and publications on topics in thoracic surgery such as lung cancer, tracheal surgery, spontaneous pneumothorax, and interstitial lung disease. His research at Columbia has focused on oncology with particular interests in clinical trials, outcomes, and the epidemiology and mechanisms of lung cancer in non-smokers, especially women. He is one of the founders and directors of the Women’s Lung Center within the Price Family Center for Comprehensive Chest Care. This multidisciplinary center focuses on unique issues facing women including lung cancer in non-smokers and metastatic cancers. Dr. Stanifer completed his general surgery residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire. He is Board-certified in general surgery. While at Dartmouth, he obtained a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard with a focus on management and health policy. During his time at Harvard he was a Carson Family Scholar.He graduated medical school from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University where he was a Quillen Medical Scholar. While a student at Quillen, he completed a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary where he focused on molecular and evolutionary biology. His research won a Howard Hughes Student Research grant. He has extensive volunteer experience in underserved areas and was an intern for the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at (212) 305-3408. Dr. Stanifer is highly rated in 5 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Lymphofollicular Hyperplasia, Fibrosing Mediastinitis, Lung Cancer, Endoscopy, and Gastrostomy.

Robert E. Michler, MD, has served as the Surgeon-in-Chief of the Montefiore Medical Center since 2008. He is Chairman of the Department of Surgery (2007) and Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery (2005) at the Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. Michler holds the Samuel I. Belkin Chair and is Professor with Tenure at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Michler is highly rated in 4 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Mitral Valve Regurgitation, Congenital Aneurysms of the Great Vessels, Aortic Valve Stenosis, Heart Bypass Surgery, and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG).

Leonard Girardi is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Girardi is highly rated in 31 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Aortic Dissection, Heart Tumor, Heart Bypass Surgery, and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG).