She did it on my heart, and "MY HEART WILL GO ON" If you need a heart surgeon, you should consult with Dr. Chikwe and you will be so glad you meet her. Thank you saving my heart! "I decided to have a consultation with Dr. Joanna Chikwe of Cedars Sinai in Beverly Hills, CA who is one of the top minimally invasive, robotically assisted cardiac surgeons in the country and the founding Chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the Smidt Heart Institute. Five years later and all is well! Game-changer That speaks a volume for the type of a person she is. In the consultation, Dr. Chikwe said her passion was robotic mitral valve repair and it's 80 percent of what she does. Dr. Chikwe masterfully navigated the surgery despite the challenges posed by my dad's bone structure and was able to successfully make the repair. CABG: The Gold Standard or Is There Room to Excel? Muhammad is considered the prophet of both sects and this is why the two are so often linked, however Sufism teaches that the spirituality can be combined with any religion. > Click for driving directions to Dr. Chikwes office. I scheduled my surgery with her but wanted my wife to be on-board with change of plans. Chikwes appointment recognizes her major standing as an international leader in cardiovascular surgery with clinical expertise and major scholarly contributions in advanced heart valve repair, coronary revascularization and minimally invasive heart procedures. Prior to finding out about Dr. Chikwe and Cedars-Sinai, I had been told by a prospective surgeon at Kaiser Permanente, my former provider, that he did not recommend repairs because they usually didn't work, and that I therefore needed a mitral valve replacement. I believe my greatest strength is excellent results. Fax: 631-444-8963 For patient care information, including insurance participation and practice locations, click here. Perfect. Her anesthesiology team, the lovely nurse practitioner, Vivian, all nurses and caregivers contributed to an experience that was beyond anything I had expected. All Rights Reserved. She has a very reassuring and comforting presence. Photo by Cedars-Sinai. Joanna Chikwe MD is The Irina and George Schaeffer Distinguished Professor & Chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Cedars-SinaiSmidt Heart Institute- ranked #1 forCardiology and CardiacSurgery by U.S. News & WorldReportin the region, and #3 in the United States. I'm forever grateful for this 'second chance' in life and I know I wasn't an easy surgery. The Mitral Valve Program is one of a handful in the U.S. with a near 100% repair rate for degenerative mitral disease. Joanna Chikwe, MD, Raja M. Flores, MD, joins Mount Sinai on August 1 as Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Director of the Thoracic Surgical Oncology Program. All Rights Reserved. After the procedure there was no mitral valve regurgitation. ", -- Mark Kimball, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, Robotic Surgery, 04/28/2021, "Dr. Chikwe was awesome! The Cedars-Sinai cardiac unit has some of the most professional, knowledgeable and compassionate staff I have come across. Joanna Chikwe is nationally regarded as an expert in heart valve repair, said Shlomo Melmed, MB, ChB, executive vice president and dean of the Cedars-Sinai faculty. Dr. Chikwe and her whole team gave me a sense of security and you knew this is where excellence happens! Pregnancy & Heart Valve Disease: What Should Patients Know? The nursing staff was exceptional in their kind care of me after surgery. J Am Coll Cardiol. I knew that I was in the best hands I could be because my family quickly looked her up and told me so! She updated me on my progress and explained what to expect next. After high school, Dr. Chikwe spent 2 years studying art in Italy. Under tough circumstances, it was a pleasure to work with Dr. Chikwe and her Physician's Assistant, Vivian Burkhart. Youre seeing this ad based on the products relevance to your search query. Although I came to the meeting with limited knowledge of the procedure discussed, the doctor was able to very clearly explain my current condition, and the benefits and risks of the proposed procedure and various other treatment options available. Polanco A, Breglio AM, Itagaki S, Goldstone AB. Dr. Joanna Chikwe is Chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where her primary clinical focus is robotic mitral valve repair. "It seemed magical then and it still does today.". She was informative but very personal. I knew that Dr. Chikwe most likely saved my life by not allowing me to wait till after my daughters wedding. 2023 Cedars-Sinai. Chikwe has published more than 120 peerreviewed contributions in The New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, and leading specialty journals; and she currently serves on five editorial boards. ", -- Claudio Landeros, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, 10/20/2022. ", -- Gary Reiss, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 09/08/2021. "Robots, artificial intelligence and personalized medicine are already herehelping us make heart surgery a safe, sure way to a long and healthy life for many people with heart disease. Dr. Chikwe is the most caring and understanding doctor I have ever had. Quality improvement and program development Dr. Joanna Chikwe specializes in minimally invasive valve surgery, with specific expertise in mitral valve repair, aortic surgery, and coronary revascularization. As I write this, my new heart is filled with gratitude and my eyes are filled with tears for the caring and very capable Dr. Chikwe and the entire staff at Cedars-Sinai for saving my life. You only have one. You sure can. In addition to serving as Editor-in-Chief of The Annals, Dr. Chikwe serves as Chair of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Asymptomatic Degenerative Mitral Repair Writing Group . Anyone who is fortunate enough to have a surgery done by Dr. Chikwe is very lucky. Coronary revascularisation: arterial revascularisation, hybrid approaches Lost production. I had the privilege to meet Dr. Chikwe while avidly researching my condition and the best surgeon for it. Richard and Mac had turned their restaurant kitchen into a little factory for making cheap fast food. Patient Expectations After Heart Valve Surgery, Top 5 Complications After Heart Valve Surgery with Dr. Joanna Chikwe. Before the surgery, I was having trouble breathing and had felt that that was normal. My father was a brain surgeon and I had a checklist of things I admire in surgeons. ", -- Albert (Joey) Nakazawa, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, Robotic Surgery, 03/03/2020. And because nonexperts tend to associate the heart with this anatomically inaccurate emoji and all things pitter-patterthey told us their favorite love stories as well. At Cedars-Sinai, Chikwe will hold responsibility for leading the strategic direction of clinical, research and academic programs within the department and affiliate cardiac surgery programs, as well as expanding her clinical practice in advanced heart valve repair and minimally invasive cardiac surgery. I have no idea how to thank Dr. Chikwe from the bottom of my heart! Los Angeles, I can truly say that Maviss got her groove back! I feel sad for patients out there who may be getting unnecessary valve replacements simply because their provider or surgeon is "behind the curve," and when they would be better off with a less invasive repair. Find A Doctor Joanna Chikwe, MD Share Email Print Accepting New Patients Joanna Chikwe, MD Surgery-Cardio-Thoracic Scheduling In person visits 310-423-3851 Fax: 310-423-0246 Smidt Heart Institute 127 S San Vicente Blvd #A3600 Los Angeles, CA Call to Schedule 5.0 130 Ratings 16 Reviews Locations 1 Experience Insurances Reviews 16 I came across Dr Chikwe's writings on mitral valve disease and thought I would seek her expertise. To date, I have performed approximately 2,000 cardiac surgeries, of which most involved heart valve procedures. He would like to thank his parents and sister for amazing support, his mentors David Adams, MD, Joanna Chikwe, MD, Shinobu Itagaki, MD, MSc, Patient Recommendations (13) "I am very grateful to Dr. Joanna Chikwe and Dr. Alfredo Trento as well as the surgical team, physicians assistants, and nurses for the excellent professional care I received during my stay from March Heart-Valve-Surgery.com, a leading patient advocacy group, today announced it will host a live webinar to educate patients about potential risks and treatment opportunities specific to heart valve disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Chikwe is confident yet modest. Life Expectancy & Heart Valve Disease: What Should Patients Know? Heart surgeon Joanna Chikwe, FRCS, has been named Chair of the newly established Department of Cardiac Surgery inthe Smidt Heart InstituteatCedars-Sinai. She exudes enthusiasm for her work along with humility of her special skills. She is a member of regional, national and international committees with responsibility for oversight of clinical outcomes research and healthcare delivery in cardiac surgery and cardiology. She specializes in mitral valve repair with minimally invasive robotic surgery. The most reassuring smile at all times. The surgery went very well. I work closely with a dedicated plastic surgery and anesthesiology team with a specialist interest in less invasive cardiac surgery. Learn about heart valve surgery from Dr. Chikwe in these videos: Here is the latest news featuring Dr. Joanna Chikwe: Join 375,000+ Patientsat Our Facebook Page Click here, HeartValveSurgery.com 2785 Pacific Coast Hwy, #517 Torrance, CA 90505 Phone: (888) 725-4311, 2023 HeartValveSurgery.com. Valet parking and self-parking are available in the Pavilion Parking lot, located on Sherbourne Drive between West 3rd Street and Gracie Allen Drive. With Dr. Chikwe you will always have the "A" team at your side. My cardiologist in Santa Barbara recommended to get the surgery done at Cedars-Sinai and I was one of the lucky patients to get Dr. Chikwe as my surgeon. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. ", -- Fatima Diop, Mitral Valve, Valve Replacement, Robotic Surgery, Maze Procedure, 05/19/2021. My expectations were so exceeded by Dr. Chikwe, her team, and the hospital. "From the first moment I arrived at Dr. Chikwe's office, I was greeted with warmth and so much understanding. feeling. One month after the surgery I am back to driving, working full time at the office, and enjoying even better health than before I contracted Covid. What was so refreshing was that you had these fans that were so, so excited about more football coming, and they had certain ideas that we were able to implement, she said, citing a $20 tailgate parking price as a suggestion the team adopted. Upon arriving at the Heart Institute I was greeted by a caring and understanding staff who made me feel safe and comfortable while talking through my options. Dr. Joanna Chikwe Chair, Cardiac Surgery Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, California (866) 345-1289 Learn More. Chiang YP,Chikwe J, Moskowitz AJ, Itagaki S, Adams DH, Egorova NN, Megaphone message: Discouraging low-volume mitral surgery. She always made sure to credit her whole surgical team, never taking credit for her excellent surgical skills. ", -- Ilan Paz, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, 03/17/2022. Patient Expectations After Heart Surgery with Dr. Chikwe & Leila, Surgeon Q&A: Top 5 Complications After Heart Surgery. As a retired Cedars-Sinai RN, I know that things do not always go smoothly and it is even more important to have a great team in place - just in case. I drove out 3 hours to meet Dr. Chikwe in person. The terms used In business were actually explained by the piece Itself. Dr. Chikwe's staff members, Vivian, Mary and others were all the best as well. Polanco A, Breglio AM, Itagaki S, Weiss A, Stelzer P. Rahmanian PB, Filsoufi F, Castillo JG, Zaku B. Schnittman SR, Adams DH, Itagaki S, Toyoda N, Egorova NN. You are in excellent hands if you select Dr. Chikwe. During this week my condition deteriorated significantly. She further informed me that I could not wait until my surgery date because I was symptomatic and needed to have my surgery sooner. I still can't believe how calm she was and sweet and patient she was with me, as busy as she is. Wendy Spector Mitral Valve Repair Patient Fort Lauderdale, Florida Adam Pick Patient, Author & Website Founder HeartValveSurgery.com Los Angeles, California (888) 725-4133 I'm so grateful to Dr. Chikwe and the entire team at Cedars- Sinai Medical Center for the comprehensive and coordinated care that I received - "just in case". Reply: Off-Pump Surgeons' Experience Is Paramount to Delivering High-Quality CABG Outcomes: But What Constitutes Experience? and "What I did I hope to gain from the surgery?" She was like a friend coming to cheer me on in my recovery. She always treated me like she had all the time in the world to address my fears and let me know exactly what was going on with my heart. and Mary Alvarado, the Patient Service Representative. to make corrections and additions. But I also appreciated her kind and cheerful personality, and her intuitive ability to give me clear information in a framework I understood. She saved my life! The second question stumped me. This essay will attempt to create a new religion (called the Harmony) that is inspired by the commonalities seen in many world religions. Dr. Chikwe was excellent in all categories; by default, I included myself in the decisions about my care, largely suggesting what I thought would be appropriate. Chikwe alsoservedas the Cheng Endowed Professor of Surgery, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Director of the Heart Institute at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. By using our website you accept our use of cookies. All Rights Reserved. Cedars-Sinai Dr. Chikwe graduated in medicine from Oxford University and completed cardiothoracic surgery residency and fellowship training in the UK, becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 2006. But more importantly, she is confident yet modest with an exemplary sense of empathy. On March 5th I received a temporary pacemaker and, because I was still in total heartblock, on March 8th I received a permanent pacemaker. Our two new Chairs will advance Cedars-Sinais strong foundational legacy in cardiology and cardiac surgery., Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: A Fresh Start After Open-Heart Surgery, 2023 Cedars-Sinai. The Evolution of Mitral Valve Repair with Dr. Joanna Chikwe | Pioneers in Medicine, In this episode of Pioneers in Medicine Joanna Chikwe, MD, chair of cardiac surgery, walks through some of the differences she has noticed in cardiac care between the United Kingdom and the United States, 2022 Cedars-Sinai. Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Cedars-Sinai location or provider is included in your network. She is currently Deputy Editor of Annals of Thoracic Surgery; serves on five editorial boards including the European Heart Journal of the American College of Cardiology and the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. She also is editor/author of three clinical handbooks, including Cardiothoracic Surgery, published by Oxford University Press, and reissued in multiple editions. Dr. Joanna Chikwe of Mount Sinai says valve disease occurs when heart valves dont function well, because they're either too tight or leaky Dr. Joanna Chikwe is Can you feel the love between the two? ", -- Bonnie Perman, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, Mini-Thoracotomy / Port Access, 10/04/2010. Author of three textbooks published by Oxford University Press, Dr. Chikwe was the 2017 Alpha Omega Alpha Visiting Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the 2018 Nina S. Braunwald Visiting Professor, Harvard Medical School. ", -- Bill Light, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, Robotic Surgery, 09/20/2022. Smidt Heart Institute ", -- Steve Rudack, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, Robotic Surgery, Maze Procedure, 08/04/2021. ", -- Jo Friedman, Mitral Valve, Tricuspid Valve, Valve Repair, Robotic Surgery, 03/02/2021. She needed to tell me that I could not go to the wedding, and that robotic Mitral valve surgery was needed as soon as possible. Weiss AJ, Pawale A, Hollinger IB, Stelzer P, Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons of England (, British Medical Association, 1997 - present, European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgeons, 2009 - present, Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2000 - present, Royal Society of Medicine, 2006 - present, Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, 2001 - present. "I am very grateful to Dr. Joanna Chikwe and Dr. Alfredo Trento as well as the surgical team, physicians assistants, and nurses for the excellent professional care I received during my stay from March 19 through 22 for my mitral valve repair. If you are faced with a valve problem, see her for consult, she is an expert in repair in my book and her credentials are second to none. Everyone in the ICU and the hospital was helpful and caring. Meet Dr. Chikwe Co-Director, Heart Institute Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Joanna Chikwe, MD, was previously Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at We have 4 bullocks Recipes for Your choice! ", -- Vadim Gurvits, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, Robotic Surgery, 07/27/2021, "Dr. Chikwe is a brilliant surgeon, as well as, a caring and kind physician. You need to be logged in to see this email (, How to Teach: Orthotopic Heart Transplantation. "I feel very fortunate to have been operated on by Dr. Joanna Chikwe on March 2,2021. I researched her background and found she was indeed one of the nations top surgeons. She visited me everyday in the hospital and genuinely cared about my comfort and well being. Their menu is small, featuring six species of fish and a bison steak. Relation of mitral valve surgery volume to repair rate, durability and survival. The nurse practitioner did listen and asked appropriate questions. When her nurse practitioner was walking me into the exam room, she said "Oh, there is Dr. She explained all the procedures clearly and let me know about the outcome. They made what could have been a difficult process, seamless. Throughout my recovery in the hospital there were frequent visits by Dr. Chikwe and her team. Her person is a different story. Oxford Handbook Of Clinical Surgery. I hope that each and every person reading this, who must face this unsure and frightening challenge in their lives, can take some comfort in knowing that there are special people like Dr. Joanna Chikwe and her staff that are there for us in our biggest time of need. She explained everything in detail at my consultation. As a result, I changed insurance to get into the Cedar-Sinai system of careone of the best moves I've ever made. She is meticulous in her surgery and the pre-op and post-op treatment. I also appreciated her post-operative care and her frequent checks on me while I was in intensive care. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. I recommend her highly and cant say enough about the high quality of the care I received as a result of her skill and under her supervision at Cedars Sinai. Chikwe J, Sun E, Hannan EL, Itagaki S, Lee T, Adams DH, Egorova NN. In return, I give Dr. Chikwe and her entire team and the staff at Cedars-Sinai the stars of the galaxies! I feel terrific now. Prosthesis Type for Aortic- and Mitral-Valve Replacement. with Dr. Joanna Chikwe, MD To schedule an appointment with Dr. Chikwe, you can: Call (866) 345-1289 right now Request an appointment by clicking here. Her entire team from Mary Alvardo (her administrative assistant) to Asma Hussaini(PA) guided me in preparation for the repair. If you could clone her, it would be excellent. These two world-class departments will be propelled further under their new leadership, said Marban. Within a few minutes of meeting her I knew that she would be the surgeon to repair my mitral valve. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization |. I searched during 4 years, left Kaiser and by the grace of God watched a video on YouTube about Dr. Joanna Chikwe. The knowledge and confidence demonstrated by the doctor enabled me to leave with a feeling of optimism about the outcome my treatment. Chikwe. Shinobu Itagaki 1 , Joanna P Chikwe 2 , Yuting P Chiang 1 , Natalia N Egorova 3 , David H Adams 1 Affiliations 1 Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Icahn We use cookies on this site to enhance your experience. During her fantastic career, Dr. Chikwe has performed thousands of cardiac procedures including many, many, many, many heart valve repair and heart valve replacement operations. To top it off, Dr. Chikwe's nurse, Vivian Burhart, has been absolutely invaluable in the recovery period, answering my countless little questions at all hours. The administration of tax exemptions is as interpreted by the tax commissioners of Georgias 159 counties. She was approachable,responsive and caring right up to the days before surgery. I sensed in speaking with her the enormous privilege she feels towards those of us who trust our hearts and lives to her skill. By the end of the call, I felt I completely understood my condition and what I should expect of the impending surgery. Harling L, Sepehripour AH, Ashrafian H, Lane T, Jarral O. Hosseinian L, Chiang Y, Itagaki S, Polanco A, Rhee A. Lee T, Itagaki S, Chiang YP, Egorova NN, Adams DH. Dr. Joanna Chikwe is the Irina and George Schaeffer Distinguished Chair of Cardiac Surgery and chairman of the Department of Cardiac Surgery in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. I was very lucky to have the surgery within a week due to another patients cancelation. Chikwe J.Itagaki S, Anyanwu A, Adams DH, Survival and long-term outcomes following bioprosthetic vs mechanical aortic valve replacement in patients aged 50 to 69 years. 90048. Dr. Chikwe serves as Chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai. Dr. Chikwe explained the surgical outcome to my wife after the surgery in very clear terms. Dr. Chikwe was an angel in my eyes. Robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery Hannan EL, Samadashvili Z, Smith CR, Lahey SJ, Gold JP, Jordan D, Sundt TM 3rd, Girardi L, Ashraf MH. I was impressed with her bed side manner and follow-up care of me. ", -- Scott Wallace, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, Robotic Surgery, 05/04/2022. Chikwe is a recognized leader in the field of mitral valve repair and coronary revascularization, with expertise in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Join NEJM Resident 360! EMAIL: Joanna.Chikwe@cshs.org. Thank you so much for taking good care of me!!! She listened and answered all of my concerns and questions. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you Greg McLatchie, Neil Borley, Joanna Chikwe (2013). She has published over 125 contributions in peer-reviewed medical journals including the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association; serves on editorial boards of leading specialty journals including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; and is a deputy editor of Annals of Thoracic Surgery. I have had no pain and I was walking the day after the surgery. Cavallaro P, Rhee AJ, Chiang Y, Itagaki S, Seigerman M. Chatterjee S, Tripathi B, Virk HU, Ahmed M, Bavishi C, Krishnamoorthy P, Sardar P, Giri J, Omidvari K. Chiang Y, Hosseinian L, Rhee A, Itagaki S, Cavallaro P. Goldstone AB, Bronster DJ, Anyanwu AC, Goldstein MA, Filsoufi F, Adams DH.