Dr. Michael Chu and Team Perform a World-First in Cardiac Surgery
Led by Dr. Michael Chu (Professor and Chair/Head, Division of Cardiac Surgery), a team at University Hospital performed a world first surgery combining two highly complex procedures into a single surgery using newly available technologies.
In August 2024, Dr. Chu and the Cardiac Surgery team successfully performed both a protected Ross operation (in which a patient’s pulmonary valve is used to replace a diseased aortic valve) and an advanced hybrid arch frozen elephant trunk procedure, allowing for extensive reconstruction of the thoracic aorta through a less invasive surgical approach. While each procedure is technically demanding on its own, performing them together in a single operation had not previously been achieved.
This landmark surgery was made possible through the integration of surgical expertise and innovation, including the use of two new specialized devices: the CryoValve Synergraft pulmonary homograft and the E-vita Open Neo hybrid stent graft system. The combined approach enabled the surgical team to reconstruct the majority of the thoracic aorta while simultaneously providing durable valve replacement during one operation.
This first-in-the-world achievement further reinforces LHSC’s and Schulich’s leadership in advanced Cardiac Surgery and highlights the role of innovation in expanding treatment options for patients with complex aortic disease. Please join the Department in congratulating Dr. Chu and his team in the Division of Cardiac Surgery for another surgical landmark!
