Malperfusion syndromes in acute aortic dissection

Mr Rajakaruna graduated from the University of Leicester and subsequently conducted a research degree in beating heart Surgery and was awarded a MD thesis from the University of Bristol. He undertook his specialist training in cardiothoracic surgery at Kings College Hospital London, Brighton Heart Centre, Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and Bristol Heart Institute. He completed an advanced fellowship year at the Yale aortic Institute in both open and endovascular aortic surgery under the tutorage of Professor John Elefteriades. He was appointed as a Consultant Cardiac surgeon to the Bristol Heart Institute in 2013. He is the lead aortic surgeon and performs the full range of surgeries and endovascular procedures on the thoracic aorta with a high volume of frozen elephant trunk procedures. He is co-lead of the pan Bristol acute aortic specialist interest group that delivers emergency care for aortic dissections. He also performs minimal access aortic valves using rapid deployment technology.

He is the lead TAVI surgeon and performs the full range of procedures including direct access and subclavian access TAVIs. He is actively involved in medical education from undergraduates to surgical trainees and has his own aortic training fellowship. He leads the surgical care practitioner training programme in Bristol. He is PI and co PI for several studies at the Bristol heart Institute focusing on bicuspid aortopathy within the Bristol cardiovascular research group.

Mr Rajakaruna has been the clinical lead for cardiac surgery since 2018 and Clinical director of the Bristol Heart Institute since 2019. He is the current deputy meeting secretary for the Society of Cardiothoracic surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland.

Edward P. Chen, MD is the new Division Chief for Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Duke University.  He recently completed 17 years as faculty in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Emory University where he serves as Professor of Surgery, Director of Thoracic Aortic Surgery Executive Director of the Aortic Center and Section Head of Adult Cardiac Surgery. He is a graduate of Stanford University, Duke Medical School, University of California San Francisco General Surgery, Emory Cardiothoracic Residency and the UT Houston Aortic Surgery Fellowship.

He is internationally visible for his clinical expertise in reoperative thoracic aortic procedures, high-risk and complex adult cardiac surgery.  He has published 200 peer-review articles and his research has focused cerebral protection for aortic arch reconstruction, aortic root operations and valve-sparing aortic root replacement.  He has been a PI and co-PI on numerous clinical trials focused on thoracic aortic surgery and structural heart disease.

He has won awards for both his research and commitment to teaching including the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA) Socrates Award, European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS) at Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Research Award 3 times in 2017, 2018 and 2020, American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Aortic Symposium 2018 Griepp Research Award and Outstanding Teacher in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Emory in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

Dr. Chen serves in several leadership positions in both the STS and AATS including AATS Advisory Council on Education, AATS Aortic Symposium Program Committee, Co-Chair of the AATS Online Committee, Chair of AATS Foundation Travel Award Committee, STS Thoracic Foundation Board of STS Annual Meeting Program Planning Task Force, and Co-Chair of the STS Aortic Surgery Database Task Force.

Mr Baig graduated from Kings College London and undertook his training in cardiothoracic surgery in Southampton, The Middlesex Hospital, Kings College Hospital, Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals, Hammersmith Hospital and Barts Heart Centre. He was a Research Scholar in the Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratories at Duke University, North Carolina where he conducted a range of basic science, developing technology and translational research projects. He was awarded an MD by Imperial College for his thesis, Investigating the effects of inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass.

He was the UK’s first NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in cardiothoracic surgery at the National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London.

Mr Baig is actively involved in medical education at all levels from being the co-founder of the London Core Review Course in cardiothoracic surgery, SCTS ST5A Course Tutor, Royal College of Surgeons of England Clinical Lead for Cardiothoracic Surgery International Surgical Training Programme (ISTP) as well as playing a leading role in mentoring and training junior surgeons, surgical care practitioners and advanced nurse practitioners.