Cardiothoracic Surgery research
The Cardiothoracic Unit performs a full range of adult cardiac and thoracic surgery including minimally invasive valve operations, off-pump surgery and aortic surgery, as well as providing state heart and lung transplant services.
The transplant program is supported by the mechanical assist device program, which involves 20-30 Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) implants per year as well as supporting a busy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program.
The main areas of research for the department centre around improving outcomes in transplantation, particularly donor organ optimisation and preservation as well as innovations in cardiothoracic surgery, including sutureless valves, bidirectional ECMO cannulae and new generation VADs.
The Cardiothoracic Unit also supports a busy trauma service at The Alfred and continues rib fixation research for severe chest wall injuries.
Current research
Heart preservation for transplantation
An organ preservation project led by Professor Frank Rosenfeldt will assess a new, improved technique of donor heart preservation based on cold crystalloid microperfusion.
Find out moreCannulation system development
A first-in-man clinical trial led by Associate Professor Silvana Marasco will assess a new bidirectional ECMO cannula designed by Melbourne cardiothoracic surgeon Mr Randall Moshinsky.
Find out morePartners
Publications
An incidental encounter of a rare high take-off right coronary artery: a case report
Deng X, Huang P, Chen W, Yang X, Liu Q, Xiao Y, He C
(2017), Medicine, 96(45), e8614
Hybrid repair of pectus excavatum and congenital heart disease: a case report
Deng X, Huang P, Yi L, Yang X, He C
(2017), Medicine, 96(51), e9503
Identifying a safe site for intercostal catheter insertion using the mid-arm point (MAP)
Bing F, Fitzgerald M, Olaussen A, Finnegan P, O'Reilly G, Gocentas R, Stergiou H, Korin A, Marasco S, McGiffin D
(2017), J Emerg Med Trauma Acute Care, 2017(1), 3