Please contact your health insurance company to confirm provider participation. For billing and insurance questions, please call our Billing Department at 210-358-3260.
About
I have been an integral member of UT Health San Antonio for over 30 years. I attended the University of Texas at Austin on a scholarship to play golf, graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in 1981 and started surgical residency in San Antonio in general surgery. I was selected for Thoracic Surgery residency immediately following general surgery with Dr. Kent Trinkle and as chief resident at the Harvard Medical School Boston Children's Hospital in pediatric cardiac surgery.
I joined the faculty at UT Health San Antonio in 1989 and became Professor and Head of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery in 1994. In 2010, I was named Founding Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery.
My areas of clinical expertise include congenital heart surgery, adult cardiac surgery and pulmonary transplantation. In 2015, I was selected to lead the UT Health San Antonio Heart and Vascular Institute and transitioned that role to Dr. Allen Anderson, Chief of Cardiology, in May of 2020. In addition, I have served as the Director of the University Health Congenital Heart Institute since 2018 and have been the leader of the congenital heart program since joining UT Health San Antonio.
Honors include a variety of teaching awards from the institution and department including the first ever President's Council Chair for Excellence in Surgery in 2003. I am the author of over 100 peer reviewed journal articles, 20 book chapters and a host of other abstracts and presentations. I am a Past Council Chair and Past President of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association and was founding President of the Thoracic Surgery Foundation.
I am currently the elected president of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. I am a past board member and past officer of the Joint Council on Thoracic Surgical Education and aided it its transition to STS. I am a past president of The Thoracic Surgery Director's Association, past Chairman of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and a former Board member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
I am a member of the American Association of Thoracic Surgery, and Texas Surgical Society. I have served as Chairman of the local American Heart Association Board, President of the local Surgical Society, Chairman of the Board of the Dominion Country Club and was a Founder of HeartGift San Antonio. I served as Chair of the 2015 San Antonio AHA Heart and Stroke Walk.
My most important personal honors are:
Marrying my wife and best friend, Ms. Sarah Lucero, a top ranked news anchor
Having four healthy children
Being named a distinguished Young Texas Ex in 1997 from the University of Texas at Austin
I am a seasoned and highly experienced master Adult Cardiac and Congenital Cardiac Surgeon. I am part of a great congenital heart surgery team able to tackle the most complex congenital cardiac repairs. In addition, I am a master at complex reoperative heart surgery of all kinds - children and adults. I am particularly adept in handling in infections of the aortic valve and aortic root. My team maintains a variety of homograft valves to handle this dreaded disease.
The UT Health Cardiac Surgical team and I have done more than 100 Ross procedures. I have significant expertise in Ross procedures, which develop enlarging and leaking pulmonary autograft valves. My team is acknowledged for their personal attention to detail and personal touch with the family and the patient. I am a master reoperative cardiac and coronary bypass surgeon and utilize arterial grafting when possible.
Philosophy of Care Statement:
Our team strives to provide care just as we would wish for ourselves. It starts with careful communication between each of your providers to come up with and continuously update a clear plan of care for each patient. We then do our best to update the patient and family about their care plan daily or more often if needed.
Interests & Hobbies:
Enjoy daily exercise, time with my wife and family and when a bit of time is left over, will go to the golf course or spend a bit of time in my workshop.
