Cardiothoracic Surgery Experts

The UPMC Esophageal and Lung Surgery Institute bring together a team of leading cardiothoracic experts who collaborate on creating a personalized treatment plan for each patient.

Leadership

James D. Luketich, MD, FACS
Henry T. Bahnson Professor and Chair, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Chief, Division of Thoracic and Foregut Surgery
Director, Thoracic Surgical Oncology
Co-Director, Lung Cancer Center

• Surgical treatment of thoracic diseases
• Minimally invasive esophageal surgery
• Multi-disciplinary management of esophageal and gastroesophageal cancers
  
  

Thoracic and Foregut Surgery Experts

Omar Awais, DO

• Thoracic surgical oncology for lung, esophageal, mediastinal, and gastroesophageal cancers
• Surgical treatment of benign esophageal diseases
• Multi-modal therapy for thoracic diseases

Nicholas Baker, MD

• Minimally invasive surgery for lung, pleural, and esophageal diseases

Neil Christie, MD

• Minimally invasive thoracic surgery
• Antireflux surgery
• Fluorescent bronchoscopy
• Thoracic stereotactic radiosurgery

Lawrence Crist, DO, MBA

• Minimally invasive surgery for lung and esophageal diseases

Rajeev Dhupar, MD, MBA

• Minimally invasive surgery for lung, pleural, and esophageal diseases 

Ryan Levy, MD

• Minimally invasive surgery for lung, pleural, and esophageal diseases
• Thoracic surgical oncology for esophageal, gastric, and lung cancers
• Management of GERD and other thoracic conditions

James Luketich, MD

• Surgical treatment of thoracic diseases
• Minimally invasive esophageal surgery
• Multi-disciplinary management of esophageal and gastroesophageal cancers

Olugbenga T. Okusanya, MD

• Minimally invasive thoracic surgery for lung, pleural, and esophageal diseases

Arjun Pennathur, MD

• Minimally invasive thoracic surgery
• Thoracic surgical oncology

Neha Reddy, MD

• Minimally invasive surgery for lung, pleural, and esophageal diseases

Inderpal (Netu) Sarkaria, MD, FACS

• Minimally invasive esophageal surgery
• Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgical (VATS) lobectomy for lung cancer
• VATS thymectomy for thymoma
• Antireflux surgery

Matthew Schuchert, MD

• Thoracic surgical oncology
• Radiofrequency ablation
• CyberKnife surgery

Manisha Shende, MD

• Thoracic surgical oncology
• Minimally invasive surgery for chest wall deformations

Manuel Villa Sanchez, MD

• Minimally invasive surgery for lung, pleural, and esophageal diseases

Jie Zhang, MD, PhD

• Interventional and surgical approaches for thoracic diseases

• Minimally invasive surgery for lung and esophageal diseases

Cardiothoracic Transplant Experts 

Robert Kormos, MD

• Heart transplantation
• Adult cardiac surgery
• Ventricular assist devices

Pedro Reck dos Santos, MD, MSc

• Lung transplantation
• ECMO

Pablo Sanchez, MD, PhD, FACS

• Lung transplantation
• ECMO
• EVLP

Christopher Sciortino, MD, PhD

• Heart transplantation
• Adult cardiac surgery for advanced heart failure including coronary artery bypass, ventricular assist devices
• ECMO