Innovations & Advancements
The Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center is defined by its commitment to state-of-the-art compassionate care, our internationally renowned staff, and, above all, our willingness to push the limits of current medical knowledge through extensive clinical research with our partner, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
The possibility of better care for our patients is the reason why our dedicated medical professionals work tirelessly to develop the medicines, therapies, and procedures that comprise the gold standard of cardiovascular care. Since then, Montefiore has made headlines by developing and using the world's first transvenous pacemaker system pacemaker in 1958, and performing the first coronary artery bypass operation in 1964. We have continued to take a leadership role in innovations in cardiac medicine:
Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction (SVR)
This procedure reduces the size of a patient's failing enlarged heart to ensure that blood is pumped out of the heart and through the body efficiently. Montefiore Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Department Chairman Robert E. Michler, MD, was among the first surgeons in the United States to perform SVR as part of the STICH trial sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. He is the chairman of the Surgical Therapy Committee for the STICH trial.
An Integrated Approach to Pediatric Care
Most pediatric heart centers are organized according to medical disciplines, but the pediatric cardiothoracic program at the Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center tears down these walls. Here, doctors collaborate across disciplines to provide the most effective care for all patients. Using the multidisciplinary team approach to patient care, The Children's Hospital at Montefiore combines the skills of every member of its team to pioneer hybrid procedures that combine surgical and interventional techniques.
Mechanical Assistance Devices
The Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center leads the nation in clinical trials for ventricular assist devices (VADs), or heart pumps, including several trials funded by the National Institutes of Health. From testing the use of pumps as an alternative to transplant, to pioneering the use of smaller, second generation pumps, Montefiore's commitment to innovation means increased treatment options for patients.
Stem Cells
The Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center physicians imagine a world where procedures exist to restore the areas of the heart damaged by heart attack, and is spearheading research to make that possible. By partnering with Piero Anversa, MD, the world's foremost authority on cardiac stem cells, our physicians are in the lab identifying cardiac stem cells, studying their properties, and determining whether it's possible to coax these cells to multiply rapidly to regenerate healthy tissue.
Creating and Sharing Knowledge
Research at the Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center is made possible because of our collaboration with Albert Einstein College of Medicine. This partnership combines clinical and academic knowledge, enabling us to teach that knowledge to others and implement it in a way that benefits patients. By pushing the boundaries of current research, the Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center isn't just practicing cutting edge medicine, it is redefining the field.
