Surgery Department welcomes new Cardiothoracic Surgery Chief, Scott Silvestry, MD

The Department of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson is pleased to welcome Scott Silvestry, MD, FACS, as chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery.

He’ll work closely with the heart and lung transplant teams at the Division of Cardiology and Sarver Heart Center, and Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine in the Department of Medicine.

Prior to joining the UArizona, Dr. Silvestry was at Advent Health Orlando, where he served as co-executive medical director of the Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute and surgical director of Thoracic Transplant Programs.

During his tenure at Advent Health, Dr. Silvestry developed a regional Shock/ECMO program, achieving an Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Platinum designation while performing over 180 ECMO cases annually. 

As co-executive medical director, he also spearheaded strategy and logistic responsibilities for the Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute, contributing significantly to its growth and success in Central Florida.

Prior to that, he was an associate professor and surgical director of the Cardiac Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Assist Program at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He also held the role of associate professor and surgical director of the Cardiac Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Assist Program at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

Dr. Silvestry received his training in general and cardiothoracic surgery at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. He dedicated two years to a National Institutes of Health-funded physiology lab, under Don Glower, MD, and David Sabiston, MD, FACS, collaborating with the teams of Doris Taylor, PhD, and Robert Lefkowitz, MD, a subsequent Nobel Prize winner.

His clinical interests span surgical treatments for congestive heart failure, heart transplant, ventricular assist devices, valvular heart disease, valve replacement, valve repair and coronary artery disease.

Dr. Silvestry has been involved in innovation in heart procurement and developing donor technology for deceased circulatory donors and extended transport of marginal donor hearts to increase utilization. His work has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and he has been quoted in the New York Times and on National Public Radio.

Beyond surgical expertise, Dr. Silvestry is recognized for his strong patient advocacy and clinical dedication, empowering teams to achieve exceptional goals. He is eager to bring his experience and commitment to the UArizona, aligning with its legacy contributions and commitment to excellence in cardiac surgery and transplantation.

This story also appeared as a University of Arizona Health Sciences Announcement on April 29, 2024.

Media Contact:
Emma Dickey
emmadickey@arizona.edu
520-626-7263

Original story link.

ALSO SEE:
“College of Medicine – Tucson welcomes new Sarver Heart Center director, cardiology chief” | Posted April 29, 2024