Together, We Have Built New Jersey's Most Comprehensive Cardiothoracic Surgical Network
RWJBarnabas Health is home to the largest adult and pediatric cardiac surgery programs in New Jersey, with specialists who lead innovation in critical care and the treatment of all facets of cardiac disease. Our surgical team is recognized as a national leader in the field and continues to advance the latest minimally-invasive techniques.
With locations at Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, RWJBarnabas Health provides easy access to highly sophisticated surgeons who are experts in:
- Advanced cardiac surgery
- Aortic emergencies and aortic root repair and replacement
- Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
- Valvular disease (tricuspid, mitral valve and aortic), including one of the state’s highest performing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) programs
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
- Heart failure
- Heart rhythm disturbances, including the mini-maze procedure
- Heart transplantation
- Minimally-invasive surgery
- Pediatric cardiac surgery through a network of specialists at The Children’s Heart Center at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
- Vascular and thoracic disorders
- Ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation and management
Access to Clinical Trials
Through collaboration with colleagues throughout RWJBarnabas Health, our cardiothoracic surgery program participates in more clinical research trials than any other heart care program in New Jersey, helping patient gain access to promising new treatments and technologies.
Meet Our Physicians
Margarita Camacho, MD
Surgical Director, Heart Transplant Program
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Jesus A. Gomez-Abraham, MD
Associate Surgical Director, Lung Transplantation
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Iosif Gulkarov, MD
Associate Chief of Cardiac Surgery
Jersey City Medical Center
Hirohisa Ikegami, MD
Surgical Director of the Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Program
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Ravindra Karanam, MD, FACS
Program Director, Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship Education
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Tyrone Krause, MD
Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Chair of Surgery
Jersey City Medical Center
Leonard Y. Lee MD
Chief, Surgical Service
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Chair, Department of Surgery and Professor of Surgery
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Anthony Lemaire, MD
Transplant Surgeon
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Ioannis Loumiotis, MD
Attending Cardiac Surgeon
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center
Mark J. Russo, MD
Chief of the Division of Cardiac Surgery and Director of Structural Heart Disease
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Associate Professor of Surgery
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Arash Salemi, MD, FACS
Clinical Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery, RWJBarnabas Health
Professor of Surgery
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Frederic F. Sardari, MD, FACS
Vice Chair, Cardiac Surgery
RWJBarnabas Health
Chief of Cardiac Surgery
Coooperman Barnabas Medical Center
Manabu Takebe, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Patient Stories
Rosalind Grant, complex heart surgery
“I’m forever grateful to God, Dr. Sardari and the Newark Beth
Israel emergency team for my survival that night,”
Lorraine Leshko, complex heart surgery
“When I woke up from my surgery...I touched my chest and only felt
soreness, not pain."
Elizabeth Versacio, heart valve surgery
“The surgery was a piece of cake...I could hardly believe I had practically
no recovery at all.”
Joe Bilotta, quadruple bypass surgery
“I’m the last person anyone would think had a heart condition.”
Paul Russo, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
““[After] a heart valve replacement....I was delighted to find
out that I was doing so well I'd be able to leave in the evening of that
same day.”