271. Sternum-sparing LVAD Implantation Simultaneous with Aortic and Mitral Procedures

Dr. Vivek Rao is currently Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery and the Surgical Director of Mechanical Circulatory Assistance at the Toronto General Hospital and holds the Munk Chair in Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics at the University of Toronto. Dr. Rao completed his medical and surgical training at the University of Toronto prior to completing a fellowship in cardiac transplantation and mechanical circulatory support at New York’s Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Rao is a Full Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Rao has a clinical interest in the surgical treatment of end-stage heart disease.  Dr. Rao’s research lab is currently investigating novel techniques of myocardial protection for cardiac transplantation and new therapeutic strategies to prevent transplant coronary artery disease. He also is actively involved in clinical trials in cardiac surgery and is an active participant in the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network.

Dr. Sho Takemoto is a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon by the Japanese Boards of Cardiovascular Surgery and a PhD student at Kyushu University Hospital in Fukuoka, Japan. He is currently a research fellow at the Center for Transplantation Sciences at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Takemoto received his MD from Saga University, Japan. He completed residencies and fellowship in cardiovascular surgery at Kyushu University Hospital and its affiliated institutions, including Fukuoka Children's Hospital, Iizuka Hospital, and Northern Okinawa Medical Center. Under the guidance of Prof. Akira Shiose at Kyushu University, one of the most expert hospitals in the field in Japan, he gained expertise in VAD surgery, ECMO, and heart transplantation.

After completing his clinical training and obtaining ECFMG certification, Dr. Takemoto began xenotransplantation research under the guidance of Prof. Richard N Pierson III at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in 2024. His research interests include VAD, allo/xeno heart/lung transplantation, and ex-vivo heart/lung perfusion.