Cezar S. Staniloae, MD

I am an interventional cardiologist at NYU Langone, where I provide care for people who have valvular disease and adult congenital heart disorders.

At our Heart Valve Center, we specialize in treating people who need a mitral or aortic valve replacement using minimally invasive techniques. Because of our expertise, many of the patients we see come to us for a second opinion after being told by other doctors that they require open heart surgery. We are often able to offer these patients a minimally invasive option, which often allows them to go home the next day and recover more quickly.

When people come to our center, they work closely with an interventional cardiologist and cardiac surgeon. We perform imaging tests to understand each person’s unique condition and evaluate his or her needs before the procedure. During the procedure, the surgeon and I collaborate with a team of specialists, including a cardiac anesthesiologist, an echocardiographer, nurses, and radiology technicians.

We follow up closely with each person after the procedure. All of our patients go home with a remote heart monitoring system that allows us to check in on their heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels for the first two to four weeks. We also offer social and rehabilitation services based on individuals’ needs.

The best part of my day is leaving the operating room knowing that I have improved someone’s quality of life. It is extremely rewarding to see my patients feel better and breathe more easily immediately after treatment.

In addition to my clinical work, I conduct research. Most recently, I was the principal investigator for the Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip^® Percutaneous Therapy trial. In this landmark study, we learned that the MitraClip^®, a minimally invasive technology, is an effective treatment for people who have severe secondary mitral valve regurgitation.