Who We Are
At the University of Washington Structural Heart Program, we believe that complex heart valve disease is best treated by a team-based approach. We understand that no individual provider can tackle these complex issues alone, but rather acknowledge the benefit of a multi-disciplinary approach utilizing the diverse specialists available at the University of Washington. Our team includes both interventional cardiologists and surgeons, along with collaborators in cardiology through our advanced imaging lab.
We have an expert Heart Team with more expertise than any other team in the region, including:
– National leaders in transcatheter valve replacement and valve program development.
– Co-Chair the ACC/AHA national guidelines on valvular heart disease
– Authors for multi-professional society statements on transcatheter valve replacement and transcatheter valve program development
– Co-Director for international courses on transcatheter valve therapies
Experience, unmatched by any other site in the region, with over 600 TAVR’s completed.
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Structural Heart Team
Jamie McCabe, MD, FACC
Heart Institute at UW Medical Center – Montlake
1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195
To schedule an appointment, please call (206) 598-VALV (8258)
About Dr. McCabe
James (Jamie) McCabe, MD, joined the University of Washington Medical Center in 2013 and became medical director of the Cardiac Cath Labs in 2015. His clinical practice leverages his knowledge and experience in clinical cardiovascular medicine and complex coronary and valvular heart interventions.
He has an active practice in aortic valve disease all forms of coronary artery blockage and cardiogenic shock. He is a nationally recognized clinician educator and investigator in coronary artery intervention and transcatheter therapies for aortic stenosis and cardiogenic shock. His research interests focus on quality and performance metrics for cardiovascular procedures and their use in public ‘report cards’ as well as variations in care provided across institutions and regions. He has been the site principal investigator for several clinical trials and has authored more than 50 original manuscripts.
Gabriel Aldea, MD, FACS, FACC
Heart Institute at UW Medical Center – Montlake
1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195
To schedule an appointment, please call (206) 598-VALV (8258)
About Dr. Aldea
Dr. Aldea is a nationally recognized leader with expertise in cardiac valve replacement and repair, management of aortic aneurysm, as well as catheter based minimally invasive valve and aortic therapies. He strives to create active partnerships with his patients, families and referring physicians, offering individualized patient-focused therapies that best address specific and complex heart issues. Based on a broad 25-year experience of caring for patients from the entire Pacific Northwest, coupled with full spectrum of clinical expertise from open surgical to catheter based (minimally invasive) approaches, Dr. Aldea aims to personalize the right therapy for each individual patient so that each patient achieves their fullest recovery and potential.
Dr. Aldea’s clinical interests include complex valve repair and replacement, less invasive cardiac surgery as an alternative to standard cardiac surgery, aortic aneurysm surgery and repair with endovascular stents and catheter based therapies for valve abnormalities. His research interests are focused on developing and improving methods and techniques for cardiac surgery and catheter based therapies, on thoughtful impactful innovation, and on maximizing quality care and outcomes.
G. Burkhard Mackensen, MD, PhD, FASE, FSCAI
Heart Institute at UW Medical Center – Montlake
1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195
To schedule an appointment, please call (206) 598-VALV (8258)
About Dr. Mackensen
Dr. G. Burkhard Mackensen is the Allan J. Treuer Endowed Professor of Anesthesiology and Chair of the University of Washington Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine in Seattle, WA. He also serves as the Director of Interventional Echocardiography at the UW Medicine Heart Institute.
Dr. Mackensen is a practicing cardiothoracic anesthesiologist and a key member of the UW structural heart valve team. As an internationally recognized expert in interventional echocardiography, Dr. Mackensen is intimately involved in multidisciplinary efforts that aim to advance minimally invasive transcatheter cardiovascular care. He has given numerous national and international lectures on the role of 2D and 3D TEE in interventional/structural heart disease and surgical decision making, has published over 130 peer-reviewed journal articles, and is the author of more than 20 book chapters.
Dr. Mackensen is a Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography (FASE) and serves as Chair of ASE’s Industry Relations Committee (IRT) and Council on Perioperative Echocardiography (COPE) as well as a member of ASE’s Interventional Echo Training Taskforce and the Governance & Compliance Committee.
Christine Chung, MD
Heart Institute at UW Medical Center – Montlake
1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195
To schedule an appointment, please call (206) 598-VALV (8258)
About Dr. Chung
Christine J. Chung, MD, is an interventional cardiologist specializing in the management of structural heart disease and coronary artery disease. She strives to provide patient-centered care, working together with patients, their families, and their other healthcare providers to fulfill their health-related goals.
Her clinical interests include all forms of valvular heart disease, left atrial appendage closure, closure of patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defects, alcohol septal ablation, percutaneous coronary intervention, and cardiogenic shock.
Dr. Chung is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the UW School of Medicine.
Lara Oyetunji, MD, FACS, FACC
Heart Institute at UW Medical Center – Montlake
1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195
To schedule an appointment, please call (206) 598-VALV (8258)
About Dr. Oyetunji
Dr. Oyetunji’s clinical interests include surgical and transcatheter approaches to the management of valvular heart diseases including aortic stenosis, mitral valve disease, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Dr. Oyetunji has an interest in quality initiatives and the provision of the quality care for our patients. And she believes that the multidisciplinary heart team approach in the diagnosis and management of cardiac pathology is integral to providing the best care for patients.
Dr. Oyetunji also has an interest in global surgery with the goal of participating in academic twinning partnerships to develop sustainable surgical programs in low and middle-income countries.
Creighton W. Don, MD, MPH
Heart Institute at UW Medical Center – Montlake
1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195
To schedule an appointment, please call (206) 598-VALV (8258)
About Dr. Don
Creighton W. Don, M.D, PhD is an interventional cardiologist and Associate Professor of Medicine, Section Chief of Cardiology at the Puget Sound Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Seattle. and Director of the Interventional Cardiology and Structural Heart Fellowships at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, WA. He completed his cardiology fellowship at the University of Washington and an interventional fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital before joining UW Medicine in 2009.
Dr. Don is an expert in complex coronary interventions including advanced therapies for instent restenosis and brachytherapy, percutaneous treatment for valvular heart disease (including TAVR, TMVR, TTVR, MitraClip, mitral annular devices), and other structural interventions such as left atrial appendage closure, PFO closure, and paravalvular leak closure. He earned an MPH at UW and his research focuses on evaluating outcomes in real world practice of patients undergoing complex coronary and structural heart procedures. He has been recognized in the Seattle Magazine as a Top Doctor in Seattle for interventional cardiology for several years.
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Cardiology Collaborators
Valve Clinic
Dr. Otto is recognized internationally as an expert in heart valve disease, Marfan syndrome and other inherited structural heart conditions. She is director of the Heart Valve Clinic at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine in Seattle, Washington.
Dr. Otto’s research has transformed our understanding of calcific valve disease, showing that it may be amenable to medical therapy rather than being an inevitable consequence of aging. She is the author of several cardiology textbooks and cardiology editor-in-chief for the online medical textbook Up-to-Date. She currently serves as Editor in Chief of the journal Heart, and the Journal of British Cardiovascular Society, published by BMJ Publishing.
