Our exceptional team of internationally renowned surgeons has been trained in some of the most innovative state-of-the-art cardiovascular and thoracic surgical techniques. Additionally, many of our surgical team actively participate in research clinical trials, allowing patients access to the most current treatments available.

• Peter Anastassiou, M.D.
• G. James Avery, M.D.
• Preben Brandenhoff, M.D.
• Michael Black, M.D.
• Luis Castro, M.D.
• Glenn Egrie, M.D.
• Vincent A. Gaudiani, M.D.
• Adam L. Harmon, M.D.
• J. Donald Hill
• Tomomi Oka, M.D.
• Anne-Marie Regal, M.D.
• Robert Szarnicki, M.D.
• Russell Woo, M.D.
• Edward Yee, M.D.

Peter Anastassiou, M.D.

Peter Anastassiou, M.D.
Medical Training: Baylor College of Medicine
Board Certification: Thoracic Surgery
Contact Numbers: (415) 600-0410 or (707) 573-6165


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G. James Avery, M.D.

G. James Avery, M.D.
Medical Training: Columbia University; St. Luke's Roosevelt; Presbyterian Hospital City of New York
Board Certification: Surgery; Thoracic Surgery
Special Interests: Heart transplant; Pacemakers; Spine fusion exposure; Thoracic outlet syndrome; Ventricular assist devices
Contact Number: (415) 600-1386

Jim Avery, M.D. has been a member of the surgical staff at California Pacific Medical Center for over 25 years. Starting his practice with J. Donald Hill, M.D., the former Surgical Director of the Cardiovascular Surgery Program at California Pacific, in 1979, Dr. Avery is board certified in both General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery. Originally from Omaha Nebraska, Dr. Avery completed his B.A. at Yale University in New Haven Connecticut and received his M.D. from Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. Remaining in New York, he completed both his internship and residency in General Surgery at Roosevelt Hospital. He then went on to complete his residency in Thoracic Surgery in research at Columbia University and clinical at Presbyterian Hospital, both in New York.

Dr. Avery is an active member of several professional associations and is a Charter Member of the Bay Area Society of Thoracic Surgeons.


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Preben Brandenhoff, M.D.

Preben Brandenhoff, M.D.
Medical Training: University of Copenhagen, Denmark Faculty of Health Sciences; University of Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Hospital; University of Copenhagen, Rigshospital; Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Contact Number: (415) 600-1386

Dr Brandenhoff specializes in surgical treatment of patients with acquired heart disease as well as heart and lung transplantation and mechanical circulatory support. A native of Denmark, he received his bachelor's and medical degrees from University of Copenhagen, completed his training in general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery in Copenhagen, Denmark and later served 10 years as a staff surgeon and assistant professor at the University Hospital, Rigshospitalet’s Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. During his tenure there he was a member of the heart and lung transplant team. Following a two-year fellowship in complex cardiac surgery at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic in order to obtain US licensing, Dr Brandenhoff served as chief of cardiac surgery in Copenhagen before being recruited as Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at UCSF Medical Center. Dr Brandenhoff joined the Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Program at CPMC in May 2007 and was appointed Associate Surgical Director of Heart & Lung Transplant at the Barry S. Levin M.D. Department of Transplantation, CPMC, in June 2008.
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Michael Black, M.D.

Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery & Surgical Director of the Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Program

Michael Black, M.D. - Pediatrics
Medical Training: University of Toronto; University of Ottawa
Board Certification: Surgery
Special Interests: Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery; Congenital Heart Disease Surgery; Cardiovascular Surgery; Thoracic Surgery;
Robotic Surgery
Contact Number: (415) 600-1543

Michael Black, M.D. is the Chief of the division of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and the Surgical Director of the Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Program at California Pacific. Prior to joining our surgical staff, Dr. Black was the Director of the Pediatric Fellowship Program at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario and the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. Dr. Black is a pioneer in the use of small incisions on neonates and adolescents. Using robotics and videoscopic techniques, he can precisely repair defects deep inside the heart without unsightly chest incisions or damaging trauma to the heart muscle.

Dr. Black received his M.D. from the University of Toronto where he received the James Colling, O.B.E. Memorial Scholarship for academic excellence and the Lois and K.J.R. Wightman Award. Board certified in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, and board eligible in Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Black completed his residency and surgical internships in Canada.

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Luis Castro, M.D.

Chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery for the CPMC Heart Institute

Luis Castro, M.D. Medical Training: Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford University Medical Center; LAC/USC Medical Center
Board Certification: Surgery; Thoracic Surgery
Special Interests: Cardiovascular Surgery; Thoracic Surgery
Contact Number: (650) 366-0225

Luis Castro, M.D. has performed nearly 3000 surgeries and has particular interest in aortic root reconstruction. He attended the University of Southern California and Stanford Medical School, where he also completed his general surgical training. He received his cardiac fellowship from University of Southern California and is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Additionally, he is a consultant for Medtronic Cardiac Surgery. He is fluent in Spanish. Dr Castro is the Chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery for the CPMC Heart Institute.
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Glenn Egrie, M.D.

Glenn Egrie, M.D.
Medical Training: Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Massachusetts General Hospital; Children’s Hospital (Boston); University of California,
San Francisco
Board Certification: General Surgery
Special Interests: Cardiac surgery – adult and pediatric; Heart/Lung transplantation and devices; Lung and airway surgery; Thoracic aortic endovascular surgery
Contact Number: (415) 600-1386




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Vincent A. Gaudiani, M.D.

Chief of CPMC's Heart Institute

Vincent A. Gaudiani, M.D.
Medical Training: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine; University Hospitals of Cleveland; Stanford University Medical Center
Board Certification: Surgery; Thoracic Surgery
Special Interests: Cardiovascular Surgery; Thoracic Surgery
Contact Number: (650) 366-0225

Vincent A. Gaudiani, M.D. brings a stellar reputation to his role of Surgeon in Chief of CPMC's Heart Institute, coming from a 13-year position as Director of Cardiovascular Surgery at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City. Over the past 25 years, Dr Gaudiani has performed over 10,000 operations. He has focused on valve repair and replacement and electrophysiologic surgery. He has published over 40 scientific papers and has a passionate interest in quality assurance in cardiac surgery. A graduate of Harvard University and Case Western Reserve University Medical School, Dr Gaudiani completed his cardiac surgery training at the National Institute for Health and Stanford University. Board certified in Surgery and Thoracic Surgery, he is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. He serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Medtronic Cardiac Surgery.
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Adam L. Harmon, M.D.

Adam L. Harmon, M.D.
Medical Training: Albany Medical College - Union; Maimonides
Medical Center
Board Certification: Thoracic Surgery
Contact Number: (650) 366-0225

Adam Harmon, M.D., a graduate of Albany Medical College, completed his internship and residency at Brooklyn’s Maimonides Medical Center and received his Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery from State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn. Board-certified in Surgery and Thoracic Surgery, Dr Harmon was Director of Cardiac Surgery for three years at Washington Township Hospital (Fremont) before joining the team of Dr. Vincent Gaudiani. Dr. Harmon’s areas of interest include Adult Cardiac Surgery and General Thoracic Surgery.
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J. Donald Hill

J. Donald Hill, M.D.
Medical Training: Dalhousie Medical School (Halifax, Canada); Cincinnati General Hospital; Victoria General Hospital (Halifax, Canada); Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center; Thoracic Research Center and Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Board Certification: General Surgery; Thoracic Surgery
Special Interests: Advanced multi-organ disease; Cardiac assist devices; Congestive heart failure; Heart failure surgery; Heart transplant;
Valve surgery
Contact Number: (415) 600-1386

Dr. Hill is a cardiac surgeon specializing in the treatment of heart
failure including heart transplant, surgery for congestive heart failure
and the use of left ventricular assist devices. Dr Hill earned his medical degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He went
on to complete his residency in surgery at Cincinnati General Hospital
and completed two fellowships, one in thoracic surgery at the
Karolinska Hospital Thoracic Clinic in Stockholm, Sweden and
another in cardiovascular surgery at California Pacific Medical Center.
He is board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery as well as certified by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Dr. Hill also has an honorary doctorate of laws from Dalhousie University. Dr Hill's research interests include cardiovascular surgical techniques for heart transplantation and artificial organs, pathophysiology of serious organ dysfunction and extracorporeal circulation.
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Tomomi Oka, M.D.

Tomomi Oka, M.D.
Medical Training: Keio University, Japan; Brown University, RI; University of Virginia Medical Center; Rhode Island Hospital
Board Certification: Thoracic Surgery; Surgical Critical Care
Special Interests: Adult cardiac surgery, general thoracic surgery
Contact Number: (650) 853-2985

Dr. Oka is a Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon, having recently completed his training in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at the University of Virginia. He was born in the Washington DC area and then moved with his family to Japan at age 16. There he completed the rest of his basic education and attended Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo. Dr. Oka then returned to the US where he completed his Surgical Residency at Brown University, which included a year of surgical critical care training. Dr Oka gained considerable experience in cardiac transplantation while at the University of Virginia and he has a particular interest in aortic and heart failure surgery.
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Anne-Marie Regal, M.D.

Anne-Marie Regal, M.D.
Medical Training: Boston University School of Medicine; Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Stanford university Medical Center
Board Certification: Surgery
Languages: French
Contact Number: (415) 831-8800

Anne-Marie Regal, M.D. is board certified in both General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery. She received her M.D. from Boston University, completed her internship at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York and her residency at Stanford University Medical Center. Dr. Regal has been on staff at California Pacific for over ten years. She has been the Chief of Thoracic Surgery at St. Luke's Hospital and the Chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at California Pacific. In 2000, she was the President of the American Heart Association (AHA) San Francisco Chapter and continues to play an active role in the AHA.


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Robert Szarnicki, M.D.

Robert Szarnicki, M.D.
Medical Training: Boston University School of Medicine; Boston City Hospital; Presbyterian Hospital City of NY; University Hospital - Boston
Board Certification: Surgery
Special Interests: Venous diseases; Hyperhidrosis(Sweaty Palms); Carotid Artery Disease; Radio Frequencey Ablation of Varicose Veins;
In-Office Sclerotherapy
Contact Number: (415) 923-3870


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Russell Woo, M.D.

Russsell Woo, M.D.
Medical Training: Tulane University Medical School; San Francisco
General Hospital
Board Certification: Surgery
Special Interests: Cardiovascular Surgery; Thoracic Surgery
Languages: Cantonese
Contact Number: (415) 923-3004
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Edward Yee, M.D.

Edward Yee, M.D.
Medical Training: University of California San Francisco
Board Certification: Thoracic Surgery; Surgery; Critical Care Medicine
Contact Number: (415) 387-9992


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