Toronto General Hospital
Adult Cardiac
Member Since: 2022
Biography:
Dr. Piroze M. Davierwala is the Director of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at the Peter Munk Cardiac Center in Toronto General Hospital. He graduated from medical school in 1993 followed by a residency in General Surgery (1994-1996) with the attainment of Masters in General surgery from the University of Pune, India. Thereafter, he did his residency in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (1997-2000), and obtained the degree of Master of Chirurgie from the University of Mumbai, India. Subsequently, he did a 3-year clinical fellowship at the University of Toronto, Canada. Following the completion of his training, he worked as a consultant in Cardiovascular Surgery in two private hospitals in the city of Pune, India. He was then recruited by the Division of Cardiac Surgery at the Leipzig Heart Center, Germany in 2009, where he was the Lead Senior Consultant and Director of Coronary Bypass surgery, until he moved to Toronto in 2021. During his 12-year tenure at this institute, which is predominantly renowned for minimally invasive cardiac surgery, he developed a keen interest and expertise in the entire spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures including mitral, tricuspid and aortic valve repairs, coronary artery bypass and aortic surgery. Additionally, he pioneered the development and establishment of the technique of multi-vessel total arterial minimally invasive coronary surgery with the use of bilateral internal thoracic arteries at the institute. Besides, he has tremendous experience in performing complex reconstructive surgery for endocarditis and complications of myocardial infarction among other procedures. His research work chiefly encompasses clinical studies and trials, which have been published in numerous peer-reviewed international journals. He has over 100 publications and is an author of several book chapters as well. He has been awarded the Angelo and Lorenza De Gasperis Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery Research at the University of Toronto starting January 1, 2023. He is a member of esteemed societies such as the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons, the European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery and the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery and is also a fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA).
What Does the AATS Mean to You:
Leadership, scholarship and education.
My First Experience with AATS:
Attended the first AATS meeting in 2003 in Boston. It was quite overwhelming to see all the stalwarts of cardiac surgery in person, most of whose names we had only read in textbooks until then. It provided tremendous inspiration to excel and make an impact in the field.
Why I became an AATS member:
It is an honor and prestige to be selected as an AATS member.
The most impactful presentation I have seen at an AATS meeting:
It is hard to name one or two, as there have been many presentations and presidential addresses that have been exemplary over the years.
The first presentation I gave is:
Total Arterial Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery with Bilateral Internal Thoracic Arteries provides excellent early outcomes and angiographic patency.
The first paper I had published is:
Decreasing significance of left ventricular dysfunction and reoperative surgery in predicting coronary artery bypass grafting?associated mortality: A twelve-year study. . J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2003;126: 1335-1344.
I plan on becoming more involved in the organization through:
By becoming a part of one of the subcommittees.
The biggest impact my mentor had on my career is:
Strive for perfection through attention to small details during any surgery. Additionally, humility and acceptance of mistakes helped me in improving as a surgeon and human being."
My career in CT Surgery was inspired by:
I was always interested in the heart and circulatory system even in school and witnessing a CABG operation in grade 12 sealed the deal.
A significant case/patient interaction that impacted my career is:
Unfortunately, patients who developed complications impacted my career the most, I could learn from my mistakes and become a better surgeon.
The biggest impact my mentor had on my career is:
Strive for perfection through attention to small details during any surgery. Additionally, humility and acceptance of mistakes helped me in improving as a surgeon and human being.
The topic most important to advancing the field of CT Surgery is:
Embracing newer techniques and technology rather than being stuck to conventional methods.
The most pressing issues impacting CT surgery are:
Expanding the use of minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgery.
Advice for Trainees:
There is no substitute for hard work and the 10000 hour rule.