Nippon Medical School
Adult Cardiac
Member Since: 2007
Biography:
Takashi Nitta graduated from Nippon Medical School in 1981 and joined the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of Nippon Medical School. He further went on to the Graduate School of Nippon Medical School and accomplished his Ph.D. degree in 1988. He received clinical training of cardiovascular surgery at Nippon Medical School Hospital and Sakakibara Heart Institute. He studied at the Cardiothoracic Research Laboratory (Director: James L. Cox, MD) of Washington University in Saint Louis, MO, USA, as a research fellow during the periods from 1991 to 1993 and from 1995 to 1997. During these periods, he developed a novel mapping method of VT and published papers entitled "Return cycle mapping after entrainment" in Circulation and J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, and also developed a new concept of surgical procedure, "Radial Procedure" for AF and published papers in Annals of Thoracic Surgery. After coming back to Japan, he conducted an extensive intraoperative study in AF patients and performed a map-guided surgery and the Radial Procedure in hundreds of patients. The data was presented at the AATS meetings and published in J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. He also operated on patients with complex and intractable VT by a map-guided surgery. He served as a task force member or chief of multiple Guidelines on arrhythmia surgery of the US, Europe, Asia-pacific, and domestic societies.
He had served as a Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at Nippon Medical School for 14 years, and has been an Emeritus Professor from 2020 to date. He filled a Chief Consultant of Cardiology at Hanyu General Hospital in 2020, and a Consultant of Cardiovascular Surgery at Tokushukai Healthcare Corporation in 2023.
He is a member of AATS, STS, EACTS, AHA, HRS, JHRS, ISMICS, and other international and domestic Societies. His specialties are arrhythmia surgery, surgery for heart failure, valve repair, and other cardiovascular procedures.
What Does the AATS Mean To You:
The most important medical society, providing me the evidence-based standard of CT surgery.
My First Experience with AATS:
That was probably 1991 or a year later when I first attended the AATS annual meeting. I found the AATS was a traditional and closed society to some extent. There were chairs, covered by a white cloth, at the center of the convention room and the chairs were limited for the AATS members only. Presentations and discussions were also limited for the members and non-members were seated in the sides or back of the room and just allowed for listening to their discussion. When non-members submit a paper to the AATS annual meeting, they must ask an AATS member for sponsorship.
Why I became an AATS member:
Not only because the AATS is a prestigious society, but the papers presented at the meetings and on the journals are well-selected, based on the scientific discussion.
The most impactful presentation I have seen at an AATS meeting:
I always enjoy Lectures, or Leadership plenary sessions this year.
The first presentation I gave is:
Map-guided Surgery for Atrial Fibrillation (2004, Toronto)
The first paper I had published is:
"Surgical laser ablation of a pediatric idiopathic ventricular tachycardia." Ann Thorac Surg 1992;53:692-3.
"Cryoablation of ventricular tachycardia guided by return cycle mapping after entrainment."J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;121:249-58.
I plan on becoming more involved in the organization through:
Attend the annual meeting every year if possible and submit papers to JTCVS.
Advice for Trainees:
Keep your curiosity forever about anything."
My career in CT Surgery was inspired by:
I had three great doctors or mentors who inspired my career in CT surgery: Dr. Kimura, the professor of medicine and cardiology who gave me an incredible impact and interest to cardiology when I was a medical school student, Dr. Shoji, the professor of CT Surgery in our department, and Dr. James L. Cox, the professor of Cardiothoracic surgery of Washington Univ. in Saint Louis, MO, where I spent four years for research on arrhythmia surgery and electrophysiology.
A significant case/patient interaction that impacted my career is:
Every patient has impacted my career.
The topic most important to advancing the field of CT Surgery is:
Robotic and remote surgery. I believe most of the cardiothoracic procedures will be performed by Robotic surgery and remote surgery will be the next step. Science that supports the technologies and techniques is the most important.
The most pressing issues impacting CT surgery are:
Promotion and education/training of young CT surgeons. The promotion should be based on the discussion of the role and privilege of CT surgeons in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Advice for Trainees:
Keep your curiosity forever about anything.