Cincinnati Children’s/Akron Children’s Hospital
Congenital Heart Disease
Member Since: 2023
Biography:
Dr. Karamlou is a Professor of Surgery and a congenital heart surgeon at Cincinnati Children’s/Akron Children’s Hospital and a world-renowned clinical researcher. Her clinical focus is complex congenital heart surgery, and she derives research ideas from daily clinical experience. Her major research interests, supported by several intramural and external funding sources over the past 16 years, are concentrated on development of optimized treatment pathways for complex congenital heart lesions, optimizing healthcare delivery systems in congenital heart disease (CHD), evaluating the validity and import of currently utilized national metrics in congenital heart surgery, and ongoing quality assessment among congenital heart programs. She currently is a PI on a funded grant to look at the psychosocial implications of AAOCA in children. Dr. Karamlou has authored more than 260 publications and over 30 book chapters, many of which have formed the basis for national guidelines within CHD. She is the current congenital feature editor for the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and serves on the editorial board of Annals of Thoracic Surgery and JAHA. Dr. Karamlou holds many leadership positions in all of the major cardiovascular societies, serving as a Program Committee Chair for the AATS, the WTSA, and the CHSS, and the AHA. Over the past 12 years, Dr. Karamlou has been a member of several national quality-improvement and database task-forces, most recently dedicated to studying regionalization of care, healthcare disparities and appropriate risk-adjustment for congenital cardiac surgery programs. Dr. Karamlou is also an acclaimed educator, mentoring over 100 residents, fellows, and junior faculty and serving as an oral examiner for the ABTS certifying exam in congenital cardiac surgery. Dr. Karamlou started the Congenital Cardiac Surgery Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic and received the Sones-Favolaro teaching award for excellence.
What Does the AATS Mean to You:
The AATS is the first society meeting that I attended in 2004 as a general surgery resident. The AATS represents excellence in the field of cardiothoracic surgery and also a source of inspiration every day. The AATS is also a fellowship, where colleagues can share ideas, challenges, and solutions.
My First Experience with AATS:
My first AATS meeting was when I presented a CHSS paper on tricuspid atresia in 2004. It was both scary and inspiring. The meeting was very exciting and the discussions in the congenital sessions were exceptionally insightful and thought-provoking. I remember meeting Dr. Spray and Dr. Bove and this was a true highlight for me as an aspirign congenital heart surgeon.
Why I became an AATS member:
AATS membership is one of the career beacons and an accomplishment that meant recognition by peers that you have achieved something important and contributed meaningfully to the specialty.
The most impactful presentation I have seen at an AATS meeting:
The best presentation I recall is Dr. Sundt's presidential address.
The first presentation I gave is:
I presented the CHSS cohort experience at the 2005 annual meeting in San Francisco California.
The first paper I had published is:
1. Miltenburg DM, Miller C, Karamlou T, Brunicardi FC. ”Meta-analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer.” J Surg Res. 1999;84:138-42. PMID: 10357910
I plan on becoming more involved in the organization through:
I would like to be more involved in AATS society strategic development- how to develop innovative ways to reach surgeons and cardiothoracic specialists. Leadership opportunities that involve membership and engagement. I am also interested in the Foundation and how the Society could leverage philanthropy to increase visibility and value.
A significant case/patient interaction that impacted my career is:
I took care of a newborn with Ebstein's, in whom we did a Starnes procedure. The mother and father contemplated comfort care, but we shared our data on Ebstein's with the family and they elected to go forward with surgery. The day the mom first held her baby after surgery still makes me cry!"
My career in CT Surgery was inspired by:
My expereience as a Kirklin-Ashbirn fellow for the CHSS was the real catalyst to solidifying my desire to be a CTS.
A significant case/patient interaction that impacted my career is:
I took care of a newborn with Ebstein's, in whom we did a Starnes procedure. The mother and father contemplated comfort care, but we shared our data on Ebstein's with the family and they elected to go forward with surgery. The day the mom first held her baby after surgery still makes me cry!
The biggest impact my mentor had on my career is:
Dr. Ross Ungerleider, when I was a general surgery resident, once told me to use my YES/NO button more appropriately - in other words - if you say yes to everything, sometimes you are saying 'no' to yourself and your family. His lesson about balance and self-care was critical to longevity and resilience during my career.
The topic most important to advancing the field of CT Surgery is:
Fostering inspiration and engagement from the next generation
The most pressing issues impacting CT surgery are:
Leveraging multi-disciplinary care teams that may threaten surgical only disease approaches is one big challenge. Another one is learning to harness AI and technology to inform optimum care for challenging patients.
Advice for Trainees:
Citizenship is a big mantra that I stress to all of my trainees.