Biographical note

Dr Balaram is an associate professor in cardiovascular surgery and the Director of Clinical Quality and Performance for Cardiovascular Surgery for Mount Sinai Heart at MSSL with over two decades of experience in the specialized care of a population of inner city and underserved patients who have had little previous exposure and access to medical care. For several years, the New York cardiac surgery database recognized the patients of the program as the highest risk group in the state. The successful surgical care of these complex patients requires knowledge and experience that can be of great benefit to the readers of this book.

Dr. Bassin is a specialist in minimally invasive cardiac surgery, and completed an advanced fellowship at Harvard Medical School in complex valve and heart failure surgery. He also undertook a dedicated period of training in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, focusing on transcatheter valve therapies. He is a successful cardiac surgeon currently working in Sydney, Australia and will provide depth of knowledge regarding minimally invasive therapies and a more global view of cardiac surgical complications.