Best Cardiothoracic Surgery Specialists in Seattle, WA

Dr. Robert J. Moraca currently serves as System Medical Director of Cardiac Surgery at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, and Section Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle Washington.Dr. Moraca returned to Virginia Mason Medical Center in 2020 with nearly 11 years of experience in academic cardiac surgery as an Associate Professor of Surgery at Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA where he served as Director of Thoracic Aortic Surgery, Director of the ECMO Program, Director of Cardiac Surgical Research and Surgical Director of the Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) Program.Clinically, Dr. Moraca has an extensive experience in all aspects of adult cardiac surgery and has special expertise in redo cardiac surgery, complex aortic surgery, revisional and multi-valve reconstructions and septal myectomy. In addition, he has unique experience in the multidisciplinary treatment of CTEPH and Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy (PTE).Dr. Moraca has been an active clinical investigator in multiple national transcatheter valve, arrhythmia and heart failure trials and he has been a co-principal investigator on several National Institute of Health (NIH) R-01 funded research trials in both pulmonary hypertension and ECMO. He has been program chair for more than 15 multidisciplinary regional meetings, Dr. Moraca has published nearly 40 peer reviewed articles and book chapters and has been an invited lecturer at multiple academic institutions and national meetings. Notably, he served as the President of the Eastern Cardiothoracic Surgical Society (ECTSS) in 2016. Since his arrival in Seattle, WA in 2020, he has been recognized as one of Seattles Top Doctors in 2021-2025.Dr. Moraca enjoys being able to positively impact his patients through the stress of cardiac surgery by listening, education and shared decision making and is consistently inspired by his patients courage and fortitude. He is both humbled and proud of the entire Virginia Mason Medical Center team's notable quality accomplishments obtaining a 2024 STS 3 Star ratings in cardiac surgery and also being recognized in 2023 by the U.S. News & World Report as #46 in Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology Care in the United States.Away from work, he enjoys reading, climbing, skiing, biking, and spending time with his family and two dogs.

Joel Sternbach, MD, is a board-certified thoracic surgeon specializes in the minimally invasive treatment of benign and malignant conditions of the lung, esophagus, mediastinum, pleura and chest wall. He offers surgical solutions for esophageal motility disorders and reflux disease (GERD), and performs robotic and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Sarah Clark, MD, is a cardiothoracic surgeon who loves being able to use her surgical skills to improve and extend patients' lives. She understands the significance of heart surgery in a patient's life, and she strives to support her patients through the entirety of the surgical process. She loves what she does and seeks to develop collegial relationships with referring physicians in support of providing optimal care for patients. Dr. Clark has extensive experience treating cardiogenic shock with ECMO and has done specialized training with transcatheter aortic valve replacement and transcatheter embolectomy (AngioVac). She is a member of the Southern Thoracic Surgery Association and Women in Thoracic Surgery. She is a candidate member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Away from work, Dr. Clark enjoys trail and ultramarathon running, downhill and backcountry skiing, and spending time with her husband and their two Bernese mountain dogs.

Misho Hubka, MD, is a board-certified thoracic surgeon. His special medical interests include Robotic and Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS), lung cancer surgery, esophageal cancer surgery, and complex surgery for benign and malignant disease of the lung, chest wall, esophagus and mediastinum.Dr. Hubka is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, STS Patient Safety Workforce and Western Thoracic Surgical Association. He was named a Top Doctor by Seattle Met Magazine in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Joel Sternbach, MD, is a board-certified thoracic surgeon specializes in the minimally invasive treatment of benign and malignant conditions of the lung, esophagus, mediastinum, pleura and chest wall. He offers surgical solutions for esophageal motility disorders and reflux disease (GERD), and performs robotic and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Dr. Gabriel Aldea, MD is a Cardiothoracic Surgery Specialist who practices in Seattle, WA. He is 69 years old and has been practicing for 44 years. Dr. Gabriel Aldea, MD is affiliated with UW Medicine and UW Medical Center-Montlake.

Madha Kuppusamy, MD, specializes in minimally invasive thoracic surgery; benign and malignant disease of the lungs and esophagus; mediastinum and chest wall surgery including deformity correction and reconstructive surgery; lung cancer; and esophageal cancer.

Gautam Velamoor, MD, is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with special medical interest in aortic surgery, cardiac surgery, aortic valve replacement, and mitral valve repair and replacement. His areas of expertise include adult cardiac surgery, coronary bypass surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), aortic valve replacement, mitral valve repair and replacement, and aortic surgery. _x000D_ Dr. Velamoor enjoys the positive, life-altering nature of cardiac surgery. He feels good communication is vital as patient's weigh their treatment choices and take charge of their own health. _x000D_ Dr. Velamoor is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), and a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and American Medical Association. Formerly Section Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Dr. Velamoor now serves as Director of Surgical and Perioperative Quality, and Surgical Director of the Structural Heart Program at Virginia Mason Medical Center. He has been named a Top Doctor with Seattle Metropolitan and Seattle magazines consecutively since 2013. _x000D_ Away from work, Dr. Velamoor enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing golf and traveling.