Enhancing Cardiac Surgery Care through Research and Education

January 20, 2026

Cardiac surgery physician-scientists at Hackensack University Medical Center have expanded their research program, publishing and presenting their findings and participating in clinical trials that enhance understanding of cardiac surgery care and improve patient outcomes.

Publications

The team published several studies in prestigious cardiology journals, including:

• Multiple valvular heart disease in the transcatheter era: A state-of-the-art review. Basman C, Landers D, Dudiy Y, et al. Struct Heart. 2024;8(4):100301. doi:10.1016/j.shj.2024.100301.
• “Gender-related differences in cardiogenic shock outcomes for patients supported with Impella 5.5 micro-axial pump.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), 2025, Volume 85, Issue 12 Supplement.
• The Impact of the Multidisciplinary Team on the Volume of Complex Cardiovascular Interventions. Landers D, Anderson MB, Kaple R, Vaidya P, Faraz H, et al. JACC: Advances. 2025 Aug;4(8):101967. DOI:10.1016/j.jacadv.101967.

Presentations

The team also delivered presentations at the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) 2025 Annual Conference, including:

• Spallone R, Mody KP, Stuart A, Walters P, Dudiy Y, Elmann E, Batsides G, Landers D, Anderson MB. Impella 5.5 support for management of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD). Presented at: American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) Annual Conference; 2025.
• Stewart SM, Walters P, Landers D, Anderson MB, Mody K. The pVAD coordinator: a bridge to VAD. Presented at: American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) Annual Conference; 2025.

Haroon Faraz, M.D., director of interventional cardiology and cardiovascular research at Hackensack University Medical Center, gave a presentation at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2025 Annual Conference highlighting the benefits and challenges associated with some of the latest cardiac imaging modalities, including intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), optical coherence tomography (OCT), near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and invasive pressure wire fractional flow reserve (FFR) technology.

As national leaders in cardiogenic shock care, Hackensack University Medical Center physicians serve as presenters for the Heart Team Excellence Course, an Abiomed program that invites teams nationwide to learn best practices for implementing and optimizing a cardiogenic shock program.

Clinical Trials and Registries

Hackensack University Medical Center researchers are also participating in clinical trials and registries, including:

• IMPACT trial — Hackensack University is tied for the largest-enrolling site, studying the safety and effectiveness of Impella 5.5 in high-risk cardiac surgery patients.
• SURPASS registry — Assessing real-world safety and efficacy outcomes of the Watchman FLX device.
• LOQI registry — Assessing real-world safety and efficacy outcomes of the Impella 5.5 in short versus extended-duration support after cardiogenic shock.
• LEAPPS trial — An international trial studying whether left atrial appendage (LAA) closure performed with an AtriClip device during cardiac surgery prevents stroke in patients at high risk for atrial fibrillation.
• ARISE II trial — The ARISE II trial is a prospective, non-randomized, multi-center study evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the GORE® Ascending Stent Graft for treating ascending aortic aneurysms.

“Our cardiac surgery teams are international leaders in research and innovation,” said Mark Anderson, M.D. “In addition to participating in some of the most groundbreaking cardiac surgery clinical trials, our teams are actively engaged in contributing to medical literature and education — sharing their findings and best practices with colleagues worldwide to advance the global standard of cardiac surgery care.”

Learn more about innovative heart and vascular care at Hackensack University Medical Center.