Hello! My name is Dr. David Adams and I am a cardiac surgeon having graduated from Duke University in 1983.
To date, I have performed approximately 6000 cardiac surgeries, of which 4000 involved heart valve procedures. I regularly perform surgery at hospitals including The Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Dr. Adams is a leader in the field of mitral valve reconstruction and heart valve surgery. As Program Director of Mount Sinai's Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center, he has set national benchmarks for the specialty with a repair success rate of more than 99 percent in patients with degenerative mitral valve disease, while running one of the largest and most respected valve programs in the United States.
Dr. Adams' impact extends far beyond his own operating room. As the holder of multiple patents, he carries out a prodigious research agenda to develop new techniques and tools to push frontiers in complex valve surgeries and make procedures safer for patients. He is the co-inventor of two mitral valve annuloplasty repair rings (the Carpentier-McCarthy-Adams IMR ETlogix Annuloplasty Ring and the Carpentier-Edwards Physio II Annuloplasty Ring), and inventor of a new tricuspid annuloplasty ring (Medtronic Tri-Ad Adams Tricuspid Annuloplasty Ring) and has royalty agreements with Edwards Lifesciences and Medtronic. Dr. Adams has performed the first successful implantations of the IMR ETlogix, Physio II, and Tri-Ad Rings in the United States; all of these rings are now used extensively throughout the world.
He is a co-author with Professor Alain Carpentier of the internationally acclaimed textbook Carpentier's Reconstructive Valve Surgery, and is a Co-Director of the annual American College of Cardiology/American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Heart Valve Summit and the Director of the new biennial AATS Mitral Conclave, the largest meeting focused on mitral valve disease held in the world.
Dr. Adams is a much sought after speaker both nationally and internationally and has given over 300 invited lectures and operated on patients in multiple teaching courses throughout the world. His desire to share knowledge and collaborate with other cardiac surgeons led him to develop one of the world’s largest video libraries of techniques in valve reconstruction. He is the author of over 200 publications, and is recognized as a leading surgeon scientist and medical expert, serving on the Editorial Boards of several medical journals, including the Annals of Thoracic Surgery and Cardiology. He has served in an advisory capacity to essentially all industry leaders in cardiovascular surgery. He also serves as the National Co-Principal Investigator of the United States FDA pivotal trial of the Medtronic CoreValve transcatheter aortic valve replacement device.
Dr. Adams’ clinical interests include all aspects of heart valve surgery, with a special emphasis on mitral valve reconstruction and multiple valve surgery. His major research interests include outcomes related to mitral valve repair, novel mitral valve repair strategies, and percutaneous valve replacement. Past research honors include the Alton Ochsner Research Scholarship from the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and the Paul Dudley White Research Fellowship from the American Heart Association. He has also received honorary Professorships from Capital University in Beijing and Keio University in Tokyo. In 2009 he received the New York American Heart Association Award for Achievement in Cardiovascular Science and Medicine.
He received his undergraduate and medical education at Duke University and completed his internship and residency in general and cardiothoracic surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital and at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Adams followed that with a fellowship in London under Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub. In addition, he completed a two-year research fellowship under Professor Morris Karnovsky in the Department of Pathology at Harvard Medical School. He later served at Brigham and Women's Hospital as the Associate Chief of Cardiac Surgery. He has been Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center since 2002.
Dr. Adams is the co-inventor of the Edwards Lifesciences' Carpentier-McCarthy-Adams IMR ETlogix Annuloplasty Ring and Carpentier-Edwards Physio II ring and the Medtronic Tri-Ad Adams Tricuspid Annuloplasty Ring. Mount Sinai School of Medicine receives royalties from Edwards Lifesciences and Medtronic in connection with the sale of these products. Dr. Adams and Mount Sinai DO NOT receive any royalties when the devices are implanted in patients at Mount Sinai."
Specific to cardiac surgery, my specialties include:
Mitral Valve Repair
Complex Reoperative Valve Surgery
Aortic Valve Surgery
Relative to heart valve research, I have the following interests:
Outcomes of Mitral Valve Repair
Differentiation of Valve Disease
Novel Valve Repair Rings
I have relationships with each of the following insurance companies:
United Healthcare
Oxford
Aetna
To help you learn more about me, I have uploaded the video below. To watch the video, simply press the play button and please make sure the volume on your computer is turned up.
Here is what my patients say about me:
"As a surgeon myself, Dr. Adams allowed me to observe him and his team in action before scheduling my own surgery. I scheduled soon after and was not disappointed.
Last Sunday, I completed the 26 mile NYC marathon, exactly one year since my surgery.
What more can I say? I was blessed. He and his team are experienced and get results as advertised!
Contact me if you'd like to chat."
"Dr. Adams is the best on the east coast when it comes to value repair. He delivers on the promise that he made - that this would be the safest and easiest surgery to recover from. I was out of work for only 2 months. He has a very gentle way about him that will put you at ease immediately. My only complaint is that I did not get to see him during my final check-up in New York, he was overseas performing surgery (for that I will forgive him). "
"I could not have asked for a better Doctor. Dr Adams and his team were top notch professional. Right from the first phone call I made to his office at Mount Sinai I felt completely comfortable and confident with my choice. I am very happy with the outcome and would highly recommend Dr. Adams and his excellent team."
"Dr. David Adams is excellent, the surgery went very good and I've gotten very good care from his whole team. Everybody is surprised by my fast recovery and I am very happy with the result."
"I knew the moment I walked into Dr. Adams' office this was the place to be. Dr Adams spoke to me at length, showed me video of the procedure to be performed, and what to expect during recovery.
He has an excellent website for reference, and I encourage everyone to visit and see first hand his amazing work.... www.mitralvalverepair.org
Would recommend no other Doctor/team for valve repair. Great surgeon and great bed side manner, as well as Dr. Varghese, and the rest of the team."
--Monique Battaglia
Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, 07/27/2010
"My experience with Dr. Adams was excellent. We we very worried when we heard my husband needed open heart surgery to repair his mitral valve at age 51. We were told of Dr. David Adams at Mt Sinai in NY and we immediately went for a consultation. Dr. Adams is very professional and also has a nice bedside manner. He and his staff made us feel comfortable and eased many of our concerns.
The surgery took longer than we had expected -- we were told my husband was Dr. Adams most challenging case in 5 years --due to the position of his heart and his deep chest cavity. But all went extremely well and my husband has made a terrific recovery. We just past the year anniversary of the surgery and he is feeling great. We would highly recommend Dr. Adams and his staff to anyone who may need mitral valve repair."
--Holly Hladky
Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, 06/28/2010
"Everything went well. Dr. David Adams is an excellent surgeon. Even the office staff was personal and perfect."
--martha rosario
Mitral Valve, Tricuspid Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, 06/14/2010
"I was very pleased with Dr. Adams and his team. They were extremely attentive and my surgery was a success."
"I found Dr. Adams to be extremely upfront and forthright, explaining what he proposed to do and answering all my wife's and my questions in a caring and patient manner. My cardiologist told me that in any other place they probably would have done a replacement instead of a repair when they found I needed both mitral valve leaflets repaired after I was opened up. To that I am very grateful."
--Eric Desbonnet
Mitral Valve, Tricuspid Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, 10/21/2009
"I saw Dr. Adams only a couple of times. But, I saw a doctor that worked on me at least twice a day. Their bedside manner was great and I appreciated how they answered even the dumbest of questions I asked. I was amazed at the results. I was out of the hospital in five days and walking all over New York City after six days. I did not know how sick I was until I was better."
"Wonderful - Dr. Adams is the best. He also has a fantastic staff. Very professional and caring.
My repair was successful. He feels strongly that repair is the best way to go if possible and I believe he teaches other surgeons how to repair mitral valves. "
--Lorna Smith
Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, 07/22/2009
"I think Dr. David Adams did an incredible job. He was pleasant to work with and his demeanor was very reassuring. Post surgery, I only saw him briefly once or twice. I wanted someone with lots of experience, so I understand that he is busy. he has written a text on Mitral Valves and is credited with designing the "ring" that gets placed around the valve to support it. I felt I was in excellent hands. His assistant checked in on me regularly though, taking time to answer all my questions thoroughly."
--Anat Mor
Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, 06/01/2009
"I could not have imagined a more kind, thorough, knowledgeable team of professionals from beginning to end of my journey through mitral valve surgery."
"Great personality and easy to talk to from the first moment I met him. Dr. David Adams has an excellent staff of doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and administrative folks. Dr. Adanna Akoujo assisted in the surgery and she too was very good. "
--John Fcasni
Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, 03/31/2009
"I went from California to New York for Dr. Adams to perform my mitral valve repair. His passion for his work came through to me during our first phone call. The valve had calcification that increased the difficultly of repair. My 4 hour surgery turned into nearly 8 hours and he checked and repaired the tricuspid valve as well. Dr. Adams' manner is calm, soothing and knowledgeable ... I knew I was in the best hands for my situation. I have NO murmur and went from 100% regurgitation to none on the post op. echocardiogram. The incision was closed by a plastic surgeon from the inside out ... NO staples, glue or external sutures to remove. At almost 6 weeks post op I am feeling well and have started cardiac rehab. I would urge anyone given a diagnosis of REPLACEMENT to FIRST be evaluated by Dr. David Adams and his team before going any further with treatment. I was told many times that only a replacement would do in my case. And here I am, REPAIRED and NOT having to live with Coumadin!!! I will be forever grateful to this most wonderful surgeon and his team at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York."
--CYNTHIA TARVER
Mitral Valve, Tricuspid Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, 02/03/2009
"I was 18 at the time of surgery. Traveled from CA, to NY to see doctor Adams. Bedside manner was great. His staff was amazing (helpful, knowledgeable - I'd give them a 10+). Valves repaired, happy so far with the results. Will know more after I start motocross riding again."
"Excellent experience. Very pleased with the results and Dr. David Adams."
--John Quinn
Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 12/15/2008
"Very good."
--kay lieu
Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, 11/04/2008
"My experience was fantastic. I had an anulus installed, posterior leaflet rebuilt, damaged cord replaced. He instills confidence from 1st meeting thru post-op. Compassionate & attentive. Awesome staff & care. Gentle & easy going guy with a sense of humor & style. Simply The Best."
--Mary Ferraro
Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, 10/27/2008
"A dozen cheers for Dr. David Adams. I was privileged to be in his enormously capable hands for aortic stenosis valve replacement surgery. Results? Perfect. Pain? Never had any. Dr. Adams is also delightful in person and his staff is fully professional and supportive. If you need this type of surgery, do your valves a favor: call Dr. Adams!"
--Dorothy Delman
Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 09/23/2008
"Excellent. I Am an engineer and Dr. David Adams explained the surgery comprehensively and technically, which suit me well. Dr. Adams is THE mitral valve repair surgeon in the area and was one of 3 surgeons recommended to us by one of the best cardiologists in the Northeast. He is passionate about his craft and engendered confidence.Surgery went well. I was walking on Day 2 and by Day 8, was walking 2-3 miles a day. His staff is helpful, considerate and, most importantly, capable."
--James conboy
Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, 09/22/2008
"Excellent experience. Great staff. Terrific followup. Highest level or experience and professionalism. "
--richard lobo
Aortic Valve, Median Sternotomy, 09/08/2008
"Excellent. Very approachable.7 Days in the hospital. Back to work part time in 20 days. Virtually no pain."
--Cliff Buehrer
Mitral Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, 07/28/2008
"Being a father of three small children and a practicing veterinarian from South Carolina, I was motivated to find the best hospital and surgeon no matter where he/she was located. I was unconvinced of my local cardiologist diagnosis and plan and took my health and health care into my own hands. I eventually found my way into the caring and capable hands of Dr. Randy Martin in Atlanta. He has great knowledge and experience in the field of cardiology, particularly echosonography. He referred me to Dr. David Adams at Mount Sinai in NYC. The experience, although frightening and painful, was amazing and the care I received was the most skilled and compassionate and personal you could imagine. Bottom line is I am doing very well with no problems almost five years later and David Adams and I email periodically to just catch up-has anyone else ever had a busy, famous heart surgeon return emails and call himself David when he speaks with you? Not in my experience."
