Hello! My name is Dr. Lars Svensson and I am a cardiac surgeon having graduated from University of Witwatersrand Faculty of Medicine - Johannesburg, South Africa in 1978.
To date, I have performed approximately 2358 (average 317/year; through 2009 since at Cleveland Clinic) cardiac surgeries, of which 1,635 (average 204/year; through 2009 since at Cleveland Clinic) involved heart valve procedures. I regularly perform surgery at hospitals including Cleveland Clinic.
I believe my greatest strength as a surgeon is:
"I haved trained with the world's best, pioneering cardiovascular specialists including Drs. Barlow, Loop, Cosgrove, Lytle, DeBakey, and Crawford."
Specific to cardiac surgery, my specialties include:
Aortic Valve Repair, Biscupid Valve Repair, Cardio-Aortic and Aortic Surgery
Combined Valve and Aneurysm Surgery, David Reimplantation Operation
Minimally Invasive Mitral and Aortic Valve Surgery
Relative to heart valve research, I have the following interests:
Protection of the brain during cardiovascular surgery
Minimally invasive and percutaneous valve surgery
Aortic including biscupid valve repair and aorta surgery
I have relationships with each of the following insurance companies:
We accept most Health Insurance
For more information: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/patients/billing_legal/insurance/default.aspx
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:
"My time with Dr. Lars Svensson was limited but he is one of the best in his field. I would recommend him highly."
--Doug Sivyer
Aortic Valve, Mini Sternotomy, 05/11/2011
"Dr. Lars Svensson credentials are outstanding which is why I chose to have my surgery with him at the Cleveland Clinic. That being said, he is a very busy man but spent adequate time before the surgery discussing the operation. He came to see me each morning at 6am after the surgery while I was in the hospital -- which made a big difference. "
--Christina Zafiris
Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 04/21/2011
"Excellent, very professional!"
--Allan Neff
Aortic Valve, Mini Sternotomy, Root Replacement, 09/03/2010
"I can't say enough good about Dr. Lars Svensson. Very good surgeon, great support team at Cleveland Clinic. I flew home to Colorado 6 days after surgery."
--john palermo
Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 08/19/2010
"I am an 85 year old patient that had Aortic Valve replacement and aortic artery repair. The surgery and recovery was excellent. I stopped taking pain medicine on the 29th day after surgery and started my Cardio-Rehab 4 weeks after surgery. I saw Dr. Svensson each morning of my recovery. I could not be more pleased with my results and would enthusiastically recommend Dr. Svensson and the Cleveland Clinic. The 1200 mile drive from North Carolina was well worth it."
--Anthony Simonelli
Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Median Sternotomy, 01/21/2010
"Dr. Lars Svensson was wonderful!! He and his team were very professional, answered all of our questions and put my family at ease during and after the surgery. After a long and stressful interview and decision making process leading up to my surgery, I am thankful for choosing him and the Cleveland Clinic for my BAV repair!"
--Curt Wagner
Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, 09/10/2009
"Dr. Lars Svensson is the best doctor i have had yet. He explained all of my options and assured me that I was in good hands. He saved my Aorta and also did the same procedure for my brother. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. This doctor is a class act and is the best surgeon for the David Procedure or any patient with a connective tissue disorder. "
--Dustin Lundelius
Aortic Valve, David Procedure, 05/15/2009
"Extremely pleased with both the physician and the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Svensson is one of the country's leaders in performing the modified David Procedure. I chose this repair rather than a mechanical valve replacement to avoid a life of Coumadin. I had both a valve repair and a repair of an aortic root aneurysm. "
--Jeff Axelrod
Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Root Replacement, David Procedure, 02/19/2009
"I only remember seeing my surgeon one time and that was in my initial visit and interview with Dr. Lars Svensson in November 2008 at the Cleveland. I asked many questions regarding my specific valve and aneurysm surgery and questioned Dr.Svensson on what he recommended for my particular heart condidtion. He suggested I have a valve repair and a graft for the aortic aneurysm. He responded by saying that the aortic valve and aneurysm repair was the way to go and that I would not need to be on any blood thinners. Dr. Svensson is a well known surgeon and instructor for combined valve and aortic
aneurysm surgery including minimal invasive aortic surgery. I also chose Dr. Svensson for his innovation on prevention of stroke and paralysis after heart surgery. Dr.Svensson has developed several techniques for aortic bicupsid valve repair in which I had been diagnosed."
--Mary Campbell
Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, Mini-Thoracotomy / Port Access, 12/02/2008
"Great bedside manner. I could not have been more pleased with the after-care of surgery. Cleveland clinic has been rated the number one heart hospital for fifteen years and Dr. Svensson is the Director for Aortic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic. If I ever have to have future heart surgery I will definitely go back to Cleveland."
--Greg Bailey
Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, Root Replacement, 09/12/2008
"Great surgeon. Great hospital. Great care. Worth the trip. Minimally invasive procedure. Quick recovery, took no pain medicine after leaving hospital. No post-op side effects or restrictions."
--Jim Wright
Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 09/11/2008
"His bedside manner was average. The surgery went fine and I have had no problems since surgery."
--Shawn O'Donnell
Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 02/05/2008
"Excellent bedside manners and expertise. I am extremely happy with the results. The valve replacement was done via a Bentall procedure."
--Manuel Leon
Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Median Sternotomy, 07/26/2004
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and my practice. To contact me about your heart valve disorder, please click here.
