About Dr. Ismail El-Hamamsy,
Heart Valve Surgeon

"It's not every day that you get to thank someone for literally saving and changing your life, but this is the case for Dr. El-Hamamsy and his team. From the moment we first met with him, Dr. El-Hamamsy was compassionate, kind, confident, and knowledgeable. He took time to explain the Ross Procedure, and was patient with all of the questions I had.

He took time to lay out all of my options and helped my husband and I feel confident in our choice. The surgery was a great success and as I write this 4 months later, I can confidently say that choosing Dr. El-Hamamsy and the Ross procedure was one of the best decisions of my life."

-- Margaret Klein, Aortic Valve, Pulmonary Valve, Ross Procedure, 06/28/2022

"Dr. El-Hamamsy is not only an amazingly skilled surgeon, but a wonderful human. I’ve never been cared for by a doctor that I would also love to hang out with in a (fixed aortic) heartbeat. I owe him an improved life, and I will never forget his generosity, kindness, humor, and professionalism. He is, quite simply, The GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). Ross Procedure King. Extraordinary Man. Any patient would be lucky to have him."

-- Theo Stockman, Aortic Valve, Pulmonary Valve, Ross Procedure, 06/27/2022

"We couldn’t have asked for a more caring surgeon and staff. We are from Utah and our 16-year-old son required the Ross Procedure. After several Zoom meetings with the doctor and many emails with his staff, we flew to New York. They were all so attentive to our son's needs and our concerns. It made what could have been a very traumatic experience into something much more pleasant.

We are forever grateful for Dr. El-Hamamsy. He was so caring and attentive to our son before, during and after his surgery!"

-- Ben Feinauer, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Ross Procedure, 06/15/2022

"Dr. Ismail El-Hamamsy is an angel sent from God to live amongst us humans. He is the most caring and selfless doctor I have come across. God forbid, if you are looking a Cardiothoracic surgeon, then stop looking and go with Dr. El-Hamamsy blindly. Not only is he a top doctor but a fantastic human being.

I unfortunately had to undergo valve sparing aortic root repair, but one year from surgery I can confidently say that I am back to living a normal life. I live in Hong Kong and was shocked to find out I had an aortic root aneurysm. After some initial research in Hong Kong we deduced that USA is the best place to go for the surgery I needed. I shopped around in New York and met 3 of the top Cardiothoracic surgeons but no one gave me as much comfort as Dr. El-Hamamsy.

From day one, he has been so approachable and easy to speak to. I thought of him more as a brother or a friend rather than a doctor. Not only did he answer my never ending list of questions, but he also gave time to answer the many questions of my family. In most situations, the doctor does his job and then you part ways, however, in this case one year from surgery I can yet comfortably be in touch with Dr El-Hamamsy from Hong Kong for any questions I may have. The best part of Dr. El-Hamamsy is that he stays in touch with you months after your surgery to make sure that you have had a perfect recovery.

Coming from Hong Kong, I was uninsured in USA. Dr El-Hamamsy and his team helped me make the surgery financially viable. He was never looking to make money but was more concerned about my successful surgery and recovery.

Apart from Dr. El-Hamamsy, I must say his team has been equally excellent. From getting the visa papers sorted for myself and my family to the after care provided by his nurse practitioner and his assistant doctors my journey has been extremely smooth. He has been there for me through out the surgery, recovery and even one year later (answering my incessant questions from Hong Kong). God forbid, if I had to do this all over again, with no doubt in my mind I would pick Dr. El-Hamamsy again and again. He has saved my life! "

-- Sarvil Bhansali, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Root Replacement, 04/12/2022

"I have nothing but great things to say about Dr. El-Hamamsy. From the very first meeting, I knew that I had made the correct choice in going with his team at Mount Sinai. He was caring, thorough, and above all confident in a positive outcome for me and my family. I feel very lucky to have been his patient."

-- David Matthews, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Root Replacement, 04/11/2022

"I did not have the opportunity to research and select my aortic surgeon, BUT I AM SO GLAD DR. EL-HAMAMSY WAS THERE FOR ME! On the evening of Wednesday, March 9, 2022, I collapsed in my living room in severe pain before I passed out. My wife called 911 and I was brought to our regional Long Island New York hospital where they diagnosed an Aortic Dissection.

The ER doctor wrote "Patient was critically ill with a high probability of imminent or life threatening deterioration." The ER doctor offered to make me "comfortable" but indicated there was nothing they could do and I probably wouldn't survive a trip to a larger, "acute care facility".

I was unresponsive all this time. The ER doctor reached out to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and after some negotiation (will he survive the trip or not), I was transferred to Mount Sinai. I am told I regained consciousness just before surgery but I don't remember a thing. I do know that surgery started about 2am in the morning and lasted 8 hours.

My first memory of Dr. El-Hamamsy was in the ICU when he came in to let me know how well everything went. Subsequently, i have had several follow-up visits with Dr. El-Hamamsy and he has answered all my questions and has been very generous with his time. I believe I was in the hands of the best cardio-aortic surgeon in the country! I could not have asked for a better experience and outcome going through such a scary and frightening event. DOCTOR EL-HAMAMSY IS PURE MAGIC!"

-- Michael Bosniak, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, Root Replacement, 03/10/2022

"I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve. At age 43, I needed to have surgery to replace the valve. My cardiologist in Los Angeles helped me evaluate my 4 options for surgery. After much research, I decided to have the ROSS procedure. Due to the complexity of the procedure, my next step was to find the best surgeon regardless of geographical location.

As I expanded my search, I discovered Adam Pick’s Heart Valve Surgery Blog for Patients. The blog was incredible. It had every resource a heart valve patient would ever need, including recorded interviews with world renowned heart surgeons. Thanks to Adam Pick’s blog, I discovered Dr. Ismail El-Hamamsy from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Not only is he a MD but also has a PhD with an emphasis on the aortic. He is arguably the smartest mind regarding the aortic. He has performed over 600 ROSS procedures.

When my wife and I first met Dr. El-Hamamsy, he immediately put us at peace and we knew we had the right surgeon. The surgery was successfully performed on 2/9/2022. I am now back to full health & exercising regularly. Even though I had to jump-through hoops with my insurance company to have the surgery out-of-state and also deal with the logistics of traveling across the country, it was well worth it.

I am so grateful and indebted to Dr El-Hamamsy & Adam Pick. Because of my gratitude for all those that generously helped me, I would be happy to answer any questions about my experience and how I was able to obtain out-of-state authorization from my health insurance company."

-- David Budge, Aortic Valve, Pulmonary Valve, Valve Replacement, Ross Procedure, 02/09/2022

"What a tremendous, literally life-altering, experience I had with Dr. El-Hamamsy.

I was diagnosed as having a bicuspid aortic valve in 2016 – after years of monitoring, we realized my heart function was decompensating to the point of needing repair (rather urgently) in late 2021 (when I was 43 years old).

It wasn’t clear to me that I was a candidate for a Ross Procedure until relatively late in my diagnostic journey – and my wife and I only met Dr. El-Hamamsy AFTER I had a surgical date with another center.

We learned of Dr. El-Hamamsy thru intensive referencing with doctors and experts at numerous cardiac centers around the country. Fortunately, he was willing to make some time in his calendar for a consultation and to review my case (when other surgeons typically take months to set a first meeting). Dr. El-Hamamsy’s patient explanations, unparalleled experience (600 procedures and counting) and easy confidence (without ego) gave us clear conviction that his were the right pair of hands to perform this surgery.

His wonderful assistant Leemor made the scheduling, insurance clearance and orchestrating the surgery itself very manageable – something I was concerned about since I was coming from out-of-state (Pennsylvania) – and because NYC was in the middle of the Omicron wave, causing hospitals across the region to cancel procedures.

The surgery itself went very smoothly. I woke up from the surgery, was in the hospital for 6 days (could have gotten out in 5) and had a straightforward and largely pain-free recovery – Dr. El-H and his senior medical team checked in on me every day while I was recovering in the hospital (including weekends, incredibly) and he also was sure to check in informally post discharge – both personally and thru his always-available RN, Roberto. Once home, I experienced very little discomfort and was back to a pretty high level of activity and exercise within 3-4 months. It is amazing that, given the out of state care, and the need to coordinate between a cardiologist and surgeon under different systems, I always felt like my care was a very high priority for the Mt. Sinai team. Today, 7 months post-op, I’m traveling for pleasure and work, exercising and playing with my kids largely as if nothing happened – what an incredible gift!

He is a wonderful and talented man and I cant imagine having had a better experience. I’m massively appreciative that I found Dr. El-H and I can’t recommend him and his team highly enough!"

-- Ben W, Aortic Valve, Pulmonary Valve, Valve Replacement, Median Sternotomy, Root Replacement, Ross Procedure, 02/02/2022

"If you read one sentence of this review, it should be this: it’s a total no-brainer that Dr. El-Hamamsy is hands down the only cardiac surgeon you should be considering.

Let me put it this way: I met with 14 of the top cardiac surgeons in the country, and not only was Dr. El-Hamamsy clearly, objectively the top choice, BUT was ALSO proactively recommended by some of the other experts who are also well-regarded in the field. This never happens - typically any given surgeon thinks they are the best surgeon. With Dr. El-Hamamsy, it's clear that cardiac surgery field agrees that there just is no true match, and consistently regards him as the ABSOLUTE leading authority on the Ross. More info below:

I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve and got yearly checkups since my childhood to monitor it. In late 2021, my cardiologist finally told me I needed to get surgery to replace the bad valve. It was the most difficult time of my life, and deciding which type of procedure to choose was at the core of the difficulty. I had the option of choosing between a bio-prosthetic valve replacement, a mechanical valve replacement, or the Ross procedure.

I met with 14 of the top cardiac surgeons in the country to discuss my case and to get their formal recommendation on the procedure they recommend I choose: surgeons from Harvard MGH, UPenn, UCLA, USC, Stanford, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Mount Sinai. I met with some of the most excellent, world-renown cardiac surgeons - many of them Ross-focused surgeons - and was privileged enough to have access to family members in the medical field who could help me research the pros and cons of each choice. Halfway through my process, I lost track of how many experts I spoke with were not only recommending that I get the Ross with Dr. El-Hamamsy, but recommending that I cut my research short and simply schedule the surgery with him. The moment I met Dr. El-Hamamsy (over Zoom, no less), it was instantly clear why even some other Ross experts at other world-class hospitals were telling me, “Just go to El-Hamamsy.”

When I learned more about Dr. El-Hamamsy, it was abundantly clear how and why his reputation is well-earned. He is without a doubt the leading authority on the Ross: he has done hundreds of successful Rosses with excellent short-term and long-term outcomes, and is constantly involved in leading research surrounding the Ross and Ross techniques. He commands authority on the subject, both in research and in practice. This is incredibly rare, and this is the type of surgeon we all want to be looking for: the leader of the field who’s not only constantly pioneering improvements, but is also teaching his learnings to others, and is simultaneously constantly in the OR.

Dr. El-Hamamsy is all the above, but is somehow also the most wonderful human. He’s truly an angel, and I’m so grateful for him saving my life, and enabling me to now, just 3 months out, be living a completely normal, fearless, life. I’m incredibly grateful to have crossed paths with him, and I will just say to anyone reading this who might be in the same position I was in: if you qualify for the Ross, just go get it done with Dr. El-Hamamsy.

I’d also like to add that, much like Dr. El-Hamamsy, his team around him is equally supportive, empathetic, helpful, and all-around wonderful. I was so grateful to have had the guidance of Leemor, his assistant (her work was critical as I was coming from out of state for the surgery) as well as Roberto, his Nurse Practitioner who constantly checked on me post-op. I can’t say enough positive things about them and Mount Sinai in general.

If I were put in this position again, I would choose Dr. El-Hamamsy over and over again. It’s a no-brainer, and I hope this review helps in cutting your search short. "

-- Angela H, Aortic Valve, Ross Procedure, 01/10/2022

"My experience with Dr. El-Hamamsy was nothing short of excellent. At the time of my surgery, I was 20 years old. I was nervous and frankly unprepared to be undergoing such a major surgery at such a relatively young age. Dr. El-Hamamsy did an amazing job at explaining the procedure to my parents and I, having a great bedside manner, and executing the actual procedure. Further, while I was in the hospital following the procedure, Dr. El-Hamamsy always stopped by my room at least twice a day to check in personally and answer any questions I had. This was on top of other members of his staff also stopping in to check on me. My dad often joked about how he was amazed that someone could perform multiple major surgeries each day, visit all of his current patients, and still have the most upbeat attitude and personality possible - in short, He never skipped a beat and was always available.

Now, about a year after the surgery, all is well. The procedure could not have gone any better. My Cardiologist continues to be extremely impressed by the results and, at the moment, I am not exhibiting any symptoms of AS/AI which I of course had been before.

Lastly, Dr. El-Hamamsy's whole team deserves praise and recognition. Leemore & Roberto are exceptional and made a stressful and scary procedure so much better. I would not hesitate to give my highest recommendation for placing your trust in Dr. El-Hamamsy and his team."

-- Matthew Parker, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Valve Replacement, Ross Procedure, 12/14/2021

"Dr. El-Hamamsy is a master surgeon - an expert even among heart surgery experts. He is also kind, responsive and precise in outlining all options for a particular patient. In my case, he performed a Ross procedure after I was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis in September 2021, when I was 55 years old. I had been surprised by my diagnosis because I was asymptomatic, and I had not known I was born with a bicuspid valve or the implications of that. But I am a health researcher by profession, so I quickly learned that I basically had three options for replacing my aortic valve: mechanical, cow/pig, or my own pulmonary valve via the Ross procedure. My review of the research literature indicated that the Ross procedure – if carried out by a surgeon with expertise in it - was most likely to give me normal quality and length of life, while also minimizing the possibility of eventual need of replacement. I should note that the local cardiologist who I was assigned after my diagnosis only gave me the first two options. When I brought up the Ross procedure, he told me it was not an option for adults in our state and most surgeons could not do it safely. I explained my insurance should cover it with a Ross procedure expert in another state, and ultimately he supported this decision.

I selected Dr. El-Hamamsy based on his work history and publications, as he is clearly one of the most experienced and capable Ross procedure surgeons in the world. I reached out to his assistant, who efficiently answered my logistical questions, double checked my insurance coverage, and (due to the COVID pandemic) arranged for me to have a video meeting with Dr. El-Hamamsy. In the virtual meeting, El-Hamamsy answered all of my questions about the surgery and gave me additional insights into my case based on my local tests and examination results. For example, because I am a 5-foot-3-inch woman, Dr. El-Hamamsy explained that the circumference of my aortic valve is small. This does not make a difference for a Ross procedure, but it could have reduced my options if I had chosen either a small mechanical valve placed by open-heart surgery, or a cow or pig valve placed by Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), if they had ever needed to be replaced.

The day before my surgery in November 2021, I met Dr. El-Hamamsy and his surgical team in person and did a few more tests. The surgery itself went smoothly, and Dr. El-Hamamsy kept my husband fully informed at key stages. Afterward, I spent a night in the ICU and then a few nights in a lower-level ward before moving to a hotel nearby. Dr. El-Hamamsy and his team visited me regularly in the hospital and I saw him for a final appointment six days after surgery, when he cleared me to return home. Dr. El-Hamamsy’s team includes Roberto Galao-malo, RN, who was my main remote contact for medical questions before and after I went to New York. Roberto gave me his email address and phone number and always responded promptly and helpfully to my questions.

By the end of my first week post-surgery, I was astonished by how normal I felt. My main risk was forgetting I had had major surgery: I had to remind myself to follow a careful and slow recovery plan. I rested well and gradually built up my exercise and activities day by day. At two months post-surgery, I began working full-time again and joined the virtual cardiac rehabilitation services offered to me locally through my insurance. Next week I will be six months post-surgery and my life seems no different than it was pre-surgery. For months I have worked out and had hour-long bike rides regularly, taken long walks daily, and gardened and carried out household chores as usual. I am deeply grateful to Dr. El-Hamamsy and his team for enabling me to have this normal, healthy life!"

-- Mary P., Aortic Valve, Pulmonary Valve, Valve Replacement, Median Sternotomy, Ross Procedure, 11/16/2021

"God blesses people with unique and special gifts. Dr. El-Hamamsy is not only one of the most gifted surgeons on earth, but his compassion and love for people shines just as bright, making him an absolute diamond in the rough.

As a 40 year old husband and father of 6 amazing children and with the incredible honor and privilege to be serving our great nation in the United States Air Force, open heart surgery was the last thing on my mind. The subsequent diagnosis of a unicuspid aortic valve that I’d had since birth had not even shown itself in any side effects, but was detected by a military doctor on a routine annual physical. After much debate and research, my family and I soon came to the conclusion that a mechanical or pig valve was not the right option for me, and the Ross procedure was in fact optimal.

I’ll never forgot watching the video my wife found online of Dr. El-Hamamsy with his charismatic and comforting demeanor as he talked about what is clearly his passion in life… healing those in need. Despite watching the video 10 times, it was immediately clear that he was the one I would put my trust in for this critical and life-changing operation.

The team at Mount Sinai was, and is incredible. Leemor has a heart of gold. From day one she treated me like family… I instantly fell in love with her New York accent and attention to detail so that every step of the way went as smooth as humanly possible. I did not meet Roberto and his soft yet confident demeanor until the day before surgery. Words can’t express his commitment to patients and going above and beyond, to a level I can’t even describe, is in his DNA. I am forever grateful to the two of them and I know they treat every patient with as much love and care.

The peace I had leading up to the procedure, based on the multiple discussions with Dr. El-Hamamsy and his team, was only confirmed as we sat there going over the final game plan before I walked into the operating room. Had I not gone to Dr. El-H it is most likely I would have woke up with a pig or bovine valve. It is the exact reason I was so confident in him being the one. His exceptional skill and expertise allowed me to wake up after surgery, with a successful Ross, despite some unexpected discoveries during the operation.

I owe so much to Dr. El-H and his amazing team. I fought for almost a year to get approved to have him as my surgeon and flew across the country with my wife, leaving our 6 kids behind, but knowing that we would return home, healthy and beginning a new chapter in our family’s journey. Having a son who has undergone four open heart surgeries we have experienced many cardiac programs and interacted with countless cardiac teams. This one I can honestly say, is the best."

-- John Dalrymple, Aortic Valve, Ross Procedure, 08/12/2021

"Where can I start? How do you thank the person who has made such a difference in your life? I had the lucky chance to have Dr. Stelzer and Dr. Ismail El-Hamamsy fix my congenital unicuspid aortic valve at Mount Sinai Hospital, literally the two best Ross surgeons in the world. If you look up what Dr. El-Hamamsy has accomplished in the field of aortic disease, it truly is incredible how dedicated and motivated he is to making a true impact on the diseases he treats.

While I was in the hospital, he was caring, compassionate, patient, and had a well informed answer for any question related to the Ross procedure or aorta. He came to visit me everyday in the hospital and put my wife and me both at ease (no easy task, more-so to put me at ease than my wife :) ) with his cool, caring, and calm demeanor. I am so happy and fortunate that he decided to bring his incredible skill set to New York just a few months before I needed my surgery.

As a life-long NYer, I know he is going to positively touch so many people's lives here through his work and we are lucky to have him. I am now three months out from my surgery, continuing to focus on my rehab by riding a bike and jogging everyday, and I owe this second chance to him, Dr. Stelzer and their team! I am grateful for this second lease on life and could not thank him enough!"

-- Jason Filopei, Aortic Valve, Ross Procedure, 08/19/2020

"I had a bicuspid aortic valve with severe aortic regurgitation. After developing symptoms, it was time to replace the aortic valve. I spoke to several surgeons, but the recommendations I was getting seem to be based on what each doctor was feeling comfortable doing, not what was best for me.

Dr. El-Hamamsy was literally the only exception. He is honestly the nicest doctor and one of the kindest people I have ever met. He is patient and empathetic, and most importantly, really talented and experienced at performing the Ross procedure---which is a particularly involved procedure.

As a research professor, I felt very comfortable in the hands of a surgeon whose own research offers compelling evidence that the Ross procedure for AVR provides better long-term results and improved quality of life. I did the surgery in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in NY city, and everything went great. Dr. El-Hamamsy and his team have so much experience at what they do, which made me feel particularly comfortable during my entire stay at Mt. Sinai. "

-- Ioannis Spyridopoulos, Aortic Valve, Pulmonary Valve, Ross Procedure, 06/26/2020

"Dr. Ismail El-Hamamsy is an angel walking among us. After speaking with him on the phone, I traveled from Vancouver to the Montreal Heart Institute to have my Ross Procedure on February 28, 2019. With his pre-surgery encouragement, I was able to train and run 2 half marathons at 90 and 115 days post-open-heart surgery in June 2019. It was a surprise that I recovered so quickly! Now I outrun my husband both in speed and distance! Still training for longer distances and forever grateful to my surgeon. "

-- Elizabeth Boylan, Aortic Valve, Ross Procedure, 02/28/2019

"He is probably the most human surgeon out there. When I first found out I needed surgery, I was devastated. I knew my whole like that I would, at some point, need surgery. But, without truly understanding what it entailed.

I was introduced to Dr. El-Hamamsy as he is a Ross procedure specialist and he just completed his 400th Ross Procedure. He reassured me that I would get to participate in whatever race I’d want to in the future -- once i was healed.

He also understood that I was slightly anxious and shared that he’d try to accelerate the date of my operation (I was being scheduled for January and it was early October). Twice I needed to present myself at the hospital. Both times he came to find me as he was told that I was "in the house".

On my 2nd visit . . . He confirmed to me that he would get me scheduled by the end of November. On November 17th, one week later, I got the call. The operation was completed on November 20th successfully. He came out with a huge smile to greet my family and reassured them that I was doing well. For the 5 days I was at the hospital, he came every evening to check up on me. The nurses told me that I was very fortunate as very few surgeons did that.

His whole program is amazing with continued follow-ups. I’d recommend him."

-- Sophie Scoufaras, Aortic Valve, Pulmonary Valve, Ross Procedure, 11/20/2017