Dr. James Wudel
, Heart Surgeon

Sioux Falls, SD
- Unregistered Surgeon

Patient Recommendations (3)

"Dr. Wudel is a very skillful, knowledgeable and kind professional thoracic surgeon. He explained the procedure before surgery and after. His bedside manner was caring and the surgery/recovery was “just what the doctor ordered”. We would definitely refer him."

Posted by William Tusa, Aortic Valve, 04/12/2021

"Everything was great... Dr. Wudel was great. And, the hospital was great."

Posted by orville dean, Mitral Valve, Valve Replacement, 05/08/2016

"Dr. Wudel performed the surgery that gave me back my life. His skill, kindness and concern were all awesome. I would highly recommend him to anyone needing serious heart surgery.

While I hope never to need another surgery, I would unhesitatingly trust my life to him again if necessary."

Posted by Darlene Holecek, Mitral Valve, Valve Replacement, 02/18/2014

> About this profile

Thanks to a verified patient recommendation, this surgeon has been included in our Surgeon Finder as an "Unregistered Surgeon". This surgeon does not have any association with this website, its educational efforts or its patient-advocacy initiatives. To see a list of "Registered Surgeons", please click here.

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Dr. Joanna Chikwe
Heart Surgeon

Los Angeles, CA - Registered Surgeon

Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai
8700 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA

(866) 345-1289

Patient Recommendations (80)

"My journey with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) started about twenty years ago, when my primary care physician (PCP) heard a mild murmur during my annual check-up. Since it was minor, there wasn’t much to do about it at the time. Fast forward to recent months, when during another annual check-up with my new PCP, the MVP noise became more noticeable. He recommended seeing a cardiologist, and after the visit, the cardiologist confirmed that my MVP was more serious than I had anticipated—even before we did an echo. The echo later confirmed the need for surgery.

That’s when my search for the right surgeon and facility began. I knew I wanted the best, with a high volume of successful repairs. Even though I live in the Houston area, home to one of the largest medical facilities in the world, I decided to pursue robotic surgery with a top-tier surgeon. I narrowed my options down to Dr. Joanna Chikwe at Cedars-Sinai and another renowned doctor in the U.S. Ultimately, I chose Dr. Chikwe for the personal attention she gave me. She never made me feel like just another patient, and her team was exceptional from start to finish.

Although it wasn’t as straightforward as staying local, I flew to Los Angeles for the surgery with Dr. Chikwe and her team. The day of the surgery, I was incredibly nervous, but when Dr. Chikwe came to see me before the operation, her calm, reassuring words gave me confidence that everything would be okay.

After the surgery, as I was waking up from anesthesia, Dr. Chikwe met with my brother and shared the good news: the operation was a success. From that point on, I was in the hands of amazing nurses, from the ICU to the recovery floor, who worked tirelessly to ensure I was in the best shape possible.

On the day I left Los Angeles to return home, I met with Dr. Chikwe and Vivien to go over any final questions. I asked Dr. Chikwe how the technical aspects of the surgery went, as I felt so good that it almost didn’t seem like I had just had major heart surgery. She reassured me that the results were excellent—and what she had hoped for.

I am beyond satisfied with the outcome. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to choose Dr. Chikwe and her team. I am eternally grateful for their expertise and exceptional care. Thank you, Dr. Chikwe, and thank you to your incredible team of angles."

-- Kamyar Sanandaji, Mitral Valve, Valve Repair

Valve Specialist

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Dr. James Wudel
, Heart Surgeon

Patient Recommendations (3)

Valve Specialist

Dr. Joanna Chikwe

Dr. Joanna Chikwe
Heart Surgeon

Dr. James Wudel, Heart Surgeon

Patient Recommendations (3)

Valve Specialist

Dr. Joanna Chikwe

Dr. James Wudel
, Heart Surgeon