Benny Weksler, M.D., Joins the Department of Surgery at Jefferson
(Published 8-13-2008) Benny Weksler, M.D., an accomplished thoracic surgeon, recently joined the Department of Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and was also named an assistant professor at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Weksler specializes in thoracic surgical oncology, especially procedures for lung and esophageal cancer, as well as several different types of minimally invasive chest procedures.

RED ALERT: Study Finds Chinese Food Good for Your Heart
(Published 6-9-2008) A clinical study on patients who have suffered a heart attack found that a partially purified extract of Chinese red yeast rice, Xuezhikang (XZK), reduced the risk of repeat heart attacks by 45%, revascularization (bypass surgery/angioplasty), cardiovascular mortality and total mortality by one-third and cancer mortality by two-thirds. The multicenter, randomized, double-blind study, was conducted on almost 5,000 patients, ranging in age from 18-70 over a five-year period at over 60 hospitals in the People's Republic of China. Corresponding author David M. Capuzzi, M.D., Ph.D, director of the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program at Jefferson's Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine and Zonliang Lu, M.D., Ph.D, from the Fuwai Hospital at the Chinese Academy of Medical Science report their findings in the June 15th edition of the American Journal of Cardiology.

Jefferson Vascular Surgeon Heads National Trial for Torn Aorta Repair
(Published: 12-7-2007) Possible Alternative to Open Chest Surgery

Jefferson Receives Medicare Approval for its Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Center
(Published 7-2-2007) The Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital has become one of only 96 adult and six pediatric heart transplant centers in the nation approved by Medicare.

Jefferson Researchers Report Heart Care at High-Volume Hospitals May Matter More to African American Patients
(Published 5-11-2007) African American patients who undergo heart bypass surgery (CABG) in high-volume hospitals have more benefit than white patients, according to a new study by researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia.

Surgeons at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital are First in Pennsylvania to Implant Jarvik 2000 Heart Assist System in Heart Failure Patient
(Published 3-23-2007) On Monday morning, March 19, cardiac surgeons Scott Silvestry, M.D. and Linda Bogar, M.D. at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital opened the chest of a 55-year-old man suffering from chronic heart failure and implanted a Jarvik 2000 Heart Assist System to save his life. The Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant team at Jefferson University Hospital is the first in the state to implant the new device.

Jefferson Scientists Find that Drug-Eluting Stents Are Disappointing in Bypass Grafts--Sometimes
(Published 3-23-2007) While drug-eluting stents are effective in keeping open bypassed heart veins that aren’t too diffuse (filled with cholesterol plaque), a new study by cardiologists at Jefferson Medical College shows that they fare less well in keeping open bypassed veins with longer blockages. The researchers suggest that doctors think twice before inserting the drug-coated stents in such extensively diseased bypassed grafts.