Our Physicians

Helping to create new procedures – and change lives.

You’ll find some of the top heart physicians in the St. Louis area at the SSM Heart Institute. Our team consists of leading cardiologists, electrophysiologists, and cardiothoracic surgeons, all dedicated to helping you receive the best care and experience the best outcomes and results.

Our physicians don’t just follow proven heart procedures – they help to create them. Dr. Seiichi Noda has earned national recognition for his work with off-pump bypass heart surgery, which allows the heart to continue beating and eliminates the need for the heart-lung machine. Dr. David Theodoro is a leading expert on heart valve repair and replacement through tiny incisions that result in faster recovery times. These are just two examples of the forward-thinking approach you will discover when meeting with any member of our proven staff.

Cardiothoracic Surgeons

Trevor Axford, MD, FACS, earned his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, in 1986. He completed his general surgery residency and cardiothoracic residency at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. Axford is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Stephen D’Orazio, MD, FACS, earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 1988. He completed his cardiothoracic and general surgery residencies at Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center. Dr. D’Orazio is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Seiichi Noda, MD, FACS, earned his medical degree at the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine in 1990. He completed his residency in general surgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston. He completed his cardiothoracic surgery residency at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Noda is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He spent a year as an instructor of surgery at Harvard Medical School.

David A. Theodoro, MD, FACS, is a native of Festus, Missouri. He earned his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, in 1988 and completed his residency in general surgery at Washington University School of Medicine and Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his cardiothoracic residency at the Mayo Clinic and Foundation in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Theodoro is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Cardiologists

Zia M. Ahmad, MD
Bassam Al-Joundi, MD
Tammam Al-Joundi, MD
Phillip G. Apprill, MD
Nizar A. Assi, MD
Martin B. Ast, MD
Elie C. Azrak, MD
Ranjit M. Bagwe, MD
Stanley I. Biel, MD
Saad R. Bitar, MD
Joseph H. Bodet, MD
Gregory W. Botteron, MD
Robert A. Brinkman, MD
Charles F. Carey, MD
Georges Chahoud, MD
Porntip Chaowaratana, MD
Mark M. Chin, MD
Lalithkumar K. Chouhan, MD
Duck S. Chun, MD
Stephen M. Comens, MD
Joseph A. Craft III, MD
Sundeep Das, MD
Dennis L. Disch, MD
David J. Dobmeyer, MD
Patrick H. Durbin, MD
Jerome V. Dwyer, MD
Manoj K. Eapen, MD
Darlene L. Eyster, MD
Leonard F. Fagan Jr., MD
Michael J. Fleissner, MD
Gregory Gabliani, MD
Frank H. Gafford IV, MD
Mary Carolyn Gamache, MD
Mohammad F. Ghani, MD
Paul H. Gibson, MD
Michael G. Goldmeier, MD
Rama K. Gondi, MD
John R. Groll, MD
David M. Harshman, MD
Jorge J. Hernandez, MD
John P. Hess III, MD
Stuart T. Higano, MD
William E. Hinkley, MD
Helen E. Hong, MD
John W. Hubert, MD
Savitri Jain, MD
Denise L. Janosik, MD
Randy G. Johnson, MD
Robert Johnson, MD
M. Kiran Kancherla, MD
David J. Kardesch, MD
Alok Katyal, MD
Tshiswaka B. Kayembe, MD
Souheil H. Khoukaz, MD
John W. Kilgore, MD
Thomas R. King, MD
W. David Kistler, MD
Arthur J. Labovitz, MD

Cardiologists (cont.)

Robert B. Lehman, MD
Marc K. Lewen, DO
Michael J. Lim, MD
Howard S. Lite, MD
Robert G. Lutan, MD
Ravi Mehra, MD
Michael A. Missler, DO
David J. Morton, MD
Andrea K. Moyer, MD
Ardaman S. Nanda, MD
Suresh K. Narayanan, MD
Soraya Nouri, MD
Frank L. Paletta, MD
Dilip H. Patel, MD
James M. Perschbacher, MD
Joseph L. Polizzi, MD
Khalid Qayum, MD
Usman Qayyum, MD
Abdul R. Qureshi, MD
John R. Raabe, MD
Rafiq P. Ramadan Jr. MD
Lisa J. Reis, MD
Lisa Schiller, MD
Martin W. Schwarze, DO
Harvey Serota, MD
Carlos A. Seuc, MD
David J. Sewall, MD
Bharat J. Shah, MD
Michael L. Shapiro, MD
Toniya Singh, MD
Robert Snitzer, MD
James J. Spadaro, MD
Christopher M. Speidel, MD
Linda L. Stronach, MD
Mark D. Taber, MD
Mohammad Tahir, MD
Manzoor A. Tariq, MD
Samer Thanavaro, MD
K. Bryan Trimmer, DO
Dana P. Valencia, MD
Ramakrishna P. Vallurupalli, MD
Gil M. Vardi, MD
Arun Venkat, MD
Gary A. Vlahovich, DO
Edward S. Weiss, MD
Ronald A. Weiss, MD
Diana L. Westerfield, DO
Richard B. Whiting, MD
George A. Williams III, MD
Wendell N. Williams, MD
William P. Wright Jr. MD
Liwa T. Younis, MD
Ali Ziaee, MD

Electrophysiologists

Dennis N. Glascock, DO
Rajiv R. Handa, MD
Antonella Quattromani, MD