Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute adds nationally recognized cardiothoracic surgeons to team

Orlando, Fla. (October 21, 2021) – Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute recently added two new cardiothoracic surgeons to its multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, heart surgeons, vascular surgeons and other clinical staff and health care professionals.

Paul Massimiano, MD, and Anthony Rongione, MD, are both nationally renowned cardiothoracic surgeons, highly trained experts in minimally invasive heart surgery. Dr. Massimiano specializes in minimally invasive mitral valve surgery, which he helped develop. Dr. Rongione specializes in minimally invasive aortic valve surgery and left ventricular assist device implantation.

The addition of the two surgeons builds upon the specialized level of surgical care currently provided to patients at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center. 

“Dr. Massimiano and Dr. Rongione bring unique specialties and surgical options for our patients,” said Farhan Khawaja, MD, president, Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute. “We are excited to offer these new options in minimally invasive surgery and innovative heart therapies to improve the quality of life for our cardiac patients.”

Board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery, Dr. Massimiano earned a medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. He completed internships in general surgery at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and Navy Regional Medical Center in the Philippines. He also completed residences in general and vascular surgery at National Navy Medical Center. In addition, Dr. Massimiano completed a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine, and an advanced valve fellowship with Albert Starr, MD, at St. Vincent Heart Institute in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Starr co-invented and implanted the world’s first successful artificial heart valve.

Dr. Massimiano’s scope of research topics includes transcatheter valve replacement, minimally invasive surgical ablation, and minimally invasive mitral valve repair.

Dr. Massimiano has been published in several medical journals such as the American Journal of Medical Quality, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, and the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Dr. Massimiano’s professional affiliations include membership in the American Medical Association, the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Prior to joining the heart and vascular institute, Dr. Massimiano served communities in Bethesda and Silver Spring, Maryland.

Board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery, Dr. Rongione earned his medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago. He completed a general surgery residency and fellowship at UCLA Medical School in Los Angeles, California, and a cardiothoracic surgery residency at University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, Washington.  

Dr. Rongione’s scope of research includes several clinical trials to evaluate left ventricular assist devices. Other research topics include cardiac surgery and blood conservation.

Dr. Rongione has been published in several medical journals such as Circulation, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, and Journal of Cardiac Failure.

Dr. Rongione’s professional affiliations include membership in the American College of Surgeons.

Prior to joining the heart and vascular institute, Dr. Rongione practiced in Alexandria and Falls Church, Virginia, Takoma Park, Maryland, and Washington, District of Columbia.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, is a not-for-profit healthcare organization with $7.6 billion of assets under management that serves the southeastern United States.

Founded more than 100 years ago, the healthcare system is recognized around the world for its pediatric and adult Level One Trauma program as well as the only state-accredited Level Two Adult Trauma Center in the St. Petersburg region. It is the home of the nation’s largest neonatal intensive care unit under one roof, the only system in the southeast to offer open fetal surgery to repair the most severe forms of spina bifida, the site of an Olympic athlete training facility and operator of one of the largest and highest performing clinically integrated networks in the region. Orlando Health is a statutory teaching system that pioneers life-changing medical research. The 3,200-bed system includes 15 wholly-owned hospitals and emergency departments; rehabilitation services, cancer and heart institutes, imaging and laboratory services, wound care centers, physician offices for adults and pediatrics, skilled nursing facilities, an in-patient behavioral health facility, home healthcare services in partnership with LHC Group, and urgent care centers in partnership with CareSpot Urgent Care. Nearly 4,200 physicians, representing more than 80 medical specialties and subspecialties have privileges across the Orlando Health system, which employs nearly 22,000 team members. In FY20, Orlando Health served nearly 150,000 inpatients and nearly 3.1 million outpatients. During that same time period, Orlando Health provided approximately $760 million in total value to the communities it serves in the form of charity care, community benefit programs and services, community building activities and more. Additional information can be found at http://www.orlandohealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @orlandohealth.