Ismail El-Hamamsy, MD, PhD

Endowed Chair, Mount Sinai Randall B. Griepp, MD Professor in Cardiovascular Surgery

Ismail El-Hamamsy, MD, PhD, is the Randall B. Griepp Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the System Director of Aortic Surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System.

Dr. El-Hamamsy’s principal surgical focus is reconstructive aortic valve surgery in young adults, including patients with heritable and connective tissue disorders.  Widely acknowledged as one the world’s best aortic surgeons, Dr. El-Hamamsy has performed more than 1000 Ross and valve-sparing procedures. Notably, he has spearheaded a global Ross renaissance over the last 15 years thanks to his groundbreaking research and unique expertise with the operation.  Indeed, the Ross Procedure is the only aortic surgery that has been shown to restore patients’ life expectancy to that of their healthy peers. In addition to the Ross procedure, Dr. El-Hamamsy has pioneered techniques for bicuspid aortic valve repair and valve-sparing aortic root replacement, and established one of the busiest aortic practices worldwide.

In recognition of his leadership, scholarship and surgical skills, Dr. El-Hamamsy was elected President of the Heart Valve Society by his peers, as well as to the Board of Directors of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery – the world’s oldest and most prestigious organization dedicated to thoracic surgery. He is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada.

As a researcher, Dr. El-Hamamsy has published more than 200 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals including The Lancet, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, and Circulation among others. He has also co-authored several book chapters in leading medical textbooks; and has delivered more than 150 invited lectures around the world. Dr. El-Hamamsy currently leads a research team exploring innovative surgical approaches to aortic valve reconstruction, as well as exploring the natural history of aortic aneurysms using machine learning tools.

His commitment to elevating the standard of aortic surgery beyond Mount Sinai has led him around the world to help dozens of hospitals establish their own Ross programs.  Furthermore, he continues to serve as the Program Director of the semi-annual Ross Master Course, which he started in 2015 and has offered hundreds of surgeons advanced training in the procedure.

Dr. El-Hamamsy earned his MD and completed his residency in cardiac surgery at the University of Montreal, followed by a 4-year surgical fellowship under the mentorship of Sir Magdi Yacoub, in the United Kingdom. During this period, he completed a PhD entitled “The Living Aortic Valve” at Imperial College London – pathbreaking research that still informs his work as a surgeon today.

Before his recruitment to Mount Sinai in 2020, Dr. El-Hamamsy was an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Montreal and spent a decade as a cardiac surgeon at the Montreal Heart Institute, where he served as Director of Aortic Surgery and co-founded its Aortic and Connective Tissue Clinics.

Dr. El-Hamamsy is fluent in English, Italian, French, Arabic and Spanish, and his reputation for excellence and empathy draws patients from around the world. “Every patient has a unique background, story, and life goals,” he said. “By treating each of them like family and understanding their reality, I can offer a tailored surgical solution that optimizes their long-term results and improves their quality of life.”

The state of Florida requires out-of-state professionals who are registered to provide telehealth services to display a hyperlink to the Florida Department of Health telehealth web page. This allows Florida patients who are receiving medical care by telehealth to confirm the provider’s licensure and Florida registration.