Dr. Caterina Gandolfo

Dr. Gandolfo has been working at ISMETT since 2015 as Chief of the Cardiovascular Surgery Unit and is involved in the treatment of end-stage organ disease. Before coming to ISMETT, she was the director of the Cardiovascular Surgery at Civico Hospital, Department of Cardiology, in Palermo, Italy, where over 2,500 procedures are performed every year. As a first operator, she has performed approximately 3,000 diagnostic angiography procedures, including 2,000 percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) and about 800 primary PCIs with ongoing acute myocardial infarction. She has vast experience with the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), rotational atherectomy (Rotablator), and percutaneous rheolytic thrombectomy (AngioJet). As a first operator she has vast experience in MitraClip implantation, performing about 50 procedures since 2010, and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Since 2012, she has performed over 250 transcatheter aortic valve replacements with balloon-expandable and self-expanding prostheses (Edwards Sapien XT, S3, CoreValve e Evolut R) from the femoral artery with transaortic and transapical approaches, with access from the left subclavian artery.

She has performed about 100 pediatric diagnostic angiographies and 50 procedures, some in emergency situations (Rashkind balloon atrial septostomy, pulmonary valvuloplasty).

In 1993 she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Palermo, with top marks, and, and publication of her degree thesis. 

Learn more about Dr. Gandolfo on the IRCCS ISMETT website.