This series on “Sutureless Valves” is edited by Dr. Aleksander Dokollari, Dr. Basel Ramlawi and Dr. Gianluigi Bisleri.

Aleksander Dokollari, MD, PhD
Associate Professor. Lankenau Institute for Medical Research

• MD, University of Firenze Medical School, Firenze, Italy.
• Independent License, Board of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Firenze, Italy.
• Specialist in Cardiac Surgery (Suma con Laude), University of Siena Medical School, Siena, Italy.
• Three Years Clinical Fellowship in Adult Cardiac Surgery, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
• PhD in Aortic surgery. CARIM Maastricht University, Netherlands.
• Associate Professor. Lankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood, PA, USA.
• Professional Membership
  2011 to Present Italian Board of Physicians and Surgeons, Firenze Section, Italy
  2017 to Present Society of Thoracic Surgeons
  2017 to Present Cardiothoracic Surgery Network
  2018 – 2020 College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
  2019 to Present Diabetology Toronto Group
  2020 to Present DKD Catalyst Circle of Learning Program, Toronto, Knowledge Translational Group
  2018-2021 American Heart Association
  2018-2020 Canadian Cardiovascular Society
• Editorial Board Membership
  2020-to present Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Cardiac Surgery. IF 1.35
  2021-to present Member, Editorial Board, Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, Transplantation IF 5.9
  2021-to present Member, Editorial Board, Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart Surgery IF 6.1
  2021-to present Member, Editorial Board, Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, IF 5.9 
  2022-to present Member of Practice Update Cardiology Community 
  2022-to present Member, Associate Editor, Annals of Thoracic Surgery, IF 4.33
  2022-to present Member, Associate Editor, Annals of Thoracic Surgery Case Report, IF 4.33
  2022-09 Co-Editor in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, Special Issue- Mechanical Heart Devices

Basel Ramlawi, M.D
Lankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood, Philadelphia, USA.

Basel Ramlawi, M.D, serves as System Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Main Line Health System and Co-Director of the Lankenau Heart Institute in Philadelphia, PA. Dr Ramlawi's clinical expertise includes heart valve repair using catheter-based and minimally invasive techniques, thoracic aortic & root surgery, arrhythmia surgery, complex cardiac surgery, and transplant & assist devices.

Prior to joining Main Line Heath, Dr. Ramlawi was at Valley Health System in Virginia, where he was the chairman The Heart & Vascular Center and founding director of the Advanced Valve & Aortic Center. Dr. Ramlawi previously held a positions at The Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center and the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Columbia University and NY-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He completed an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship and earned the MMSc degree from Harvard Medical School. He subsequently completed an advanced clinical fellowship in heart failure and minimally invasive valve surgery at Columbia University.

While out of the operating room, Dr Ramlawi is focused on cardiovascular healthcare administration, practice growth, management and efficiency. Dr. Ramlawi is the recipient of prestigious awards such as:

• Vivien Thomas Award – American Heart Association, 
• Houston's Top Forty Under Forty Award – Houston Business Journal
• Henry Christian Award – The American Federation for Medical Research, 
• Detweiler Fellowship – The Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada
• Deyer and Baucum Award – Houston Methodist Hospital

He has co-authored over 145 medical and scientific papers, abstracts and book chapters. He is an active speaker at international cardiovascular conferences. Research interests include Valve Repair Surgery, Thoracic aortic repair, Neurologic Outcomes and Ventricular Assist Devices.

Gianluigi Bisleri
Division of Cardiac Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Bisleri is Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, Cardiac Surgeon – Entrepreneur at St. Michael’s Hospital and Investigator at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. Dr. Bisleri has extensive expertise in the full spectrum of adult cardiac surgery with a special expertise in the full spectrum of minimally invasive cardiac surgery: in particular, he has been focusing on developing less invasive approaches for cardiac valve repair and replacement as well as novel and advanced reconstruction techniques (he has developed a novel technique for ischemic and degenerative mitral valve repair). Dr. Bisleri is also an integral member of the Structural Heart Program at St. Michael’s Hospital with direct involvement in percutaneous treatment of valve disease.

Dr. Bisleri has pioneered the totally endoscopic treatment of atrial fibrillation in 2005 and contributed to the introduction of the hybrid approach and combined epicardial/endocardial advanced mapping in combination with the Arrhythmia team (he is the only surgeon offering such approach in Canada to date); he has performed the largest series of Cox Cryo-Maze procedures in Canada. Dr. Bisleri has authored more than 115 peer-reviewed papers and more than 180 presentations at national/international meetings.

Series outline:

1. Introductory Preface for The Special Series (Aleksander Dokollari, Basel Ramlawi and Gianluigi Bisleri)
2. Types of Rapid Deployment Valves Available (Massimo Bonacchi)
3. Anatomy and Implant Techique of the Perceval Valve: Nitinol Self-Expanding Prosthesis (Matteo Cameli)
4. Anatomy and Implant Technique of Intuity: Balloon-Expandable Prosthesis (Sandro Gelsomino)
5. Anatomical Considerations for Implantation (Preoperative and Intraoperative Imaging) (Tom Nguyen)
6. Hemodynamic Performance of Rapid-deployment Prosthesis (Matteo Cameli)
7. When is a Rapid Deployment Prosthesis Preferable to Traditional Sutured Prosthesis? (Alexander Weymann)
8. Valve in Valve TAVR for Degenerated Rapid Deployment Prosthesis: Technical Considerations (Bart Meuris)
9. Minimally Invasive Surgery Advantages of Rapid Deployment Prosthesis (Alexis Theron)
10. Clinical Evidence Comparing Rapid Deployment Bioprosthesis Versus Sutured Valves Bioprosthesis vs TAVR Bioprosthesis (Ali Fatehi Hassanabad)
11. Next Generation of Rapid Deployment Valves (Mohammad El-Diasty)

Disclosure:
The special series “Sutureless Valves” was commissioned by the editorial office, Journal of Visualized Surgery without any funding or sponsorship. Aleksander Dokollari, Basel Ramlawi and Gianluigi Bisleri are serving as the unpaid Guest Editors for the special series.