Vinay Badhwar
Vinay Badhwar is a Canadian and American cardiothoracic and robotic surgeon at West Virginia University (WVU). He is a professor and chairman of the department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and the executive chair of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute.
Among other firsts, in 2019 he performed the first heart transplant in West Virginia.[1] In 2025, he also performed the first robotic transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) explant and RAVR.
Education
Badhwar obtained his medical degree in 1993 from the University of Ottawa. He completed his surgical residency in 1998 at McGill University in Montreal.[2]
He completed his Cardiothoracic Fellowship at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute in 2000.[2]
Career
Badhwar began practicing in Florida in 2002, specializing in mitral valve repair, surgical treatments for atrial fibrillation and heart failure, and minimally invasive cardiac surgery. He served as chief of cardiovascular surgery at the Central Florida Cardiac & Vascular Institute of Osceola Regional Medical Center (later HCA Florida Osceola Hospital).[3]
He joined the University of Pittsburgh Medical School as chief of cardiac surgery at the UPMC Presbyterian.[4]
In 2016, Badhwar became the inaugural executive chair of the new West Virginia University (WVU) Heart and Vascular Institute and service line.[4][5] He is the Gordon F. Murray Professor and chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery in the West Virginia University School of Medicine.[6]
On November 2, 2019, he performed the first heart transplant in West Virginia.[1][7]
In early 2024, Badhwar was elected first vice president of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.[8]
On October 31, 2024, he led the WVU team that successfully performed the world’s first combined robotic AVR and CABG through a small, singular right transaxillary incision,[9] with a detailed account subsequently published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.[10]
On May 27, 2025, Badhwar and team performed the first robotic transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) explant and RAVR.[11]
References
- ^ a b "West Virginia University Heart and Vascular Institute performs state's first heart transplant". News and Sentinel. November 10, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ a b "https://medicaldialogues.in/news/health/international/dr-vinay-badhwar-named-to-leadership-position-of-program-funded-by-national-heart-lung-and-blood-institute-122715". Medical Dialogues. January 7, 2024.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ^ "Orlando's Physician Heros". Orlando Business Journal. November 19, 2010. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ a b Matt Stroud (February 16, 2016). "UPMC Presbyterian cardiac surgery chief heads to WVU". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-executive-moves/upmc-presbyterian-cardiac-surgery-chief-to-lead-cardiovascular-services-for-wvu-medicine/
- ^ https://www.facs.org/for-medical-professionals/news-publications/news-and-articles/acs-brief/december-17-2024-issue/fellow-leads-worlds-first-in-robotic-cardiac-surgery/
- ^ "Medical history made in West Virginia with state's first heart transplant". Herald-Star. November 7, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ https://wvumedicine.org/news-feed/news-article/WVU-Medicine/Front-Page/dr.-vinay-badhwar-elected-as-senior-officer-of-the-society-of-thoracic-surgeons/
- ^ Jim Bissett (December 7, 2024). "Decisions, an Incision and Precision: Woman undergoes world's first robotic surgery for heart valve replacement, cardiac bypass at West Virginia University". News and Sentinel. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ https://cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/clinical/cardiac-surgery/heart-surgeons-detail-worlds-first-robotic-heart-procedure-its-kind
- ^ https://www.facs.org/for-medical-professionals/news-publications/news-and-articles/acs-brief/june-17-2025-issue/cardiac-surgeons-perform-worlds-first-robotic-tavr-explant-plus-avr/