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Edward Sako | UT Health San Antonio

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Departments & Divisions

Edward Y. Sako, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor

Vice Chair

Dr. Sako’s clinical interests lie primarily in the field of adult cardiac surgery and lung transplantation. Within the realm of adult cardiac surgery, he is most passionate and experienced in mitral valve repair and has by association become known for his skill in all of mitral surgery as well as the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. Other professional interests include surgical education both in theory and in practice and clinical outcomes research. The ability to be involved in these many aspects has been the major driver for an academic career.

Dr. Sako received his medical degree and general surgical training from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine. He then completed a residency in Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan. Attracted by the then relatively new specialty of lung transplantation, he joined the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Health Science Center was a pioneer in the development of this specialty. Most of his non-transplant clinical time was spent in adult cardiac surgery at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, which had an affiliation with the Division. He became Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and later, the Chief of the Surgery Section at the VA. In 2012, the VA affiliation with our department ended and Dr. Sako was named the Chief of the Division of Adult Cardiac Surgery within our department and at University Hospital. In 2018 he has stepped down from those roles and returned to be the Surgical Director of the Lung Transplant program.

  • Professional Background

    Education

    • 1992 - Residency - Thoracic Surgery - University of Michigan Hospitals
    • 1991 - MD - Surgery - Univ. of Minnesota Graduate School
    • 1990 - Residency - Chief Resident - General Surgery - Univ. of Minnesota Medical School
    • 1989 - Residency - General Surgery - Univ. of Minnesota Medical School
    • 1988 - Clinical Fellowship - Surgical Research - Univ. of Minnesota
    • 1982 - MD - Medicine - Univ. of Minnesota Medical School
    • 1978 - BA - Biology - Univ. of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts

    Highlights

    10/2019 - Master Clinician Award, UT Health San Antonio

    1/2015 - Socrates Award nominee for Education & Mentorship: Thoracic Surgery Residents Association

    1/2006 - "Guide to America's Top Surgeons": Selected as one of America's Top Surgeons

    11/2004 - Appointment to the Trinkle Chair, Department of Surgery, UTHSCSA

    9/2004 - Nominated Presidential Clinical Excellence Award

    5/2000 - Nominated for the 2000 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching

    Appointments

    • 9/2018 - Surgical Director, Lung Transplant Program - UTHSCSA, Cardiothoracic Surgery, San Antonio
    • 10/2010 - Vice Chairman - UTHSCSA, Cardiothoracic Surgery, San Antonio
    • 9/2005 - Professor - UTHSCSA, Cardiothoracic Surgery
    • 9/1999 - Cardiothoracic Surgeon - Baptist Health System, Surgery, San Antonio
    • 9/1995 - Cardiothoracic Surgeon - Mays Cancer Research Center, Surgery, San Antonio
    • 10/1992 - Staff Surgeon - University Health Systems, Surgery, San Antonio

  • Instruction & Training

    • 8/2017 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, UTHSCSA
    • 3/2015 - Present, Cardiac Valve Surgery, University Health System, 9th floor nurses
    • 10/2014 - Present, Clinical Skills, The University of Texas Health Science Center
    • 10/2013 - Present, Mitral Valve Surgery, UTHSCSA -Cardiology Fellows lecture series
    • 11/2004 - Present, Intro to Clinical Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center
    • 9/1998 - Present, Thoracic Core Curriculum, UTHSCSA
    • 9/1993 - Present, Clinically Oriented Lectures to First-year Medical Students, UTHSCSA
    • 9/1992 - Present, Citywide Thoracic Grand Rounds, UTHSCSA
    • 1/1992 - Present, Thoracic Surg Organ Transplant, The University of Texas Health Science Center

  • Research & Grants

    EXPERTISE:

    Clinical Studies - A growing interest in outcomes oriented research has led to participation at the investigator level in a number of national, multi-center cooperative trials mostly through the Veterans Administration. Of particular note is my role in the BARI-2D trial, a 51-center international study of optimal treatment for diabetics with coronary artery disease. As chairman of the surgery working group, I help to oversee data collection and sub-studies in the surgical arm of the study.

    Grants

    Clinical Trials

    01/2009-Present:  CoAPT Trail, Sub-Investigator, Clinical Outcomes Assessment of the Mitroclip Percutaneous Therapy for Extremely High Risk Patients Abbott Vascular

    04/2003-Present:  BARI 2D Trial, Chairman, Surgery Working Group. Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization for Diabetes (BARI 2D). An NIM-sponsored multicenter, cooperative trial.

    Research Grants

    Project #: 153352

    Funding Agency: Edwards Lifesciences Corp

    Title: The PARTNER II Trial: Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valves - PII A (PARTNERII A)

    Period: 09/2012 - 01/2029

     

     

  • Service

    Department

    11/2012-Present - Promotion and Tenure Committee, UTHSCSA, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Chair

    School

    10/2013-Present:   Cardiac and Transplant Clinical, University Health System, Management Team, Member

    1/2013-Present:  Operating Room Committee, University Health System, Member

    National

    7/2018-11/2019 - SESATS XIII, Sub Section Editor, Guest Editor

    7/2015-Present - The J. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Editorial Board Member

    4/2014-Present -  American Heart Journal, Reviewer

    1/2013-Present - J. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Reviewer

    7/2010-Present - J. of Heart Valve Disease, Reviewer

    5/2008-Present - American J. of Surgery, Reviewer

  • Publications

      Abstract

      Asokan R, Webster L, Priyanka Nalla E, Sako EY, Bhattacharya S. Material properties Of Atria, Tricuspid Annulus and Mitral Annulus To be presented at the BMES Annual Meeting, October 16-19, 2019. Philadelphia, PA; 2019 Oct.

      Geib ME, Das NA, Stasik CN, Sako EY. Familiarity as a factor in residency selection. Seattle, WA: 2019 Apr. (Presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Association of VA Surgeons.).Geib ME, Das NA, Stasik CN, Sako EY. Familiarity as a factor in residency selection. Seattle, WA: 2019 Apr. (Presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Association of VA Surgeons.).

      Katona M, Walker J, Miller S, Das NA, Sako EY. Improvement Initiative to reduce acute kidney injury during on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting; 2019 Feb. (American Academy of Cardiovascular Perfusion Annual Meeting).

      Al-Quaiti F, Salinas E, Boies L, Sako E, Bhattacharya S. Determination of the Tensile Mechanical Properties of the Segmented Tricuspid Valve Annulus,; 2016 Jul. (Presented at Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering and BIotransport Conference, National Harbor, MD).

      Singh A, Schaff HV, Brooks MM, Hlatky M, Frye RL, Sako EY. On Pump Versus Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes; 2015 Nov. (61st Annual Meeting of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association).

      Adkins A, Aleman J, Sako EY, Bhattacharya S. Force Required to Cinch the Tricuspid Annulus ? an Ex Vivo Study; 2015 Jan. (2015 Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering and Biotransport Conference, Snowbird, Utah).

      Eilers AL, Albahra S, Das NA, Prihoda TJ, Baisden CE, DeArmond DT, Sako EY, Johnson SB. Aprotinin use in Bilateral Lung Transplantation Utilizing Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Single Institution Experience; 2014 Jun. (40th Annual Meeting J. Bradley Aust Surgical Society, San Antonio, TX).

      Susanto IS, Sako EY, Anzueto AR, Levine SM, Peters JI, Cronin T, Jenkinson SG, Bryan C. Outcome of single lung transplants from the same donor: "Pulmonary Twinning"; 1995 Oct. (Chest; vol. 108, no. 3).

      Book Chapter

      Stasik CN, Sako EY. Acute Aortic Dissection In: Acute Care Surgery and Trauma: Evidence-based Practice 2nd ed. CRC Press; 2016. p. 647 - 653.

      Biglari E, Feng M, Quarles J, Sako E, Calhoon J, Rodriguez R, and Feng Y. Haptics-Enabled Surgical Training System with Guidance. 9th International Conference, UAHCI 2015, Held as Part of HCI International, August 2-7, 2015. In: Antona, Margherita, Stephanidis, Constantine (Eds.) . Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Access to Learning, Health and Well-Being. Los Angeles, CA: Springer International Publishing, Proceedings, Part III; 2015.

      Editorial

      Sako EY. Commentary: Pig in a poke. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2020 Jul;160(1):114-115.

      Sako EY. Commentary: Is there a surgeon in the house? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2020 May;(20)

      Sako EY. Commentary: NOAC? No problem J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2019 Dec;(19)

      Sako EY. Coronary artery bypass as a transplant process J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Oct;156(4).

      Sako EY. Off-pump versus on-pump: State of the ART? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Apr;155(4).

      Sako EY. D-dimer and early coronary graft closure: Not so fast J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Jan;155(1):208-209.

      Sako EY. Multi-arterial Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery: Best of Times, Worst of Times? Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2017 Aug;29(3):281-282.

      Sako EY. String no ring J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2017 Feb;153(2):278-279.

      Sako EY. Will the leaking stop? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2016 Apr;151(4):1043-1043.

      Sako EY. On-or off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: how are you trending Jama Surgery 2013 Nov;148(11).

      Journal Article

      Katona MA, Walker JL, Das NA, Miller SR, Sako EY. Using a quality improvement initiative to reduce acute kidney injury during on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Perfusion 2020 Jun

      Genuth SM, Vlachos H, Brooks MM, Bantle JP, Chaitman BR, Green J, Kelsey SF, King SB 3rd, McBane R, Sako EY, Schneider DJ, Steffes M, Frye RL. BARI 2D Study Group. BARI 2D: A Reanalysis Focusing on Cardiovascular Events. Mayo Clin Proc 2019 Nov;94(11):2249-2262.

      Oglesby M, Escobedo D, Escobar GP, Fatemifar F, Sako EY, Bailey SR, Han HC, Feldman MD. Trabecular cutting: a novel surgical therapy to increase diastolic compliance. J Appl Physiol 2019 Aug;127(2):457-463.

      Pruthi DK, Wang H, Satsangi A, Cajipe M, Iffrig K, Haidar GM, Hicks T, Sako EY, Liss MA, Chowdhury WH, Rodriguez R, Kaushik D. Contemporary surgical outcomes of venous tumour thrombectomy managed with intraoperative Doppler ultrasound for kidney cancer Can Urol Assoc J 2018 May.

      Aleman J, Adkins A, Boies L, Al-Quiati F, Sako E and Bhattacharya S. Effects of Cinching Force on the Tricuspid Annulus: A Species Comparison J Cardiovasc Dis Diagn 2017 Jan;5(4):283-286.

      Singh A, Schaff HV, Mori Brooks M, Hlatky MA, Wisniewski SR, Frye RL, Sako EY; BARI 2D Study Group. On-pump versus off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes trial Eur J Cardiothor Surg 2016 Feb;49(2):406-416.

      Adams AJ, Wasson EA, Admire JR, Gomez PP, Babayeuski RA, Sako EY, Willis RE. A comparison of teaching modalities and fidelity of simulation levels in teaching resuscitation scenarios Journal of Surg Ed 2015 Sep;72(5):778-785.

      Adkins A, Aleman J, Boies L, Sako E, Bhattacharya S, Sako EY. Force Required to Cinch the Tricuspid Annulus: An Ex-Vivo Study J Heart Valve Dis 2015 Sep;24(5):644-652.

      Evans LD, Stock EM, Zeber JE, Morissette SB, MacCarthy AA, Sako EY, Lappin J, Lawrence VA, MacCarthy DJ, Copeland LA. Posttransplantation Outcomes in Veterans With Serious Mental Illness Transplantation 2015 Aug;99(8):e57-65.

      Copeland LA, Zeber JE, Sako EY, Mortensen EM, Pugh MJ, Wang CP, Restrepo MI, Flynn J, MacCarthy AA, Lawrence VA. Serious mental illnesses associated with receipt of surgery in retrospective analysis of patients in the Veterans Health Administration BMC Surg 2015 Jun;15(74).

      Sako EY, Brooks MM, Hardison RM, Schaff H, Frye RL. Coronary artery bypass in patients with type 2 diabetes: experience from the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes trial J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2014 Oct;148(4):1268-1272.

      Copeland LA, Sako EY, Zeber JE, Pugh MJ, Wang CP, MacCarthy AA, Restrepo MI, Mortensen EM, Lawrence VA. Mortality after cardiac or vascular operations by preexisting serious mental illness status in the Veterans Health Administration Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2014 Sep;36(5):502-508.

      Bayer J, Das NA, Basiden CE, Rani M, Schwacha MG, Sako EY, Williams RO, Peters JI, Johnson SB. Effect of inhaled tacrolimus on ischemia reperfusion injury in a rat lung transplant model The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2013 Sep;146(5):1213-1219.

      Argenziano M, Skipper E, Heimansohn D, Letsou GV, Woo YJ, Kron I, Alexander J, Cleveland J, Kong B, Davidson M, Vassiliades T, Krieger K, Sako E, Tibi P, Galloway A, Foster E, Feldman T, Glower D, Sako EY. Surgical revision after percutaneous mitral repair with the MitraClip device Ann Thorac Surg 2010 Jan;89(1):72-80.

      Patterson JE, Peters J, Calhoon, JH, Levine S, Anzueto A, Al-Abdely H, Sanchez R, Patterson TF, Rech M, Jorgensen JH, Rinaldi MG, Sako E, Johnson S, Speeg V, Halff GA, Trinkle JK. Investigation and control of aspergillosis and other filamentous fungal infections in solid organ transplant recipients Transpl Infect Dis 2000 Mar;2(1):22-28.

      Felger MC, Miller OL, Calhoon JH, Sako EY, Johnson SB, Wittpenn GP, Trinkle JK. Homograft patch repair for hemorrhagic mediastinitis Ann Thorac Surg 1995 Jul;60(1):190-191. Levine SM, Anzueto A, Peters JI, Cronin T, Sako EY, Jenkinson SG, Bryan CL. Medium term functional results of single-lung transplantation for endstage obstructive lung disease Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1994 Aug;150(2):398-402.

  • Clinical

    Board Certifications

    • American Board of Thoracic Surgery
    • American Board of Surgery