Our Team
Stanford Hospital & Clinics uses a multidisciplinary team approach in diagnosing and treating aortic valve disease. Our team includes cardiac surgeons, cardiologists and clinical nurse coordinators with specialized training and experience with valvular disease and surgery.
We use echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to diagnose the aortic valve and heart function to in assessing the extent of aortic valve disease. This approach enables us to determine the optimal strategies for management of your condition.
To assist you and your familiy, our physicians and clinical coordinators are available to provide you with the most advanced care. Our physicians, nurses, and support staff value the trust you place in us by entrusting us with your care.
Surgeons
Our team of surgeons brings more than 100 years of experience and international reputations to bear in diagnosing and treating you.
Craig Miller, MD
Dr. Miller is a graduate of the Stanford University School of Medicine, past President of the Western Thoracic Surgical Association, and former chairman of the American Heart Association's Cardiovascular Surgery Council.
He is board certified in surgery, thoracic surgery, and vascular surgery. His research has advanced treatments for mitral valve disease.
Specialty: cardiovascular surgery, thoracic aortic surgery, valvular surgery, vascular surgery, and Marfan syndrome.
Scott Mitchell, MD
Dr. Mitchell graduated from Northwestern University Medical School and is board certified in surgery, thoracic surgery, and vascular surgery.
His ground-breaking work in thoracic aortic surgery has advanced patient care.
Specialty: general cardiac surgery, thoracic aortic surgery, valvular surgery, and vascular surgery.
Philip Oyer, MD
Dr. Oyer received both his medical degree and a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Chicago.
He performed the world's first successful ventricular assist device implantation as a bridge to transplantation.
Specialty: general cardiac surgery, heart transplantation, valvular surgery, thoracic aortic surgery and ventricular assist device insertion.
Vincent DeFilippi, MD, FACS
Dr. DeFilippi is the Medical Director of the Stanford Cardiac Surgery Program at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford.
He has performed more than 3,000 open heart procedures and has received numerous awards and recognition during his career, including being selected as a Top Doc in the state by New Jersey Monthly magazine and being listed among America's Top Surgeons.
In recent years, Dr. DeFilippi has consistently attained high cardiac surgical survival rates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery despite a highly acute population, performing many of these without the use of a heart lung machine.
Bruce Reitz, MD
Dr. Reitz is a cum laude graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine and is board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery.
He led the Stanford team that performed the world's first successful human heart-lung transplant in 1981.
Specialty: general cardiac surgery, heart and lung transplantation, valvular surgery including the Ross procedure, thoracic aortic surgery, adult congenital surgery, arrhythmia surgery, and ventricular assist device insertion.
Robert Robbins, MD
Dr. Robbins received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi and is board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery.
He sits on the Executive Committee of the American Heart Associate's Council on Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery.
Specialty: general cardiac surgery, heart and lung transplantation, valvular heart surgery, thoracic aortic surgery, adult congenital surgery, arrhythmia surgery, and ventricular assist device insertion.
J. W. Randolph Bolton, MD, PhD
Dr. Randy Bolton attended medical school in his home state of South Carolina. He completed his Cardiothoracic Surgery and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery training at Boston University Medical Center. Board certified in both General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Bolton became one of the youngest Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He also served as an Associate Professor of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Retired from the United States Air Force as Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Bolton was the former consultant to the Surgeon General of the Air Force.
Dr. Bolton is one of the pioneers of beating heart surgery bringing a less invasive and safer operation to our patients. This method of bypass surgery benefits patients with a shorter recovery time and reduced stress on the body. With extensive publications in the field of Cardiothoracic Surgery, he has proctored many surgeons nationally and internationally in beating heart surgery techniques. Dr. Bolton has traveled to Eastern Europe, Mexico, Central and South America to teach this amazing procedure to other cardiac surgeons.
Dr. Bolton is the Director for the CT Surgery Program at St. Agnes.
Specialty: minimally invasive cardiac and thoracic surgery, transmyocardial laser revascularization, MAZE procedure for atrial fibrillation and robotically assisted cardiac surgery.
Ramin E. Beygui, MD
Dr. Beygui is a recipient of the University of California Regents’ Scholarship to attend the University of California at Irvine School of Medicine, where he received his medical degree. He completed his General Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Endovascular Surgery training at Stanford University Medical Center and his Cardiothoracic Surgery training at UCLA Medical Center.
Dr. Beygui is board certified in Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Thoracic surgery. He has been a co-chair of the American Heart Association Peer Review Committee and a member of the Council on Heart Failure and Transplant Medicine of the International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation.
Specialty: adult cardiac surgery, heart and lung transplantation, combined coronary artery & valve surgery, valvular heart surgery, thoracic aortic surgery, endovascular surgery, and arrhythmia surgery.
Clinical Coordinators
Judi Lachenmyer, RN, MS
Judi earned her B.S. at San Jose University and her M.S. as a Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialist at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Judi started at Stanford in 1975 as a cardiovascular intensive care unit staff nurse. After earning her masters degree, Judi moved to the cardiac cath lab. During this time, she also worked in the pacemaker clinic and assisted with arrhythmia surgery patients.
Judi's tenure at Stanford includes working as a nurse specialist for critical care transport and as assistant nurse manager for the cardiac intensive care unit.
For the past 12 years, Judi has been clinical nurse coordinator for cardiac surgery. In this role, she provides education and support for patients and families, while acting as a liaison between patients/families and the physicians. This role also involves working closely with patients throughout the surgical process, from preoperative appointments until post discharge.
Sophia Loo, RN, BSN
Sophia earned her B.S. at University of California Davis and her B.S. in nursing at Creighton University. She also completed a certification program for Legal Nurse Consultant from the California State University East Bay.
Sophia came to Stanford in 2001 to work as a staff nurse in the cardiovascular intensive care unit. Her other nursing experiences include in the areas of medical/surgical, telemetry, and hospice at previous organizations.
As a nurse coordinator, Sophia provides continual support and education for patients and families throughout the hospitalization process from the initial meeting to the time of hospital discharge. As a member of the cardiac surgery team, Sophia participates in the interdisciplinary care of our patients to ensure patients receive the best quality care at Stanford Hospital.