CARDIAC SURGERY GREECE

DOCTORS’ CV

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE DOCTOR

Dr. George Gritsopoulos

Dr. Gritsopoulos was born in 1971 in Palaio Faliro, Athens, and finished top of his class at the Leontio School of Nea Smyrni. He graduated from the School of Medicine with honours, completing his doctoral thesis at the Cardiology Clinic of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens under the guidance of Professors Dimitrios Kremastinos and Efstathios Iliodromitis.

Cardiacsurgery Greece - doctor1

He completed his doctoral thesis, REMOTE POSTCONDITIONING, following a series of experimental cardiac surgeries he performed together with his staff, receiving a mark of ‘excellent’ from the seven-member evaluation board. Immediately following its approval, Dr. Gritsopoulos trained younger colleagues for a number of years, performing experimental cardiac surgeries on various doctoral theses, while the studies he carried out at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens were published in well-known medical journals and were presented at important cardiology and cardiological conferences around the world. During this time, Dr. Gritsopoulos saw the results of his pivotal thesis guide other scientists in further applications and scientific studies, mainly at large universities of Asia, and at the same time be applied in practice in the early postinfarction phase in large centres abroad such as Stockholm University.

Dr. Gritsopoulos collaborated with notable cardiac surgery centres and the biggest hospitals in Greece, Europe and America, and completed his specialisation having taken part in more than 2,500 surgeries next to leading professors, he sat for oral and written examinations receiving a mark of ‘excellent’ and he received the title of thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgeon.

Subsequently, Dr. Gritsopoulos went to the United Kingdom where he received the European licence to practice medicine, and he became a member of the General Medical Council. Following a series of examinations and interviews, Dr. Gritsopoulos was selected first among several distinguished colleagues – cardiologists from all over the world as Specialist Registrar of the Cardiology Division of the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, one of the leading clinics in England, where he performed numerous cardiac surgeries. Dr. Gritsopoulos focused on cardiac surgery for adults and was distinguished for his work ethic, exceptional results, integrity, and his ability to forge strong relationships with his patients and their immediate family, always remaining close to them, ready to answer any questions they had.

His next stop was the University Hospital of New York, NYU Langone Medical Centre (New York University), where he specialised in microtraumatic cardiac surgery, while he received training in modern operating techniques. Dr. Gritsopoulos considers himself honoured to have worked closely with a renowned professor like Dr. Elias Zias with whom he continues to have close ties and collaborate to this day, exchanging scientific views, while they frequently work together performing innovative surgical operations.

In 2011, after meeting the Apostolopoulos family, to which –according to Dr. Gritsopoulos himself– he owes everything, he became Director of the Cardiac Surgery Department of the Psichiko Clinic, while a short time after that he was appointed scientific director of the thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgery branch of the same Clinic.

Since then, Dr. Gritsopoulos has performed a number of cardiac surgeries covering the entire adult cardiac surgery branch, with results comparable with those of large foreign centres. Together with his team, which is comprised of highly experienced scientists, Dr. Gritsopoulos has completed a number of scientific works that have been published in scientifically recognised, international and Greek journals. At the same time, Dr. Gritsopoulos has attended a large number of Greek and international scientific congresses as chairman, speaker or commentator.

Since 2021, as a scientific associate, Dr. Gritsopoulos has also been performing surgeries at the Athens Medical Centre on special cases (e.g. special procedures that require a hybrid operating room or other special equipment). Today, Dr. Gritsopoulos is a Professor of Surgery at IEK Omiros (private institute of vocational training) in the Nursing Department, sharing his knowledge with the younger generation of scientists.

Dr. Gritsopoulos is characterised by his love for his patients and his exceptional scientific training and knowledge. He has an excellent relationship with his colleagues, while he loves reading, music, theatre and sports, as he excelled in swimming and martial arts on a PanHellenic level.

Dr. Gritsopoulos has two children; he is fluent in English and Italian, while he also speaks French very well.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE DOCTOR

Dr. Apostolos Roubelakis

Dr. Apostolos Roubelakis MD, PhD, FETCS is the Director of the 3rd Department of Cardiac Surgery of “Iatriko Athinon” Athens Medical Center in Athens, Greece. He is an expert in robotic, endoscopic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery and he has a special interest in valve surgery and valve repairs.

Cardiacsurgery Greece - ROUMPELAKIS 1

He was born in Athens, Greece, and he obtained his medical degree and PhD from the University of Athens medical school. He was an elective student at the Methodist hospital in Houston, Texas. He was trained in all aspects of cardiac and thoracic surgery at the University hospital of Southampton, UK. Following that, he was a fellow at the University of Toronto, Canada, where he was trained in advanced cardiac surgery at St. Michael’s hospital. Finally, he received special training in robotic and endoscopic surgery and transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVR) at the Hartcentrum of OLZ hospital in Aalst, Belgium.

He has practiced cardiac surgery in the UK, Canada, Belgium and Greece for many years. Since 2017, he has been directing the  3rd Department of Cardiac Surgery of “Iatriko Athinon” Athens Medical Center in Athens, Greece.

He received a special award for top distinction in 2015 by the European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS). During his career he has participated in junior doctor and junior cardiac surgeon training and has performed research that has been published in top-class peer-reviewed journals. He actively participates and gives invited lectures to meetings and congresses worldwide. He is fluent in English.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE ANAESTHESIOLOGIST

Evanthia A. Novi-Sotiriadou

EDUCATION & ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

  • Graduation from Medical School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1994)
  • Specialty degree in Anaesthesiology (2000)
  • Fluency in English

Cardiacsurgery Greece - 1292 niovi swtiriadou

SEMINARS - SPECIALIZATIONS

  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) – Athens Naval Hospital, Directorate of Training (2001)
  • Seminar on specialized training in intraoperative  transesophageal ultrasound in cardiac surgery patients – Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens (2004)
  • Advanced seminar on specialized training in intraoperative transesophageal ultrasound – European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology, Rome (2005)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • On-call doctor, Intensive Care Unit of Athens Medical Center (June 1998-March 2000)
  • Deputy Head of the Intensive Care Unit of General Clinic of Athens (April 2000-February 2002)
  • Attending Physician of the Anaesthesiology Department of Athens Euroclinic (February 2002-February 2004)
  • Head of the Cardiac Surgery Anaesthesiology Department of Central Clinic of Athens (2003-2009)
  • Cardiac Anaesthesiology associate of Athens Medical Center
  • Associate Anaesthesiologist of HYGEIA Group hospitals – Mitera, Hygeia Hospital Tirana, Athens Medical Group, Metropolitan, Athens Euroclinic, Mediterraneo, Bioclinic
  • NeuroCure Neuroanaesthesia associate (2017-)

SPECIALIZATIONS / CLINICAL INTEREST

  • Neuroanaesthesia –
    – Cardiac Anaesthesia
    – Anaesthesia in geriatric patients
  • Perioperative care of operated patients
  • Management / elimination of postoperative pain
  • Use of modern anaesthetic techniques in patients with anatomical difficulties (use of fiberoptic bronchoscope)
  • Treatment of pain syndromes for immediate relief
  • Epidural / Spinal anaesthesia

      A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE DOCTOR

      Dr. Andreas Paramythiotis

      Dr. Andreas Paramythiotis was born in Corfu. He is a cardiothoracic surgeon. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine (University of Bari, Italy) with honors and completing his military service, he specialized in Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery at the Rennes University Hospital in France.

      Cardiacsurgery Greece - PARAMITHIOTIS

      While specializing in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, he earned his Master’s degree in the field of implantation of cardiac assist devices from the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris. 

      His next step was going to Canada to the University Clinic of Laval University in Quebec, with a French Government Fellowship for 2 years, where he performed heart surgeries of all types as the first surgeon and specialized in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation procedures (TAVI). Following his basic training, he became a fellow surgeon at Plymouth University Clinic (United Kingdom) where he trained in thoracic surgery. He then worked as a fellow surgeon at the Royal Harefield Hospital in London, where he specialized in minimally-invasive and endoscopic heart surgery. He completed his specialty training at Wythenshawe University Hospital in Manchester (United Kingdom) where he attended the Heart and Lung Transplant Program as well as the Cardiac Assist Device Implant Program.

      While completing his studies and specialty training abroad, he participated in many conferences, also as a speaker, and published papers in prestigious scientific journals. He is a member of the French, Canadian and English Heart Surgery Society and has helped training younger heart surgeons and medical students. Moreover, he has participated in numerous pre-operative and post-operative patient evaluation committees. Since January 2021, Dr. Andreas Paramythiotis has been a consultant cardiac surgeon, with particular interest in minimally invasive valve surgery, at the Athens Medical Centre.

      He is fluent in English.

      A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE NURSE

      Ioanna Kirkou

      Ioanna Kirkou was born in 1967. She graduated from the Department of Nursing of the Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Athens. Since 1986, she has been a part of the Athens Medical Group Clinics’ hospital and scientific staff – working alongside surgeons and other surgical staff as a Scrub Nurse (in charge of handing the surgeon tools and other instruments).

      She is married and has two children. She is fluent in English.

      Cardiacsurgery Greece - Κύρκου τελική 2 2