Cardiovascular Surgeon - Dr. Lance E. Landvater Dr. Landvater was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Franklin & Marshall College. He graduated from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University and completed his internship in general surgery at George Washington University Medical Center. Dr. Landvater then served for three years as a Commissioned Officer in the National Health Service Corps - United States Public Health Service. Upon completion of his public service, he returned to George Washington University Medical Center where he completed his residency in General Surgery and was chief surgical resident. He remained at George Washington University and completed his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship in 1987. Upon completion of his cardiothoracic surgical training, Dr. Landvater joined Carolina Cardiovascular Surgical Associates and is currently President of the Board of Directors. He practices at both Wake Medical Center and Rex Hospital. Dr. Landvater has served as President of the Medical Staff and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at WakeMed. His practice includes all aspects of adult cardiac and thoracic surgery. Dr. Landvater has a special interest in minimally invasive valve surgery, mitral valve repair, stentless valves and off-pump coronary bypass surgery. Dr. Landvater is a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery and is certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. He is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Chest Physicians and a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. Dr. Landvater and his wife, Cynthia, have three children.

Dr. Lance Landvater, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Carolina Cardiovascular Surgical Associates.Dr. Landvater performed bypass surgery on his fellow doctor and took great pleasure in receiving the greatest compliment a colleague could bestow upon him.He also enjoys the reaction he receives from his patients.In these days of increasing regulation, reduced compensation and rapidly evolving technology, the good he does as a physician overcomes the bad."This has proven to me to be a very enjoyable profession," Landvater explained."At least in my experience, cardiac patients tend to be the most appreciative of what you have done.They are happy to be alive."Lives are indeed at stake, and neither doctor takes for granted what will happen when they enter an operating room."This has been a remarkable 15 years," said Dr. Mann, who like Dr. Landvater is deeply involved in WakeMed's Heart Center operation."You know when you do a cardiac operation what the mortality rate is,what the risk is for a patient to live or die," Dr. Landvater explained.Drs. Mann and Landvater are among the leaders in the fight against CVD.Lance Landvater has a particular interest in valve replacements, stentless valves (which may last longer than valves including stents), microvalve repair, and so-called off-pump coronary bypass."We are seeing a shift away from mechanical valves to tissue valves, which have greater durability," he said."We also are seeing a strong trend toward repairing valves with microvalve surgery rather than replacement."Less invasive procedures are also being developed, and procedures that leave less scarring is seen as especially important by women who need heart surgery, Dr. Landvater said.Dr. Landvater pointed out that the technique is not for every patient,or every surgeon."People ask me, 'Why can't you do me off-pump?' You have to take into account the patient.You also have to take into account the experience of the surgeon."Dr. Landvater sees other developments as exciting,including better heart assistance devices rather than artificial hearts, interventional stenting to attack aneurysms, and advances in thoracic surgery to treat lung tumors and lung disease.Landvater concurred.In the meantime, doctors such as Landvater and Mann will need to push the edge of research and stay abreast of new developments in order to provide the best care."I anticipate by the time that I retire that I probably will be doing most of what I do now quite differently," Landvater said.After all, Landvater added, "The reality in medicine, the first tenet as a surgeon, is to do no harm.About Lance Landvater:Landvater, 52, was born in Lancaster, PA, and attended Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University where he was graduated in 1977.Earlier, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973 at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster.Before coming to Raleigh, he held a number of different positions, including chief surgical resident and a cardiothoracic fellowship at George Washington University.He and his wife Cynthia have three children, Susan, Spencer and Lance.Dr. Lance Landvater of Carolina Cardiovascular Associates pointed out that Wake Med has certainly indicated a willingness to invest in the latest technology and treatments.

Dr. Lance Landvater, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Carolina Cardiovascular Surgical Associates.Dr. Landvater performed bypass surgery on his fellow doctor and took great pleasure in receiving the greatest compliment a colleague could bestow upon him.He also enjoys the reaction he receives from his patients.In these days of increasing regulation, reduced compensation and rapidly evolving technology, the good he does as a physician overcomes the bad."This has proven to me to be a very enjoyable profession," Landvater explained."At least in my experience, cardiac patients tend to be the most appreciative of what you have done.They are happy to be alive."Lives are indeed at stake, and neither doctor takes for granted what will happen when they enter an operating room."This has been a remarkable 15 years," said Dr. Mann, who like Dr. Landvater is deeply involved in WakeMed's Heart Center operation."You know when you do a cardiac operation what the mortality rate is-what the risk is for a patient to live or die," Dr. Landvater explained.Drs. Mann and Landvater are among the leaders in the fight against CVD.Lance Landvater has a particular interest in valve replacements, stentless valves (which may last longer than valves including stents), microvalve repair, and so-called off-pump coronary bypass."We are seeing a shift away from mechanical valves to tissue valves, which have greater durability," he said."We also are seeing a strong trend toward repairing valves with microvalve surgery rather than replacement."Less invasive procedures are also being developed, and procedures that leave less scarring is seen as especially important by women who need heart surgery, Dr. Landvater said.Dr. Landvater pointed out that the technique is not for every patient-or every surgeon."People ask me, ‘Why can't you do me off-pump?' You have to take into account the patient.You also have to take into account the experience of the surgeon."Dr. Landvater sees other developments as exciting-including better heart assistance devices rather than artificial hearts, interventional stenting to attack aneurysms, and advances in thoracic surgery to treat lung tumors and lung disease.Landvater concurred.In the meantime, doctors such as Landvater and Mann will need to push the edge of research and stay abreast of new developments in order to provide the best care."I anticipate by the time that I retire that I probably will be doing most of what I do now quite differently," Landvater said.After all, Landvater added, "The reality in medicine, the first tenet as a surgeon, is to do no harm.About Lance Landvater:Landvater, 52, was born in Lancaster, PA, and attended Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University where he was graduated in 1977.Earlier, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973 at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster.Before coming to Raleigh, he held a number of different positions, including chief surgical resident and a cardiothoracic fellowship at George Washington University.He and his wife Cynthia have three children, Susan, Spencer and Lance.Dr. Lance Landvater of Carolina Cardiovascular Associates pointed out that Wake Med has certainly indicated a willingness to invest in the latest technology and treatments.

Two of WakeMed's trailblazing physicians, Dr. James Davis and Dr. Raymond Kornegay, were joined over time by others such as Dr. Helton, Dr. Alvan Atkinson, Dr. Merrill Hunter, Dr. William Killinger, Dr. Lance Landvater, Dr. Robert Peyton, Dr. David Robaczewski, Dr. John Zeok, Dr Abdul Chaudhry and Dr. Jacques Mistrot. "To have a successful open-heart surgery program you must have a team approach to patient care," said Dr. Lance Landvater, with Carolina Cardiovascular Surgical Associates.

Lance Landvater, M.D. Cardiothoracic Surgeon