Florida surgeon to lead UK pediatric heart surgery program

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – A Florida surgeon has been hired to lead the effort to bring complicated pediatric heart surgeries back to the University of Kentucky after a four-year absence.

The Lexington Herald-Leader (http://bit.ly/2dKYgWY ) reports that Dr. James Quintessenza will start his new duties Dec. 1.

He was selected by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and UK HealthCare to lead a new partnership providing pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at both sites. His primary appointment will be at Cincinnati Children’s, but he will be based in Lexington.

UK suspended its pediatric cardiac surgery program in 2012 after an uptick in mortality rates.

Quintessenza worked at All Children’s Hospital (later named Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital) in St. Petersburg, Florida, for 26 years, including 19 years as medical director and chief of pediatric cardiac surgery.

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Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.