The Mount Sinai Health System has launched the Adams Valve Institute, a new global center focused on advancing comprehensive care and surgical techniques for patients with heart valve disease.
Institute Overview
The Adams Valve Institute is built upon the work of Dr. David H. Adams, who serves as the Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Professor and Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Cardiac Surgeon-in-Chief of the Mount Sinai Health System.
The Institute's objectives include:
- Promoting innovation in advanced imaging.
- Developing reconstructive surgical techniques.
- Facilitating peer-to-peer education.
- Advocating for health policy reform.
- Conducting breakthrough research across valvular heart disease.
Heart valve disease affects an estimated 8 to 11 million people in the United States and contributes to nearly 30,000 deaths annually.
The condition is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated, particularly within African American, Hispanic, and Asian populations. Women are also more likely to experience delayed diagnosis and worse outcomes.
Dr. Ismail El-Hamamsy, Director of Aortic Surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System, has been appointed as the inaugural Director of the Adams Valve Institute. Dr. El-Hamamsy oversees one of the largest Ross procedure programs in the United States.
The Ross procedure replaces a diseased aortic valve with the patient's own pulmonary valve, which has been shown to restore life expectancy to that of the general population and eliminates the need for long-term blood thinners.
Specialized Centers and Initiatives
The Institute will establish specialized Centers of Excellence addressing complex and underserved areas of valvular heart disease. Existing leadership in mitral valve management will be expanded, with new centers focusing on:
- Aortic valve disease and the Ross procedure.
- Marfan syndrome and other connective tissue disorders.
- Arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse.
- Radiation-induced heart disease.
- Adult congenital heart disease.
- Complex reoperative valve surgery.
In conjunction with clinical advancements, the Institute will support multidisciplinary research through targeted investments and faculty support.
Access and Education
The Adams Valve Institute intends to reduce barriers to high-quality surgical care through collaborations with nonprofit organizations to advocate for policy reform at federal and state levels.
Key initiatives include:
- Standardizing physician licensing.
- Improving payer policies.
- Expanding transparency in outcomes reporting and recognized centers of excellence.
- Increasing access for underserved populations, including veterans.
The Institute also plans to function as a global educational hub by expanding live surgery courses, international mission programs, and creating a digital library of valve reconstructive technique videos accessible to surgeons worldwide.