Mary & Steve Wen Cardiovascular Division Research Clinical Expertise Cardiovascular Medicine Fellowship Message from the Program Director Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Faculty Clinical Expertise Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine Home Research Research: Clinical Departments Medicine: Home Medicine: Divisions Medicine: Cardiology Medicine: Cardiology > Clinical Expertise Advanced Clinical Expertise The Division of Cardiology at UCI School of Medicine provides comprehensive, compassionate care to patients in Orange County. We are proud to partner with and support local community health sites in the care of the diverse population of cardiac patients with intensive treatment needs. Areas of Expertise Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Our mechanical circulatory support (MCS) program, the only surgical left ventricular assist device (LVAD) program in Orange County, has been growing since its inception in 2019. Due to improvements in technology over the past two decades, LVADs are now a destination therapy instead of a bridge to transplant for heart failure patients, and the demand for these devices has increased steadily as the population grows and ages. Our program is supported by a cardiac care unit led by cardiologists and a cardiac intensive care unit where critical care physicians and anesthesiologists with specialized training in cardiac care attend to our illest patients. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) In addition to LVAD, our extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) service is available to care for patients in cardiac and respiratory failure. ECMO was a last-chance treatment for the sickest COVID-19 patients during the height of the pandemic. The treatment continues to serve as a supportive intervention for critically ill patients, including those who need to be stabilized before receiving an LVAD device or a heart transplant. Structural Heart Program The structural heart program is another UCI School of Medicine strength. We work with cutting-edge devices and technologies to address failing aortic valves via transcatheter aortic valve replacement. We also perform transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve repair. We have strong relationships with replacement valve manufacturers, including Edwards Lifesciences in Irvine, the number one manufacturer of valves for transcatheter aortic valve replacements. Women’s Heart Health Women have been overlooked in the research and treatment of cardiovascular disease for decades. We are proud of our Women’s Heart Health program, which works to treat patients holistically, with careful attention to the subtleties of cardiovascular disease in women. We have a team of interprofessional care providers, including physicians, nurses and echocardiography technicians, trained in the nuances of care for female cardiac patients. Community Partnerships As the need for care of patients with complex cardiac and other health conditions grows, we continue to prioritize our cooperative, collegial relationships with local community health centers and referring physicians. Our division strives to serve as a resource for these facilities, serving as a partner in caring for their patients. We are also privileged to provide care for patients post-transplant and honored that the facilities where they receive their new hearts entrust their follow-up care to our team. Patient Care For information on patient care, please visit our healthcare website. There, you will find comprehensive information on patient care services, including details on our dedicated healthcare providers, cutting-edge practices and compassionate approach to patient care. Cardiovascular Services