The Thoraxcenter; the organization

The Thoraxcenter of the Erasmus MC was founded in 1971 and is an integrated organization of the Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery departments. The head of the Cardiology department is prof.dr. M.L. Simoons. The head of the Cardiothoracic Surgery department is prof.dr. A.J.J.C. Bogers. The Thoraxcenter is divided into six medical units and three scientific units (see organization chart). In addition the Thoraxcenter has the biggest Heart Valve Bank in Europe.

The Thoraxcenter wants to stand out both nationally and internationally by the continuous promotion of the quality of patient care, scientific research and education in the field of cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery. The Thoraxcenter is often the birthplace of great modernization and innovations in the field of cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery.

In the Cardiology department patients are treated among other things with atherosclerosis, heart valve disorders, heart failure, congenital heart defects and cardiomyopathies. Echocardiography and interventional cardiology are two important spearheads, both for the treatment of patients and for scientific research.

In the Cardiothoracic Surgery department in addition to the operations for coronary heart disease (bypass operations), heart valve defects and heart operations in children (congenital defects) lung operations are also carried out. The Cardiothoracic Surgery department is one of the two Dutch heart transplant centers.