Cardiothoracic Surgery

Dr. Marvin D. Peyton is the Section Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery. He is joined by the other faculty members Timothy H. Trotter, M.D., Peter Pastuszko, M.D. and Marco A. Paliotta to provide the skills and knowledge necessary to manage the patients in cardiac and thoracic surgery. The program focuses on a wide spectrum of surgical procedures including repair of congenital heart defects, cardiac and pulmonary resections, esophageal surgeries, valve replacements, and coronary artery bypass operations.       

Dr. Peyton's clinical interests are varied including cardiac and non cardiac procedures in adults.   He is the first surgeon in Oklahoma to use radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation and our program is involved with the vascular surgery team's endostenting procedures for aortic disease with attention to thoracic trauma and thoracoabdominal aortic disease.   Dr. Trotter's interests reflect his practice at the VA Hospital and heart problems in adults. In addition to his duties as a pediatric cardiothoracic and cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. Pastuszko also runs a hyperhidrosis treatment program for the department. Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS), the technique used by Dr. Pastuszko is a cutting edge procedure for permanent correction of  hyperhidrosis.   Dr. Paliotta who joined the faculty in July 2007 is currently developing a program to provide patients with deteriorating hearts an improved quality of life with the use of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) which acts as a bridge to a heart transplant.

The residents are responsible for pre and postoperative patient care, as well as participating in weekly cardiothoracic surgery conferences. Medical students, general surgery residents, and cardiothoracic fellows all benefit from the cases reviewed, the technical approaches discussed and problems examined during conferences, patient rounds, and in the operating room.

The Section continues the strong commitment to high quality education with a two year cardiothoracic surgery fellowship. The two-year Cardiothoracic Surgery program accepts one applicant per year. The prerequisite for this program is a five-year general surgery residency and board eligibility. Residents may apply for the residency through the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS).

Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency Program - Details

Cardiothoracic Surgery Faculty