Elias Akiki

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Elias Akiki is a cardiothoracic surgeon and researcher whose work focuses on the frontiers of minimally invasive cardiac surgery, particularly the robotic-assisted management of rare cardiac tumors. His major contributions center on refining surgical techniques for papillary fibroelastomas (PFEs) and atrial myxomas, demonstrating that robotic-assisted resection can achieve excellent outcomes while sparing patients the morbidity of a median sternotomy. In his landmark case series from the Mayo Clinic, Akiki reported on 12 patients who underwent robotic PFE resection, providing critical evidence that this approach is both safe and effective for these benign but embolization-prone tumors. His work on a challenging left atrial myxoma extending into the pulmonary veins further showcases his expertise in managing complex tumor anatomy through minimally invasive corridors. Though early in his career, with his most cited papers accumulating 3 and 2 citations respectively, Akiki’s contributions are already shaping the standard of care for cardiac tumor surgery. His research is particularly valuable for surgeons and trainees seeking to expand the indications for robotic cardiac surgery, offering a roadmap for treating rare pathologies with cutting-edge technology.