Ottavio Alfieri
San Raffaele University of Rome, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele
Papers
6
Total Citations
308
H-Index
5
About
Ottavio Alfieri is a pioneering cardiac surgeon whose career has been defined by a relentless drive to make open-heart surgery less invasive. His key research areas center on the evolution of mitral valve interventions and the development of minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgical techniques. Alfieri’s major contributions are foundational, particularly in demonstrating the feasibility of totally endoscopic atrial septal defect (ASD) closure. His landmark 2001 paper on the first six patients undergoing totally endoscopic, computer-enhanced ASD closure (86 citations) and his subsequent 2002 series of seven cases (31 citations) were instrumental in proving that robotic systems could replicate complex open-heart procedures through tiny incisions. He also advanced the technical infrastructure of minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS), notably through his work on vacuum-assisted venous drainage (61 citations), which enabled safer peripheral cannulation with smaller tubes. Alfieri’s broader impact is captured in his highly cited 2011 review on the shift from surgery to percutaneous mitral valve interventions (120 citations), a paper that charts the very trajectory he helped pioneer. Through these achievements, Alfieri has not only shaped modern surgical practice but also inspired a generation of surgeons to push the boundaries of what is possible in cardiac care.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1The Evolution From Surgery to Percutaneous Mitral Valve Interventions120 citations · 2011
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- 6The use of robotic technology in the LAST operation.2 citations · 2001