Jeffrey Keenan, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, has been named Surgical Director, Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS), for the Duke Heart Center. The role was previously held by Carmelo Milano, MD, Joseph and Dorothy Beard Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic (CT) Surgery.
Dr. Keenan completed his general and cardiothoracic surgery training at Duke. Following completion of his training, he joined the University of Washington as an assistant professor in their Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery before being recruited back to Duke.
As a member of Duke's CT surgery division, Dr. Keenan has done a phenomenal job supporting adult cardiac surgery, cardiac transplantation, and mechanical circulatory support. Jeff brings a tremendous work ethic, great communication, and team-player skills to the division and to the Duke Heart service line.
In his new role, Dr. Keenan will work closely with Stuart Russell, MD, Medical Director, MCS, and Stephanie Barnes, Clinical Director for Advanced Heart Failure.
Important responsibilities in this role include:
- Providing surgical oversight of the durable VAD program
- Serving as surgical site principal investigator on national trials of MCS devices at Duke, continuing to drive innovation in this space
- Reinvigorating Duke's effort to organize a multi-disciplinary cardiogenic shock team
- Overseeing quality improvement initiatives and databases related to MCS within Duke HEalth
Furthermore, Dr. Keenan will work closely with Jacob Schroder, MD, Surgical Director, Advanced Heart Failure and the Duke Heart Transplantation Program and co=director of the Cardiothoracic Surgery ICY, to strengthen MCS for transplant-bridging. He will also work closely with Jeff Gaca, MD, Section Chief, Adult Cardiac Surgery, to help enhance MCS support for high-risk cardiac surgery.