Christophe Hansen-Estruch, M.D., a cardiothoracic 4/3 integrated resident in the UAB Department of Surgery, has been selected for the Young Cardiac Robot Investigator Award at the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS) conference in Greece.

Hansen-Estruch won the award for his podium presentation "Is Re-Operative Robot Assisted Cardiac Surgery Feasible and Safe? A Propensity Matched Analysis." He is currently a fifth-year resident in UAB’s integrated cardiothoracic pathway residency, which combines cardiac surgery training with the foundations of general surgery.

UAB Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery faculty Dr. Panayotis Vardas, Dr. Clifton Lewis, and Dr. James Davies provided mentorship throughout the project. The faculty members’ research efforts directly seek to improve the field of robotic cardiac surgery and minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

“It is truly an honor to be selected for the Young Cardiac Robot Investigator Award,” says Hansen-Estruch. “I look forward to continuing my research in robotically-assisted surgery to learn more about the safest and most efficient procedure methods possible for the treatment of patients.”

About the Young Cardiac Robot Investigator Award

The Young Cardiac Robot Investigator Award aims to support robotic cardiac surgical research and training worldwide. The chosen recipient will receive a $3,000 award, which will cover travel expenses to the ISMICS meeting and also includes a week-long traveling fellowship for case observation and training at the Robotic Cardiac Surgery Program at the University of Chicago Medicine with Dr. Husam Balkhy.