Ashraf Shaaban Abdelaziz Abouelela, MBBCH, M.Sc.

Surgeon - Cardiothoracic

Mansoura University

BACKGROUND

Internship in medicine and surgery, Mansoura University (2002-2003)
Resident of cardiothoracic surgery, Mansoura International Hospital (200
Resident of cardiothoracic surgery, Mansoura University Hospital (2004-2007)
Cardiothoracic surgery Specialist, Nasser Institute (2007-2010)
Assistant lecturer of cardiothoracic surgery, Mansoura University(2007-2010)
Clinical Instructor of Cardiothoracic transplant, University of Pittsburgh (2011-2013)
Advanced Fellowship in adult cardiac surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN ( 2013-2014)
Clinical Instructor of Heart transplant& MCS Washington University at St. Louis, MO (2014-2015)
Clinical Instructor of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI(2015-2017)
Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hugh E. Stephenson Department of Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO(2017-2019)
Clinical Assistant Professor of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI(2019-2024)
Senior Staff Cardiac Surgeon Henry Ford Health System ( 2024-2025)

OTHER INTERESTS

Adult cardiac surgery.
Mechanical Circulatory support
Heart and Lung transplantation
Ex-vivo Organ perfusion

RESEARCH

Publications/Scholarship

(Co-First Author *; Corresponding author **; Co-Last author ***)

Peer-Reviewed

Journal Article

1. Thompson MP, Likosky DS, Ghaferi AA, Brescia AA, Watt TM F, Cascino TM, Zhang M, McCullough JS, Shore S, Aaronson KD: Failure-to-Rescue as a Quality Metric for Durable Left-Ventricular Assist Device Implantation, PM34887093

2. Hasan, R, Abou EE A, Goldstein D: Innovations in cardiac transplantation, Current Opinion in Cardiology.32(3): 336-342, 05/2017. PM28306670

3. Ashmawy AA, Assem A, Abd El Hamid M, Salem A, Kassem A, Abdel Hakim MA, ElSheemy MS, Saad IR, Abo El-Ela A, Elgammal M: Impact of clinical stage on the outcome of laparoscopic radical cystectomy: a prospective cohort study, African Journal of Urology.26(1)12/2020

4. Tang PC, Duggal NM, Haft JW, Romano MA, Bolling SF, About EE A, Wu X, Colvin M, Aaronson KD, Pagani FD: Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation in Patients with Preoperative Severe Mitral Regurgitation, American Society for Artificial Internal Organs.67(10): 1139-1147, 02/2021. PM34570728

5. Rajajee V, Fung CM-C, Seagly KS, Park PK, Raghavendran K, Machado-Aranda DA, Scott JW, Delano MJ, Abou El Ela AS A A , Haft JW, Williamson CA, McSparron JI, Blank R, Napolitano LM: One-Year Functional, Cognitive, and Psychological Outcomes Following the Use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Prospective Study., Crit Care Explor.3(9): e0537, 09/2021. PM34589715

6. Rajajee V, Fung C, Seagly K, Park P, Raghavendran K, Machado-Aranda D, Scott J, Delano M, Abou EE A, Haft JW, Williamson CA, McSparron J, Blank R, Napolitano LM: One-year functional, cognitive and psychological outcomes following the use of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation in COVID-19: a prospective study., Critical Care Explorations.3(9)09/2021

7. Duggal NM, Lei I, Wu X, Aaronson KD, Pagani FD, Lam HY-K, Tang PC, Michigan Congestive Heart Failure Investigators: Mitral regurgitation severity at left ventricular assist device implantation is associated with distinct myocardial transcriptomic signatures., J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.09/2021. PM34689984

8. Liang JJ, Abou EE A, Bogun F: Double Right Ventricular Puncture During Percutaneous Epicardial Access: Rare Complication of Epicardial Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation., JACC. Clinical electrophysiology.8(5): 707-711, 01/2022. PM35589187

9. Tang PC, Wu X, Zhang M, Likosky D, Haft JW, Lei I, Abou EE A, Si MS, Aaronson KD, Pagani FD: Determining optimal donor heart ischemic times in adult cardiac transplantation., Journal of cardiac surgery.01/2022. PM35488767

10. Tang PC, Haft JW, Lei I, Wang Z, Chen YE, Abou El Ela A , Wu X, Pitt B, Aaronson KD, Pagani FD: Impact of donor blood type on outcomes after prolonged allograft ischemic times., J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.164(3): 981-993.e8, 09/2022. PM33558115

11. Likosky DS, Yang G, Zhang M, Malani PN, Fetters MD, Strobel RJ, Chenoweth CE, Hou H, Pagani FD, Michigan Congestive Heart Failure Investigators: Interhospital variability in health care-associated infections and payments after durable ventricular assist device implant among Medicare beneficiaries., J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.164(5): 1561-1568, 11/2022. PM34099272

12. Lei L, Huang W, Noly PE, Naik S, Ghali M, Liu L, Pagani FD, Abou El Ela A, Pober JS, Pitt B, Platt JL, Cascalho M, Wang Z, Chen YE, Mortensen RM, Tang PC: Metabolic reprogramming by immune-responsive gene 1 up-regulation improves donor heart preservation and function., Sci Transl Med .15(682): eade3782, 02/2023. PM36753565

13. Noly PE; Duggal N; Jiang M; Nordsletten D; Bonini M; Lei L; Abou el ela A; Haft JW; Pagani FD; Cascino T; Tang PC: Role of the mitral valve in left ventricular assist device pathophysiology. Front. Cardiovasc. Med. 9:1018295. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1018295

14. Lei L, Sicim H; Huang W; Noly PE; Pergande M; Wilson M; Lee A; Gao W; Liu L; Abou El Ela A; Jiang M; Saddoughi S; Pober JS; Platt JL; Cascalho M; Pagani FD; Chen YE; Pitt B; Wang Z; Mortensen R; Ge Y; Tang PC: Mineralocorticoid Receptor Phase Separation Modulates Cardiac Preservation” (reference number: NMED-A131831)- Submitted for publication at Nature 3, 2024.

15. Hüseyin Sicim, Ashraf Abou El Ela, Shuyang Lu, Chananya Karunasumetta, Sina Danesh, Gustavo Knop, Fuad Al Azzam, Wenbin Gao, Ying Wang, Wuqiang Zhu, Francis D. Pagani, Ienglam Lei, Paul C. Tang, Differential transcriptomic and metabolomic landscape between human hearts donated after cardiac vs brain death. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation,2026,ISSN 1053-2498,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healun.2026.03.014.

Non-Peer Reviewed

Case Reports

1. Atreya AR, Kawamoto K, Yelavarthy P, Arain MA, Cohen DG, Wanamaker BL, El Ela AA, Romano MA, Grossman PM: Acute Myocardial Infarction and Papillary Muscle Rupture in the COVID-19 Era., JACC Case Rep.2(10): 1637-1641, 08/2020. PM32839759

Editorial

1. Stulak JM, Abou El Ela A , Pagani FD: Implantation of a Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device: How I Teach It., Ann Thorac Surg.103(6): 1687-1692, 06/2017. PM28528026

2. Abou EE A, Tang PC: Commentary: Permanent dialysis access following total artificial heart implantation: A question of maturity, The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Techniques.3: 225-226, 07/2020. PM34317881

3. Pienta MJ, Noly P-E, Janda AM, Tang PC, Bitar A, Mathis MR, Aaronson KD, Pagani FD, Likosky DS, Michigan Congestive Heart Failure Investigators: Rescuing the right ventricle: A conceptual framework to target new interventions for patients receiving a durable left ventricular assist device., J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.04/2022. PM35527048

Meeting Abstract

1. Abou EE A S, Peer SM, Haft JW, Pagani FD: Left Ventricular Assist Device-Related Infection: Long-Term Treatment Efficacy with Pump Exchange, The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.35(4)04/2016

Other

1. Shigemura N, D’Cunha J, Hackman A, Abou EE A, Shiose A, Bhama J, Gries C, Crespo M, Zaldonis D, Johnson B, Pilewski J, Bermudez C: Lobar Lung Transplantation for High Risk Patients – Lessons from the Initial Experience, The Jounral of Heart and Lung Transplantation.32(4)04/2013

2. Abou EE A, Abdallah AK, Elgamal MA F, Amer SM A: Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in Patients with Poor Left Ventricular Function, Journal of The Egyptian Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.23: 7-13, 01/2015

3. Balsara KR, Keith A, Abou EE A, Joseph SM, Ewald GA, Silvestry SC, Itoh A: Pre-Op Renal Failure Is Not Associated With Increased Mortality Following LVAD Implantation, The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.34(4)04/2015

4. Itoh A, Keith A, Prasad SM, Abou EE A, Joseph SM, Ewald GA, Silvestry SC: Severity of Mitral Valve Regurgitation at the Time of LVAD Implant Does Not Alter Mid-Term Clinical Outcomes, The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.34(4)04/2015

5. Abou EE A, Balsara KR, Lee A, Joseph SM, Vader J, LaRue SJ, Ewald GA, Keith A, Silvestry SC, Itoh A: Driveline Infections in Left Ventricular Assist Devices: Review of Management Strategies and Their Outcomes, The Journal of the Heart and Lung Transplantation.34(4)04/2015

6. Koch KL, Abou EE A, Hasan R, Sarosi E, Pagani F, Haft J: Clinical Predictors of Pump Thrombosis in Explanted Ventricular Assist Devices, Clinical Predictors of Pump Thrombosis in Explanted Ventricular Assist Devices.35(4)04/2016

7. TANG PC, Haft JW, LEI I, Wang Z, Chen E, Abou el ela A , Pitt B, Aaronson KD, Pagani FD: Abstract 12932: The ABO Blood Group of Donor Hearts Determine the Impact of Cold Preservation Duration on Heart Transplant Outcomes, Circulation.142(Suppl_3)11/2020

8. Likosky DS, Yang G, Zhang M, Malani PN, Fetters MD, Strobel RJ, Chenoweth CE, Hou H, Pagani FD M H F I A, Tang PC, Thompson MP, Aaronson KD, Shore S, Cascino T, Salciccioli KB, Zhang M, McCullough JS, Hou M, Janda AM, Mathis MR, Watt TM, Pienta MJ, Brescia A, Airhart A, Liesman D, Nassar K: Interhospital variability in health care-associated infections and payments after durable ventricular assist device implant among Medicare beneficiaries, J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.S0022-5223(21)05/2021

9. Pienta MJ, Wu X, Cascino TM, Brescia AA, Abou EE A, Zhang M, McCullough JS, Shore S, Aaronson KD, Thompson MP, Pagani FD, Likosky DS, Michigan CH F I: Advancing Quality Metrics for Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device Implant: Analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Intermacs Database., The Annals of thoracic surgery.113(5): 1544-1551, 01/2022

10. Pienta MJ, Noly PE, Janda AM, Tang PC, Bitar A, Mathis MR, Aaronson KD, Pagani FD, Likosky DS, Michigan CH F I: Rescuing the right ventricle: A conceptual framework to target new interventions for patients receiving a durable left ventricular assist device., The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery.01/2022

Abstract/Posters

1. Shigemura N, D’Cunha J, Bhama JK, Shiose A, Abou El Ela A , Hackmann A, Zaldonis D, Toyoda Y, Pilewski JM, Luketich JD, Bermudez CA: Lobar lung transplantation: a relevant surgical option in the current era of lung allocation score., Netherlands, Ann Thorac Surg.96, (2): 451-456, 2013

2. Abou EE A, Balsara KR, Lee A, Joseph SM, Vader J, LaRue SJ, Ewald GA, Keith A, Silvestry SC, Itoh A: Driveline Infections in Left Ventricular Assist Devices: Review of Management Strategies and Their Outcomes, ISHLT 34th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions, San Diego, CA, 2014, The Journal of the Heart and Lung Transplantation.34, (4)

3. Abou EE A S, Peer SM, Haft JW, Pagani FD: Left Ventricular Assist Device-Related Infection: Long-Term Treatment Efficacy with Pump Exchange, ISHLT 36th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions, Washington DC, 2016, The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.35, (4)

4. Sharif L, Millis MA, Demarest CT, El Ela AA, McMurry KA, Lyu DM, Wakeam E: Use of Argatroban in Donor Lung Procurement: A Case Report, 2021, American Journal of Case Reports.(10.12659/AJCR.934054)

5. Abou EE A, Theurer P, Clark M, Nieter D, Alnajjar R, Nemeh H, Dabir R, Prager RL: COVID and Cardiac Surgery: We Shared, We Listened, We Learned, American Association for Thoracic Surgery, Virtual, 2021

6. Duggal NM, Ienglam L, Haft JW, Romano MA, Bolling SF, Abou EE A, Ailawadi G, Pagani FD, Lam HY-K, Tang PC: Significant Mitral Regurgitation Associated with LVAD Implantation Modulates the Human Myocardial Transcriptome, The Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, Virtual, 2021, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery

7. Pienta MJ, Cascino T, Brescia AA, Abou EE A, Zhang M, McCullough J, Shore S, Thompson M, Pagani F, Likosky D: Advancing Quality Metrics for Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device Implant: An Analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Intermacs Database, Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Virtual, 2022

Other research Studies:

Evaluation of cardiac graft function after re- animation of hearts from human DCD (donation after cardiac death donor) hearts utilizing ex-vivo normothermic perfusion

IRB number: HUM00119285

Role: Principal investigator (2015-2017)