Behzad Soleimani, MD

About Me

Behzad Soleimani, MD, an internationally recognized heart surgeon, joined the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center faculty in 2010 and became the surgical director for heart transplant and mechanical circulatory support in 2015. Today, the Heart Transplant Program at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is recognized as one of the most successful in the country.

He has pioneered innovative techniques in minimally invasive surgery to remove and replace left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) in patients whose hearts are supported with older generation devices, without the need for reopening the sternum. He was also the first surgeon in the United States to use a titanium plug to seal the hole within the recovered heart of an adult patient after the removal of an LVAD.

Dr. Soleimani is credited with having among the world’s largest number of surviving patients after LVAD implantation in cases of critical cardiogenic shock supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a machine that temporarily performs the functions of the heart and lungs. During his time with Penn State Health, he has implemented quality improvement initiatives that resulted in significant improvement in outcomes after cardiac surgery.

Dr. Soleimani is a graduate of the University of Cambridge, a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and a member of the Royal College of Physicians of London. He achieved board certification in cardiothoracic surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons in 2005. He was awarded a doctorate in transplantation immunology from Imperial College London in 2007.