Dr. Ricardo A. Lazala - Clinical Services

Ricardo A. Lazala, MD
Assistant Professor
Senior Director of Clinical Services
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery

With over 23 years of healthcare experience, Ricardo A. Lazala, MD, Assistant Professor, Senior Director, Clinical Services, leads the Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinical Services team, which consists of 26 Physician Assistants and 10 nationally Certified Cardiovascular Perfusionists (C.C.P.’s) in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Dr. Lazala attended The Autonomic University of Santo Domingo, and then continued his training at The Technologic University of Santiago where he earned his medical degree in 1988. He held various positions within the Health System of the Dominican Republic, including Medical Director of Maimon Sub Health Center in Banao as well as Medical Sub Director of the San Ramon Clinic in Banao, Dominican Republic.

One of Dr. Lazala’s contributions to the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery is the creation of a Hemodynamics Lab within the cardiac cluster of operating suites where surgical staff performs vital tests on the blood otherwise done by the lab, typically located in another area of the hospital. Having the ability to perform tests such as thromboelastography, PT INR, as well as platelet counts, steps away from the patient alleviates the need to send blood for testing down to the hospitals’ lab during cardiac procedures. This lab is beneficial to the patient as surgical time is decreased and these vital results are garnered much quicker.

Dr. Lazala is a member of the Coagulation and Hemostasis in Cardiac Surgery Research Team where the group investigates the hemostatic defects commonly present in the cardiac surgical population due to cardiopulmonary bypass and the perioperative use of antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents.

Dr. Lazala was appointed Senior Director, Clinical Services for the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and received his Assistant Professor appointment in 2010.

Publications

Thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair: is reimplantation of spinal cord arteries a waste of time? Etz CD, Halstead JC, Spielvogel D, Shahani R, Lazala R, Homann TM, Weisz DJ, Plestis K, Griepp RB.

Staged repair significantly reduces paraplegia rate after extensive thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Etz CD, Zoli S, Mueller CS, Bodian CA, Di Luozzo G, Lazala R, Plestis KA, Griepp RB.

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2010 Jun;139(6):1464-72.PMID: 20494193

Direct spinal cord perfusion pressure monitoring in extensive distal aortic aneurysm repair. Etz CD, Di Luozzo G, Zoli S, Lazala R, Plestis KA, Bodian CA, Griepp RB.

Ann Thorac Surg. 2009 Jun;87(6):1764-73; discussion 1773-4.PMID: 19463592