Le Bonheur Adds Cardiac Experts

Dr. Umar Boston, CV Surgeon

Dr. Antonio Cabrera, CVICU

Dr. Antonio Cabrera and Dr. Umar Boston recently joined Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center’s Cardiac Institute, the only pediatric cardiovascular program in the Mid-South.

Pediatric Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Umar Boston began performing surgery at Le Bonheur in September. He also serves as an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). Dr. Boston, completed his pediatric cardiothoracic surgery fellowship in June at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. He also completed general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery residencies at the Mayo Clinic and received his medical degree from Howard University in Washington, DC. Boston, who grew up in Australia, attributes his love of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery to his time at Mayo, which has a great tradition of heart surgery.

“That environment my interest and I became fascinated with these operations, which are remarkable and technically challenging," he said.

Beginning January 2007, Dr. Antonio Cabrera will become the medical director of the new Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit scheduled to open later in the year. Dr. Cabrera , who also holds an appointment as clinical assistant professor at UTHSC, completed his cardiovascular intensive care fellowship at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. He fulfilled a cardiology fellowship with the Department of Pediatrics at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. He also completed his pediatric residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago Hospitals and Clinics and received his medical degree from the Universidad Franciso Marroquin Facultad de Medicina Guatemala.

“Dr. Cabrera will bring an expertise in the care of the most complex congenital cardiac lesions. He will dedicate his clinical efforts to keeping Le Bonheur at the cutting edge of care,” said Dr. Jeff Myers, chief of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery.

Approximately eight in every 1,000 children are born with a congenital heart defect, and Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center offers extensive services in this area. Cardiovascular services at Le Bonheur include evaluation and treatment of all forms of congenital and acquired heart disease, hypertension, cardiac rhythm disorders and other related pediatric cardiology diagnoses. The Cardiac Institute utilizes the skills of pediatric cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and a specially trained staff of pediatric experts.

Posted: December 7, 2006 For more information please contact: Jennifer Parris , 901.287.6030