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Duke Heart Pulse — August 31, 2025

By Tracey Koepke in Uncategorized on August 31, 2025

Chief’s message: Advancing Cardiovascular Medicine

This weeks Pulse highlights the official end of summer with Labor Day and many of our families with Kids back in school. The weekend also had the European Society of Cardiology with many important presentations from our faculty that we will present in coming weeks. The Pulse this week highlights the continued work by many in the Heart center including stories on partial heart transplants/living valve transplants by our leaders in Pediatric Heart Surgery, another graduating class of cardiac ultrasound sonographers, and increasing enthusiasm as we work towards the AHA Heart Walk in October.

Highlights of the week:

Living Heart Valves Show Promise Across Multiple Pediatric Conditions

A procedure which uses living heart valves may have expanded application as a treatment for various types of pediatric heart valve conditions. The research was led by pediatric heart specialists at Duke Health. It looked at 19 children with various heart conditions who received a partial heart transplant, a procedure which uses living valves from donor hearts.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on August 27. It found the partial heart transplant series resulted in valves that worked across different diagnoses and grew over time, matching the child’s development.

“This study shows that partial heart transplantation is not just a one-time success – it’s a versatile option that can be used across a range of heart conditions,” said Joseph Turek, MD, PhD, corresponding author of the study and chief of pediatric cardiac surgery at Duke Health.

“We’re seeing valves that grow, function well, and require less immunosuppressant medication than a full heart transplant,” Turek said, “That’s a huge win for these kids and their families.”

The research builds on Duke Health’s pioneering work in partial heart transplantation. Duke performed the world’s first partial heart transplant in 2022 and later achieved another milestone with the world’s first living mitral valve replacement.

For this study, researchers followed 19 patients who received partial heart transplants at Duke between April 2022 and December 2024. The children ranged in age from newborns to teens and had a variety of heart conditions, including truncus arteriosus, Tetralogy of Fallot, and other diagnoses.

The team measured valve growth using ultrasound and found the valves in all 19 cases maintained healthy function with no patients needing a reoperation due to valve failure.

In one remarkable case, a child had to stop taking anti-rejection medication altogether (due to an unrelated infection) and the valve continued to grow and function normally.

“This case gives us hope that some children may not need lifelong immunosuppression,” said Douglas Overbey, MD, study author and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at the Duke University School of Medicine.

“That’s important because these medications can cause serious side effects over time,” Overbey said. “If we can reduce or even eliminate the need for them, it’s a major step forward.”

Partial heart transplant is still a new approach. Researchers say more studies are needed to understand its long-term effects, but the early results are encouraging.

In addition to Turek and Overbey, study authors include Berk Aykut, John Kucera, Cathlyn Medina, Neeta Sethi, Piers Barker, and Erin Shea.

Preclinical research was funded by the Brett Boyer Foundation and the Graeme McDaniel Foundation.

Allen Begins Tenure as Chair of Surgery

Peter J. Allen, MD, David C. Sabiston Jr. Distinguished Professor of Surgery, this week began his tenure as the new Chair of the Department of Surgery.

All faculty, trainees, and staff are invited to learn more about Allen’s experience and vision for the department at his Grand Rounds presentation on Weds., Sept. 3, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. in Duke North Room 2002 or remotely via Zoom. The Zoom passcode is 2025.

Duke Cardiac Ultrasound Program Graduation Held

Congratulations to the Duke Cardiac Ultrasound Certificate Program team and graduates! Graduation was held last weekend to celebrate their nine graduates — all of whom have passed their professional registries and landed jobs! Five of them have formally joined the Duke Heart team — four of them in the adult sonography lab and one in the pediatric lab.

Avery Ongman received the Joseph Kisslo MD Outstanding Student in Cardiac Ultrasound award. Congratulations to all!

Understanding and working to improve unreliable information in healthcare:
The Aletheia Chapter at Duke is tackling the issue of unreliable health information and its impacts on our patients and communities. Join us to work with like-minded individuals, participate in consensus-building, and contribute to a healthier future. If you’re interested, please email Robert Califf at [robert.califf@duke.edu].

Annual HWH Softball Tourney Held

The 9th annual Hitting with Heart softball tournament was held last weekend at Valley Springs Park in Durham. It was another successful year — the annual fundraiser raised approximately $1000.00 for the American Heart Association’s 2025 Triangle Heart Walk! Ten teams participated in the tournament. Nine of them were from units across Duke University Hospital and one team was from Duke Raleigh.

It was an all-day double elimination tournament that went from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. On behalf of Jason Stokes, a planner for the tournament, we want to thank the 7 West Healthy Work Environment committee and their families for volunteering as scorekeepers, clean-up crews, and general support to make the day run smoothly. Duke Health Engineering & Operations took home the trophy as tournament champions for the second year in a row.

Congratulations to all!

Sanders Joins Duke Cardiology Ambulatory Leadership Team, Effective Sept. 2

We are pleased to announce that Erica Sanders MSN, RN, NE-BC, CEN, will officially join our Duke Cardiology Ambulatory leadership team on September 2. Erica will be stepping into Annette Moore’s HCA role ahead of Annette’s anticipated retirement later this year.

Erica brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Ambulatory Heart team, according to Matt Fitzsimmons, Regional Director of Duke Cardiology Ambulatory Operations. She comes to us from her role as DPC Nurse Manager, and she also has valuable cardiovascular experience from her time at Wake Med. We have no doubt that her skills and knowledge will be a tremendous asset to the team.

Erica and her husband, Cliff, enjoy fishing, boating, and spending weekends at Atlantic Beach – their home away from home. If they are not at the beach, they can probably be found at a ball field watching a baseball game. She is stepmom to two boys, Cameron and Andrew. The family has a two-year-old golden retriever named Woody who loves kids and being on the boat.

We are excited to have you on board, Erica, and we look forward to working with you!

DUHS UPDATE: Flu Vaccination Season Begins October 9

In keeping with our core value of caring for our patients, their loved ones, and each other, we consistently strive to provide a safe clinical care and work environment. One way we do that across the Duke University Health System is through our Healthcare Worker Flu Vaccination policy. It requires all healthcare workers* to either receive a flu vaccine annually or receive an approved exemption.

Compliance with the flu vaccination policy is a condition of employment for all DUHS team members. It is also a condition of access to Duke Health facilities and information systems for those holding clinical privileges in a Duke Health facility, as well as learners who wish to train in our facilities.

Beginning October 9, vaccination clinics for faculty and staff will be available at each hospital and at select off-campus locations. These options include peer vaccination sites in clinical work areas, Employee Occupational Health & Wellness (EOHW), and pop-up vaccination sites run by EOHW. Please note, if you receive your vaccination separate from Employee Health or a peer vaccination site, you must submit proof of vaccination through the VaxTrax upload site.

Here are the key dates for this year’s flu vaccination season:

Thursday, October 9 — Launch of flu vaccination season
Thursday, October 30 — Deadline to apply for a medical or religious exemption
Tuesday, November 18 at 10 a.m. — Deadline for policy compliance through vaccination or granted medical or religious exemption

*Healthcare Worker: All people who provide care, treatment, or services to or for Duke Health regardless of work location or pay status, including members of the medical staff, administrative professionals, contract employees, volunteers, vendors, health profession learners, and associated faculty/instructors.

Please note: Due to the availability of an egg-free formulation of the flu vaccine, egg allergy does not qualify for a medical exemption.

More information regarding the vaccination process will be forthcoming. If you have any questions about the flu vaccine, please contact EOHWflu@dm.duke.edu. Thank you for your commitment to keeping our patients, fellow team members, and our community safe and healthy.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

September: National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness month

Stead Tread 5K Run/Walk – September 20

Department of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program annual 5K. 9 a.m., at Solite Park in Durham.

The division with the most participants gets a trophy! Register or donate HERE. Sign up by September 1 to guarantee you’ll get an event T-shirt! Reach out to event planner Victor Ayeni (victor.ayeni@duke.edu) with any questions.

Go get that trophy, Duke Cardiology!

Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium — October 4

This year’s symposium is designed to address emerging clinical questions in echocardiography, updated guideline recommendations, and new imaging modalities through case-based learning and practical applications. The 2025 agenda features expert-led sessions on updated ASE guidelines, coronary artery disease evaluation, strain imaging in cardiomyopathies, tricuspid valve disease, cardiac POCUS, and technical skills development through hands-on breakout sessions. Trent Semans Center, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

To register, please visit https://events.duke.edu/DukeCIS2025.

2025 Triangle Heart Walk – October 11

Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

3801 Rock Quarry Rd, Raleigh, NC 27610.

Festivities begin at 7:30 a.m.; Remarks will begin at 8:45 a.m. with the Walk immediately following. The event venue will be open through 11 a.m.

New Faculty Orientation – October 13

The School of Medicine’s annual Academic New Faculty Orientation will be held Monday, October 13, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Trent Semans Center.

To learn more and register, please visit https://duke.is/SOM-NFO.

17th Annual NC RTP Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium — October 31

This symposium will explore optimal diagnostic strategies for treating patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, treatment selection, and timely referrals to specialized PH centers. Clinically challenging presentations, including CTD-PAH, CPPC PH, CTEPH, PH associated with ILD, COPD, portopulmonary hypertension, and PH in end-stage renal disease, will be addressed — with a focus on frontline providers — through interactive lectures and robust case-based discussions. Durham Convention Center. To register, please visit: https://events.duke.edu/17PH2025.

Duke Cardiovascular MR Practicum & Board Review – December 8-12

The Fall 2025 course will be held December 8-12 in the Penn Pavilion at Duke University. For more information, contact Michele Parker. The full course brochure and registration link are available here.

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart & Vascular at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our team. Please call me with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged. Submissions by Noon on Wednesdays will be considered for weekend inclusion.

Duke Heart in the News:

August 21 — Susan Spratt (Endocrinology)

The New York Times

4 Surprising Ways Healthy Heart Habits Benefit Your Whole Body

August 24 — Doug Overbey

Nigerian Tribune

Doctors pioneer world-first heart repair surgeries to save children’s lives

August 25 — Marat Fudim and Kara Wegermann (Gastroenterology)

Daily Mail

The ‘silent’ disease that raises your risk of heart failure… do YOU have it?

August 26 — Marat Fudim

AHA Newsroom/heart.org