Heart Surgery

Our doctors are nationally-renowned cardiac surgeons. Luis Castro, MD, and Adam Harmon, MD, are highly skilled surgeons with extensive experience in complex heart cases and a special clinical interest in valve repair and replacement.

			Luis J. Castro, MD Dr. Castro received his medical degree at Stanford University School of Medicine, completing his internship and residency in general surgery at Stanford as well. Dr. Castro completed his cardiovascular surgery residency at the University of Southern California; he is board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery. Dr. Castro has been involved in or performed more than 5,000 cardiac operations; he has particular interest in mitral valve repair and aortic root reconstruction. Dr. Castro has also enjoyed medical research – being published in numerous publications and presenting multiple times at scientific sessions. Dr. Castro is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Western Thoracic Surgical Association and the Society of Thoracic Surgery. He has served as a consultant for Medtronic and St. Jude Medical, Inc. He is fluent in Spanish. Click here to hear Dr. Castro describe minimally invasive valve repair.
			Adam L. Harmon, MD Dr. Harmon graduated from Albany Medical College in New York. He completed his internship and residency at Brooklyn’s Maimonides Medical Center and completed his Cardiothoracic Surgery fellowship at State University of New York, Health Sciences Center at Brooklyn. Dr. Harmon is board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery. He was Director of Cardiac Surgery for three years at Washington Township Hospital in Fremont, CA, before moving to the mid-peninsula area and joining a team of cardiac surgeons at Sequoia Hospital. Dr. Harmon has participated in and performed close to 3,000 heart surgeries. His areas of interest include adult cardiac surgery and general thoracic surgery.

They play an integral role in the success of the Sequoia Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute—Dr. Castro currently serves as the Director of Cardiac Surgery at Sequoia Hospital. They are leaders in complex cardiac surgeries and minimally invasive valve surgeries. Patients are referred to these surgeons from throughout the state of California and the nation.

Drs. Castro and Harmon choose to practice exclusively at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, where their skills are complimented by an expert team of nurses and other clinical staff who have worked with them for two decades. The team at Sequoia Hospital, including the surgeons, produce some of the best quality outcomes in the U.S.

Sequoia Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute

Sequoia Hospital ranks among the nation’s leading providers of cardiovascular care.

The best survival rates.
The risk-adjusted survival rates achieved by physicians practicing at Sequoia are among the very best in the nation and have been for more than 20 years (Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database).

The best valve survival rates in the nation.
For the past five years we have been at the 100th percentile for aortic valve survival and mitral valve replacement survival, the 95th percentile for aortic/mitral + CAB, and the 95th percentile for valve volume.

The best survival rates for complex surgeries.
Sequoia performs four times the national average of complex cardiac surgery for patients who have undergone one or more previous cardiac operations. Survival rates remain the same despite the increased complexity.

Minimally invasive.
Surgeons practicing at Sequoia have performed more than 2,000 operations through mini incisions and also do coronary bypass off the heart-lung machine on appropriate candidates. These techniques help to reduce hospital stay and shorten recovery times.