Cardiothoracic Surgeon Brings New Procedures to UHS

United Health Services is pleased to welcome cardiothoracic surgeon Daniel Beckles, MD, Ph.D. He comes to UHS from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, where he was the chief of cardiothoracic surgery.
 
A career in cardiothoracic surgery is the fulfillment of a childhood goal for Dr. Beckles, who explains, “When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandfather. He had diabetes, and I frequently accompanied him to the doctor 's office -- my earliest exposure to medicine. I had an interest in it as a career, so I kept my math and science grades up, and during college realized I had the grades and attributes to be a doctor.” Dr. Beckles chose to specialize in cardiothoracic surgery after discovering a fascination with complex heart and lung physiology and the field’s technically-challenging procedures. “Heart disease and lung cancer are two of the highest- mortality diseases, and my field is rewarding because I’m able to dramatically improve survival and quality of life for patients,” he says.
 
At UHS, Dr. Beckles will offer a full range of heart, lung and chest surgeries, also providing hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) for coronary artery disease, and mini-valve repair or replacement – all three procedures are new to UHS. He also brings a great deal of mitral valve experience to the organization. This surgery can be completed percutaneously, minimally invasively, or as an open procedure, depending on the patient’s anatomy and extent of the disease.
 
Dr. Beckles offers a minimally invasive option for as many procedures as possible. He explains, “I’ve been performing minimally-invasive cardiac and thoracic surgery procedures for a decade with superior results. Minimally-invasive surgery uses much smaller incisions than open surgery, which results in less physical trauma, pain and blood loss, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stays.”
 
With extensive experience in heart transplant, Dr. Beckles will work closely with regional transplant centers to prepare local patients for ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation or transplant when needed.
 
The changing nature of medicine is what fuels Dr. Beckles’ work: “I am excited to offer treatment options that weren’t available even just a few years ago. Today, we have the technology to offer a patient what is best for his or her specific condition, often serving as a second opinion to those who have been told there is only one way to treat their condition. My goal is to care for my patients in exactly the same way I would care for my family,” he says.
 
Dr. Beckles has a long-standing teaching background, and will be an attending physician in the UHS residency program, training the next generation of primary care providers, surgeons and specialists. He chose to work for UHS based on the organization’s long-standing commitment to clinical care for the community, and its multiple Centers of Excellence, including the Heart & Vascular Institute. “UHS has the capacity and desire to support teaching, education and research and aims to develop a national reputation. It’s something I want to be a part of,” he says.
 
Dr. Beckles earned his medical degree and Ph.D. from SUNY Brooklyn. He completed his internship and general surgery residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, his cardiothoracic surgery residency training at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and a fellowship in thoracic surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Chest Physicians and the American College of Cardiology.
 
For more information or to make an appointment with Dr. Beckles, visit nyuhs.org or call (607) 763-6580.