Department Welcomes Dr. Antonio Amodeo as Professor of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

The Stanford Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery is pleased to welcome Antonio Amodeo, MD, to the department as Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Division of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. He will serve as Director of Pediatric Thoracic Transplantation at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, effective November 1, 2025.  

“We are thrilled to have internationally renowned pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Amodeo join our pediatric cardiac surgery team. His deep expertise in treating complex congenital heart disease, along with his cutting-edge research, and patient-centered compassion, will be invaluable to our program and the families we serve,” said Joseph Woo, MD, Chair and Norman E. Shumway Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery. 

Dr. Amodeo joins Stanford Medicine from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome, Italy, where he served as Professor of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and Chief of Heart Failure, Thoracic Transplantation, and Mechanical Cardiocirculatory Support. He also served as the founding Surgical Director of the Mechanical Circulatory Program at Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, as well as the founding Surgical Director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart.

“It is a profound honor for me to join Stanford, an institution that represents the very history of cardiac transplantation,” said Dr. Amodeo. “After a lifetime dedicated to caring for children with heart failure, I am inspired by the opportunity to work alongside such an extraordinary team to push the boundaries of what is possible, to innovate together, and to offer new hope to patients and families around the world.”

Dr. Amodeo specializes in advanced cardiac procedures for complex congenital heart disease, including heart transplantation, total artificial heart implantation, and the use of ventricular assist devices (VADs). Throughout his career, he has performed thousands of operations on infants and children and implanted over 140 pediatric VADs. His career is marked by a record of pioneering achievements in the field, including the use of VADs as destination therapy for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Stanford Children’s is a leader in VAD volumes nationwide, and Dr. Amodeo’s expertise will reinforce this standing. 

Dr. Amodeo has performed landmark achievements in artificial heart implantation and transplantation. In 2010, he achieved a major milestone by implanting the world's first permanent artificial heart in a 15-year-old patient at Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital. In 2012, he implanted the world's smallest artificial heart in a 16-month old infant, the youngest patient to be supported with this type of pump. His work has been instrumental in applying these life-saving technologies to children with end-stage heart failure. In 2020, he performed the first pediatric heart transplant from a COVID-19 positive donor in Europe.

“Dr. Amodeo is highly respected in our field not only for his exceptional surgical skill but also for his pioneering innovations. We are thrilled to have him, and look forward to collaboratively pushing our limits to ensure that children with even the most complex conditions receive the best possible outcome,” said Michael Ma, MD, Division Chief and Associate Professor of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

Dr. Amodeo’s research focuses on clinical advancements in VAD therapy, including using engineering models to simulate patient-specific hemodynamics for new VAD designs, as well as myocardial recovery programs for VAD patients. He has served as principal investigator on two major national scientific projects in Italy, focusing on innovations in Fontan circulation and the development of a novel permanent artificial heart for patients with congenital heart disease and end-stage heart failure.

He received his medical degree from Naples University Medical School, Italy, and completed his training in pediatric cardiac surgery at Bambino Gesù Hospital. He is an active member of several professional organizations, including the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT).

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Amodeo to Stanford.