Thoracic surgeon to join WVU Heart and Vascular Institute at United Hospital Center
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Thoracic surgeon Nicholas Baker, M.D., is joining the WVU Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute at United Hospital Center, where he will begin seeing patients in August.
“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Dr. Baker,” Vinay Badhwar, M.D., executive chair of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute and chair of the WVU Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, said. “Dr. Baker will bring additional expertise in advanced minimally invasive and robotic lung and esophageal surgery as he joins our superb colleagues across the state, especially Dr. Hansen at United Hospital Center. Together, our Thoracic Division has become one of the largest and most progressive in the nation, and Dr. Baker’s addition further enhances our ability to serve our community.”
Baker, a graduate of the WVU School of Medicine, returns to his alma mater from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), where he has focused his career on robotic-assisted thoracic surgery while serving as the director of Robotic Thoracic Surgery. He is board certified in surgery and thoracic and cardiac surgery.
He completed his general surgery residency training at Charleston Area Medical, where he developed an interest in thoracic surgery. He then completed cardiothoracic surgery and minimally invasive thoracic surgery fellowships at UPMC. He also completed additional training in surgical robotics and oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City.
In addition to his robotic-assisted surgery expertise, Baker has been involved in multiple innovative programs. He created a multidisciplinary program for the management of thoracic outlet syndrome utilizing robot-assisted first rib resection, offered at a small number of institutions across the nation. He has also led the adult pectus excavatum program, which uses minimally invasive techniques, such as Nuss bar placement. Most recently, he was the first thoracic surgeon involved in the commercial launch of a novel intraoperative molecular imaging agent, Cytalux (pafolacianine).
Clinically, Baker specializes in all aspects of thoracic surgery, including benign and malignant diseases of the lung, esophagus, mediastinum, and pleura with robotic, minimally invasive, and open approaches.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Baker to UHC in close partnership with the WVU Heart and Institute and the WVU Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery,” David Hess, M.D., president and CEO of WVU Medicine United Hospital Center, said. “As a proud, home-grown West Virginian, Dr. Baker brings important expertise as we continue to provide access to ever-advancing care to our Bridgeport and Clarksburg community as well as the surrounding region.”
Last year, the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute was named one of the top 50 cardiac surgery programs in the United States by Healthgrades. It was also the top-ranked cardiac surgery program in West Virginia by U.S. News & World Report and earned the top 3-star ranking for esophageal surgery by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
About the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute
More than 100 cardiovascular-focused faculty and 1,500 affiliated team members of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute provide nation-leading innovations in complex valve therapy, robotic surgery, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and transplantation. The Institute’s distinguished faculty and their dedication to excellence and innovation have positioned the Institute as the leading national center for robotic cardiac surgery in the United States. For more information, visit WVUMedicine.org/Heart.