Dr. Elizabeth Stephens
Cardiac Surgeon
1 Podcast on BackTable
Dr. Elizabeth Stephens is a congenital cardiac surgeon at Mayo Clinic Rochester in Minnesota.
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Episode # 454 • 09 Jun 2026
ACHD Surgery 101: Thinking Like a Surgeon
Using a case of a young adult undergoing a Ross procedure, the episode walks through what happens in the operating room—from induction and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), myocardial protection, and surgical repair. The discussion highlights key concepts including cardioplegia, cross-clamp and bypass times, hypothermic circulatory arrest, and the complexity of redo sternotomy. This episode provides learners with a practical framework to interpret operative reports, anticipate postoperative physiology, and better collaborate with surgical teams.
This episode was produced by the CardioNerds ACHD Council and planned by Dr. Rawan Amir.
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About
Elizabeth H. Stephens, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Surgery in Cardiovascular Surgery specializing in congenital cardiac surgery. She received her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and Ph.D in Bioengineering from Rice University focusing on tissue engineering heart valves. Her adult cardiothoracic training was completed at Columbia University and congenital training at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. Her clinical areas of expertise include the treatment of neonates, infants, and children with complex congenital heart disease, adult patients with congenital heart disease, including patients previously repaired, valve disease, including Ebstein's anomaly, pediatric patients with heart failure, including mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation, and patients with vascular rings and tracheal stenosis. In addition to her clinical areas of expertise, Dr. Stephens is active in outcomes research relative to congenital heart disease and is extensively published on various cardiac surgery conditions. She has a particular interest in education, including serving on national committees and mentoring trainees of all levels.
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