Dr. Eric J. Okum, MD

Dr. Okum's passion for the advancement of the cardiothoracic specialty has taken him as far as Brussels, Belgium, for training. As a result, he was the first physician in the United States to treat inappropriate sinus tachycardia (abnormally fast heart rate) using an advanced ablation technique. He specializes in aortic valve and bypass surgery, atrial fibrillation surgery, and implantation of heart assist devices, and he also treats patients with heart failure. Through his involvement, the TriHealth hybrid afib program is the busiest in the region.He dedicates his practice to applying minimally invasive surgical methods so his patients can have better and faster recoveries. But not only do Dr. Okum's patient benefit from his skill and expertise. He strives to advance the knowledge of other physicians through education sessions, instructional surgical videos, and participation on expert panels such as the Surgical Ablation section of the Society for Thoracic Surgeons. Co-author of more than a dozen clinical articles, Dr. Okum professes his fascination with the human heart and relates that expertise to answer his patients' questions to increase their understanding of their heart function and how he can help them. Dr. Okum believes that cardiac care continues to improve through more minimally invasive techniques, technological advances and new therapies that allow people to get back to work more quickly. He also observes that the streamlining of post-operative care is allowing people to get out of the hospital more quickly and safely. Dr. Okum's best health advice: If you smoke, quit. He personally chooses to model a healthy and balanced lifestyle by exercising, playing music and attending concerts. A Cincinnati native, Dr. Okum has regularly been selected as a Cincinnati Magazine Top Doctors.In the News: Collaborative Treatment Helps Pete Get Moving After AFib | TriHealth Procedures Give Firefighter New Lease on Life | TriHealth Robotic Heart Surgery Patient Back on Bicycle Two Weeks Post-Op | TriHealth Emergency Heart Surgery Prevents Possible Emergency Landing | TriHealth TriHealth Heart Institute Adds Five More Surgeons | TriHealth Sinus node sparing novel hybrid approach for treatment of inappropriate sinus tachycardia/postural sinus tachycardia: multicenter experience - PubMed (nih.gov) Abstract 16505: Sinus Node Sparing Surgical Hybrid Thoracoscopic Ablation for Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia: Results of a Prospective Multicenter Registry (the Susruta Registry) | Circulation (ahajournals.org)YouTube Surgical Education (note: graphic contents) Epicardial non atriotomy maze with interoperative testing - YouTube Thorascopic Maze Port Placement: Dr. Eric Okum - YouTube Left port placement, left PVI, left atrial appendage clipping: Dr Eric Okum - YouTube Convergent procedure with epicardial mapping mapping: Dr Eric Okum - YouTube Dr. Eric Okum - Intraoperative Testing of the Posterior Left Atrium During Surgical Ablation - YouTube [Afib Surgeons, Atricure] Drs. Eric Okum and Kathryn O'Keefe: Finding An AFib Mentor & Importance of Standardizing Lesion Sets - YouTube [Afib Surgeons, Atricure]