Professor Raimondo Ascione
Consultant Adult Cardiac Surgeon
MBBS, FRCS-CTh equiv, ChM, FRCS
"I enjoy working at Spire Hospital. The atmosphere is very supportive and the staff are committed to delivering quality of care."
Specialises in
I am an active NHS Consultant Cardiac Surgeon since August 2002 at the Bristol Heart Institute (BHI), University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Foundation Trust. I was trained in Naples, Italy and then Bristol from 1994 to July 2002.
I have performed >4,500 Adult Cardio-Thoracic surgical procedures as Chief Operator with an overall survival >99% (>4,100 Adult Cardiac Surgery procedures). In addition, I have performed >700 cardiac, lung and vascular surgical procedure as supervised trainee in Italy and UK and have worked as 1st Assistant in >1,500 cardiothoracic and vascular surgical procedures during my 1994-2002 surgical training period in Italy and UK.
More than 90% of my Consultant Adult Cardiac surgical practice consists of techniques I have contributed to develop and test in >15 phase I&II randomized controlled trials and >20 case cohort studies he has led in the NHS, all aimed at assessing the safety and efficacy of novel surgical techniques in reducing postoperative complications, particularly in high-risk elderly patients with diabetes, obesity, renal or lung disease.
I am a national/international expert in: Mitral Valve surgery (>1,100 cases completed at survival of 99.5%; MV repair success rate >90%); Coronary artery bypass surgery on the beating heart: (>1,300 cases completed at >99% survival); Aortic Valve surgery (>650 cases with survival >99%), Multivalvular surgery, combined coronary/valvular surgery, redo-surgery. My surgical performance is independently audited yearly by NICOR and reported via the SCTS.
My national clinical excellence has been recognised widely into the UK over the years through the following awards: National Clinical Impact Award (2023-28), National Clinical Excellence Silver Award (2013-23) and Bronze Award (2008-13), the Garfield Weston Trust Senior Lectureship in Cardiac Surgery (2003-08), the “UK Surgical Team of Year” prize awarded to the Bristol Team by UK Hospital Doctors in 2005, the Fellowship ad eundeum awarded by the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2004, the John Parker Gold Medal by the UK-SCTS Society in 2001, and the Runner-up prize by the British Cardiac Society in 2001.
During my career I have trained/supported >30 junior clinical fellows, academic scientists and postgraduate students.
Treatment information
Some of the principal treatments carried out by Professor Raimondo Ascione at Spire include:
Cardiac surgery
- Ablation of arrhythmia
- Coronary artery bypass surgery (heart bypass)
- Heart valve replacement
Other treatments
- Ablation of atrial fibrillation
- Aortic valve surgery
- Mitral valve repair surgery (National Expert)
- Beating heart coronary bypass surgery (International Expert)
Get in touch
Important information about COVID-19 tests
COVID-19 testing or antibody tests are not available as a standalone service at Spire Bristol Hospital.
Additional information
Clinical interests
Cardiothoracic surgery
Special clinical interests: Coronary surgery without heart-lung machine. Arterial graft revascularisation. Mitral valve repair/ replacement. Aortic valve surgery. End-stage heart failure.
Qualification and professional memberships
MB BS / University Hospital Federico II, Naples, Italy / 1993
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
MBBS is a degree given to physicians at the basis of their training.
FRCS equiv / University-Hospital Federico II, Naples, Italy / 1994
State Exam
FRCS-CTh equiv / University-Hospital Federico II, Naples, Italy / 1999
Specialist in Cardiac Surgery
ChM / University of Bristol / 2002
Master of Surgery
FETCS / Vienna / 2003
European Board of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons
FRCS ad eundeum / Royal College of Surgeon of England / 2004
FRCS ad eundeum
Professional memberships
The European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland.
Cardiothoracic Surgery Network
American Association for Thoracic Surgery
Professional leadership
July 2013-Aug 2015: Clinical Director Bristol Heart Institute UHBristol NHS Foundation Trust
May 2014-June 2015: Cardiac Surgery Lead, Bristol Heart Institute UHBristol NHS Foundation Trust
June 2010-July 2014: Nucleus Cardiovascular Surgery Working Group European Society of Cardiology
Research and publications
Professor Ascione has secured > £58M in research grant and research capital bid awards as Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI, > 250 publications including >220 Google Scholar-censed publications, 2 patents, 7 book chapters, 45 refereed Conference Contributions, 21 Reviews and Editorials. His research has inspired others with > 9800 citations; H-Index: 51 (Google Scholar). Significant national/international media interest with >45 reports including the BBC, The Times, The Washington Post. His research publications are online here.
Articles
Early and mid-term outcome after off-pump and on-pump surgery in Beating Heart Against Cardioplegic Arrest Studies (BHACAS 1 and 2): a pooled analysis of two randomised controlled trials. Lancet 2002;359:1194-99
April 2002
Media Coverage
I have featured within both national and local press. Including the Washington Post and BBC News.
"Poor Blood Sugar Control After Heart Surgery Impacts Outcomes"
14/07/2008
Cardiac team in stem-cell tests
June 2007
Current NHS posts
Consultant Adult Cardiac Surgeon, University Hospital Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Professor of Cardiac Surgery, University of Bristol
Personal profile
I enjoy spending my spare time with my wife, children, family and friends. I also enjoy cycling, opera, gardening, cooking and walking in the beautiful British countryside.
Contact information
| Telephone | 0117 928 3145 |
| Private secretary | Mrs Debbie Chidzey |
| Private secretary telephone | 0117 342 6221 |
| Private secretary email | Debbie.Chidzey@UHBW.nhs.uk |