About me
Christian Shults, MD, is a cardiac surgeon at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. He is the regional director of cardiac aortic surgery, surgical ablation, and innovation, as well as the fellowship director for the complex aortic structural heart program. He is also an assistant professor of surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Shults is board certified in general and thoracic surgery.
Dr. Shults specializes in the treatment of complex aortic disease, structural heart disease, valvular disease and redo valves, coronary artery disease, and atrial fibrillation through the use of open, endovascular, minimally invasive, and transcatheter treatment therapies. In particular, he treats patients with aneurysms of the aortic root, ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending thoracic aorta, and thoracoabdominal aorta, in addition to anomalous coronaries, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, endocarditis.
As a national proctor for the Convergent Procedure for minimally invasive treatment of atrial fibrillation, Dr. Shults has performed one of the highest volumes in the country and gives lectures nationwide to other physicians about the procedure.
Dr. Shults is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the American Medical Association, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Shults recently served as interim chair of Cardiac Surgery between 2019 and 2021.
After receiving his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine, Dr. Shults completed a residency in general surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital-Washington Hospital Center. During this time, he spent a year at Harvard Medical School for a research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he focused on developing novel strategies to treat patients in hemorrhagic shock. He then returned to MedStar Washington Hospital Center as chief resident of general surgery. After this, Dr. Shults continued his specialty training in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Emory University, where he completed a three-year specialized fellowship focusing on revascularization, complex aortic disease, valvular and transcatheter valvular therapies, as well as all other aspects of cardiac surgery. Next, he traveled to Leipzig, Germany for a visiting fellowship in minimally invasive/transcatheter aortic valve repair at the University of Leipzig Heart Hospital. He returned to the U.S. for an aortic surgery mini-fellowship at the University of Texas-Houston Memorial Hermann Hospital and an endovascular mini-fellowship at the Arizona Heart Hospital Department of Heart & Vascular Surgery.
Dr. Shults takes interest in healthcare reform, healthcare economics, and innovations for minimally invasive or transcatheter therapies. His research efforts include treatment outcomes for complex aortic disease, valvular heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and coronary artery disease. Dr. Shults is currently enrolling patients in several unique clinical trials, including the use of GORE® TAG® TBE, thoracic endoprosthesis in the treatment of lesions of the aortic arch and descending thoracic aorta; GORE® TAMBE, thoracoabdominal branch endoprosthesis for the treatment of thoracoabdominal and pararenal aortic aneurysms; NeoChord artificial chordae delivery system, a mitral valve repair technique for patients with severe mitral regurgitation; a new stent for the endovascular treatment of arch aneurysms; Allergan/Botox® study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Botox for the treatment of atrial fibrillation; as well as several trials involving the latest in transcatheter valve technology. Additionally, he is principal investigator for the Bolton Medical acute complicated type B thoracic aortic dissection clinical trial.
Philosophy of Care
“My goal is to deliver the best solution possible to my pat
Clinical areas of focus
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Aortic Valve Surgery
- Atrial Appendage Closure
- Atrial Septal Defect Closure
- Mitral Valve Repair
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breathing
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Ischemic Heart Diseases
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Amyloidosis
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Angina Pectoris
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Aneurysm Rupture
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Disorders
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Prosthetic Device Complications
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiomyopathy
- Circulatory System Complications
- Coarctation Of The Aorta
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Cardiac Surgery
- Complications Of Heart Transplant
- Complications Of Procedures
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Congenital Heart Valve Defects
- Congenital Malformation Syndromes Affecting Multiple Systems
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Arteries
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Veins
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Congenital Malformations Of Pulmonary And Tricuspid Valves
- Coronary Artery Blockage
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Disease
- Heart Transplant Complications
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Infectious Endocarditis
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocardial Infarction Complications
- Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Disease
- Pericardium Diseases
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Pulmonary Valve Endocarditis
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Pulmonary Vessel Disease
- Rheumatic Fever With Heart Involvement
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Heart Diseases
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Tricuspid Stenosis
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aneurysm Repair
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Stenosis Treatment
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Aortic Valve Supplement
- Aortic Valve Surgery
- Atrial Appendage Closure
- Atrial Septal Defect Closure
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Cardiac Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiac Ablation For Ventricular Tachycardia
- Cardiac Myxoma Excision
- Cardiac Surgery For Congenital Heart Defects
- Cardiac Surgery For Congenital Heart Disease
- Cardiac Surgery For Heart Transplantation
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Device Implantation For Heart Failure
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Failure Treatment
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Microvascular Transplant Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Mitral Balloon Valvuloplasty
- Mitral Valve Reconstruction
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Pulmonary Valve Reconstruction
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Reconstruction
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Fibrillation Treatment
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- TRICARE for Life East
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- OA Plus
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- IH-EPO Plus
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- First Health PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Medicare Direct
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Choice POS II
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- MultiPlan, Inc
- IH-HMO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst EPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- HumanaChoice PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Beech Street PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- IH-Open HMO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Basic
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- IH-PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Optimum Choice
- POS OA
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-POS Plus
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- IH-Indemnity
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Network OA
- Aetna Classic 5000
- IH-POS
- CIGNA EPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- First Health PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CIGNA PPO
- Aetna HMO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Medicare FFS
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Student Resources
- HighMark
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- UHC Passport
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Choice POS
- IH-Open POS II
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Core Essential (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Navigate
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Open POS Plus
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Fellowship: Emory University School of Medicine (2013)
Residency: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2010)
Medical School: Georgetown University Medical Center (2004)
Awards
- Washingtonian Top Doc 2025