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 Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Aortic Valve Surgery
- Atrial Appendage Closure
- Atrial Septal Defect Closure
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiomyopathy
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
- Abnormal Blood
- Abnormal Body Structure Imaging
- Abnormal Breathing
- Abnormal Function Study Results
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Ischemic Heart Diseases
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Amyloidosis
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Angina Pectoris
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Aneurysm Rupture
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Disorders
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Arterial Embolism
- Artery Disorders
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Atrioventricular Block
- Benign Neoplasm Of Intrathoracic Organs
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Bleeding Disorders
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Prosthetic Device Complications
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiomyopathy
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- 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 Musculoskeletal System
- Congenital Malformations Of Pulmonary And Tricuspid Valves
- Congenital Malformations Of Trachea And Bronchus
- Coronary Artery Blockage
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Cough
- Diseases Of Blood And Blood
- Disorders Of Autonomic Nervous System
- Electrical Conduction Disorders
- Emergency Use Of U07
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Gestational Edema
- Heart Disease
- Heart Transplant Complications
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hip And Thigh Blood Vessel Injury
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypotension
- Infectious Endocarditis
- Intrathoracic Organ Injury
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Liver Enzyme Abnormalities
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocardial Infarction Complications
- Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Disease
- Pain In Throat And Chest
- Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia
- Pericardium Diseases
- Peripheral Vascular Diseases
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Pleural Effusion
- Poisoning
- Precerebral Artery Occlusion
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pulmonary Heart Disease
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Pulmonary Valve Endocarditis
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Pulmonary Vessel Disease
- Respiratory Disorders
- Rheumatic Fever With Heart Involvement
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Shock
- Subcortical Infarction
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Transient Cerebral Ischemic Attacks
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Venous Embolism
- Ventricular Arrhythmia
Procedures I perform
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
- 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
- Coronary Artery Stenting
- Device Implantation For Heart Failure
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Frontal Sinusotomy
- Gastric Surgery
- Heart Failure Treatment
- Heart Pacemaker Implantation
- 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
- Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Treatment
- Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome Treatment
- Pulmonary Valve Reconstruction
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Reconstruction
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Fibrillation Treatment
- Vestibuloplasty
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
- TRICARE for Life East
- HumanaChoice PPO
- IH-HMO
- POS OA
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Navigate
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- OA Plus
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- IH-PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst NASCO
- Choice POS II
- Optimum Choice
- Choice POS
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA EPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CareFirst Administrators
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-Indemnity
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Medicare Direct
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- IH-EPO Plus
- CIGNA PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Beech Street PPO
- First Health PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Employee Health Plan
- Aetna HMO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- IH-Open HMO
- HighMark
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Network OA
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- First Health PPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- HealthyBlue PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Classic 3500
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- TRICARE East Select
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- UHC Passport
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- United Student Resources
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- IH-POS Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Medicare FFS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- IH-POS
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