About me
Brian Bethea, MD, is the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and the regional chief of outreach for the Baltimore region. He is board certified in thoracic surgery.
Dr. Bethea’s clinical interests involve minimally invasive approaches to valvular and structural heart disease. This includes procedures such as TAVR, transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement, transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement, and multi-arterial coronary revascularization.
Dr. Bethea is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
After earning his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Bethea completed his residency in general surgery, followed by a fellowship in cardiac surgery, at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. Bethea has participated in nearly all major U.S. clinical trials for TAVR and has been involved in early feasibility trials for transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement. Due to his reputation, excellent outcomes, and high surgical volumes, he was selected to participate in past trials for the mitral and tricuspid valves, including Tendyne™, MitraClip™, ENCIRCLE, and TRILUMINATE. He is the only surgeon in Maryland to offer patient the latter two options.
He is a physician educator and proctor, traveling throughout the world to teach valve repair and replacement techniques to other surgeons. He serves as selection chair for the Tendyne trial, overseeing all patient selection for the entire trial.
Dr. Bethea has presented his work internationally and is widely published in all the major cardiothoracic medical journals. He was among the first authors to be published on the topic of transcatheter mitral valve replacement–a rapidly evolving and expanding field.
Philosophy of Care
“I aim to provide personalized, tailored care to each of my patients. Whether it’s a minimally invasive procedure, an open procedure, or a hybrid approach, I find the method that will best fit the person, rather than the other way around. Since I have been involved in the development of so many new technologies, I can provide patients with all their options, so we can make an informed decision together. I wholeheartedly believe in a team approach to providing care, and view patients, their families, and their referring physicians as integral members of the care team.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve Surgery
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Mitral Valve Replacement
- Reoperative Cardiac Surgery
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Ulcer
- Aortic Valve Sclerosis
- Double Aortic Arch
- Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis
- Infiltrative Disorders Of The Heart
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Loeys Dietz Syndrome
- Malignant Effusion
- Marfan Syndrome
- Maternal Valvular Disease
- Mediastinitis
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Bridge
- Pericardial Effusion
- Pleural Effusion
- Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis
- Rupture Of Papillary Muscle
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Valvular Endocarditis
Procedures I perform
- Abdominal Aneurysm Repair
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Valve Replacement
- Aortic Valve Surgery
- Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Repair
- Balloon Catheter
- Bloodless Cardiac Surgery
- Convergent Procedure
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Cryoablation
- Embolectomy
- Endoscopic Surgery
- Epicardial Lead Placement
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Intra Aortic Balloon Pump
- Left Atrial Appendage Closure
- Median Sternotomy
- Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement
- Minimally Invasive Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Closure
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Coronary Bypass Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Repair
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Mitral Valve Replacement
- Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass
- Paravalvular Leak Repair
- Patent Foramen Ovale Closure
- Pericardiocentesis
- Pericardiotomy
- Prosthetic Heart Valves
- Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy
- Pulmonic Valve Replacement
- Reoperative Cardiac Surgery
- Replacement Of Heart Valve
- Septal Myectomy
- Surgical Ablation Of Atrial Fibrillation
- Thoracic Aneurysm Repair
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Thrombectomy
- Total Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Tube Pericardiostomy
- Valvuloplasty
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.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Blue Choice Advantage & Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans/ UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans HMO, POS, PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO, GEHA, Compass Rose)
- Medicare Fee for Service
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Kaiser Virginia Premier
- Kaiser PermanenteSelect-Added Choice
- UHC Community Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser MD Medicaid MCO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv/Special Needs Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CFBCBS EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- CFBCBS Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CFBCBS Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- FIRST HEALTH
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Open HMO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Aetna Innovations: HMO & EPO Plus
- CFBSBC Blue Preferred PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Network OA
- POS OA & OA Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Tricare for Life (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- MedStar Select (MedStar Associates' Plan)
- Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- United Student Resources
- PPO and PPO Plus
- CFBCBS BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CFBCBS (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access (OA)
- Opoen HMO Option
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Innovation Health: POS
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Tricare Prime
- Open POS II
- CIGNA EPO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CFBCBS Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- United Healthcare Choice
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund) Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Fellowship Program: Johns Hopkins Hospital (2008)
Residency Program: Johns Hopkins Hospital (2005)
Medical School: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (1999)