Lars Svensson, MD, PhD

Lars Georg Svensson, MD, PhD, is Chief of the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Svensson is an internationally known cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon. His research has led to many innovative surgical treatments and techniques. Dr. Svensson is board-certified in thoracic, cardiovascular and general surgery. He is a Professor of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. Prior to being appointed to Chair of the institute, Dr. Svensson’s leadership positions at Cleveland Clinic included Director of the Aorta Center; Director of the Marfan Syndrome and Connective Tissue Disorder Clinic; Director of Quality and Process Improvement, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; Director of Consulting and Affiliate Cardiothoracic Surgery Programs; and Co-Director, Transcatheter Valve Program.

Specialty/Clinical interests: Aortic valve surgery, aortic valve and bicuspid valve repair, cardiac surgery, complex aorta surgery, surgery for thoracic aortic aneurysm, endovascular aorta treatment – thoracic, heart surgery for patients with Marfan syndrome, modified David's reimplantation procedure, percutaneous treatment for patients with valve disease, minimally invasive heart surgery, Marfan syndrome and connective tissue disorders. He has operated on top professional athletes for aortic root aneurysms.

Experience and Outcomes: Cleveland Clinic performs more than 5,000 heart surgeries each year. All Cleveland Clinic cardiac surgeons complete between 300-400 cardiac cases per year. As one of the nation's highest-volume cardiac surgical centers, Cleveland Clinic treats highly complex and critically ill patients, performing procedures that only a handful of surgeons across the country can do. View success rates and outcomes HERE

Learn more about the Cardiovascular Surgery Department HERE.

Education and Training: Dr. Svensson was born in Barberton, South Africa. He completed his undergraduate work at Treverton College in Mooi River, South Africa. He earned his medical degree and PhD in neurophysiology and blood flow pathophysiology from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where he received numerous fellowships and awards.

Dr. Svensson received his training in cardiology and general surgery at the Johannesburg Hospital, South Africa, and his training in cardiothoracic surgery at Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, for which he received a fellowship. He also completed a cardiovascular surgery fellowship and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX.

In 2005, Dr. Svensson was named King James IV Professor of Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. His academic appointments have included Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Houston, TX; Clinical Instructor in Surgery at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Clinical Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Tufts University, Boston; and Assistant Professor of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

Research, Publications and Speaking: Dr. Svensson has received numerous research grants and fellowships. He has contributed to advances in protecting the brain, spinal cord and kidneys during major cardiac and aortic surgery, and has been instrumental in developing minimally invasive j-incision and keyhole surgical techniques. He is currently the principal investigator in a number of clinical research trials, including research to investigate percutaneous methods to replace and repair aortic and mitral valves and new biologic valves like the Inspiris Valve.

Dr. Svensson is the author of the reference textbook, Cardiovascular and Vascular Diseases of the Aorta, and has authored or co-authored hundreds of journal articles, reviews, book chapters, abstracts, and commentaries. He has been an invited speaker at hundreds of regional, national and international symposia and conferences. He is the former Associate Editor of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, and served on several editorial boards, including the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Journal of Cardiac Surgery, and the Annals of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Svensson is a past president of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and chaired the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Guidelines Committee. He has chaired multispecialty guidelines writing committees for endovascular treatment with stents for the thoracic aorta, aortic valve surgery, and for the treatment of thoracic aortic disease.

He emphasizes key attributes of effective leadership, delivers insightful presentations on the topic, and provides coaching to colleagues to enhance their leadership skills. Watch one of his leadership presentations HERE

About Dr. Svensson: “I believe my greatest strength as a heart surgeon is my ability to offer patients a variety of treatment approaches, from transcatheter to standard heart surgery, all geared toward maximizing safety and optimizing outcomes.

Leisure Activities: Traveling, photography, sailing, nature and hiking

Videos: To learn more about Dr. Svensson, his expertise, and videos of surgery, watch his videos HERE or those listed on HeartValveSurgery.com.

Additional Videos Featuring Dr. Svensson:

• 2025 Miller Visiting Professorship Lecture: Lars Svensson, MD, PhD (8/11/25)
• Giants of Cardiothoracic Surgery: An Interview with Lars Svensson, CTSNetVideo

• 2017 Randall B. Griepp, MD, Visiting Professorship - "TAVR, AVR Surgery and Root Repair"
• Jeff Green, life-saving surgery at Cleveland Clinic with Dr. Svensson

Podcasts:

• Saving the Valve During Aortic Root Surgery
• Marfan Syndrome and Connective Tissue Disorders - Part II
• Marfan Syndrome and Connective Tissue Disorders - Part I
• Expertise in Bicuspid Valve Repair - Part II
• Expertise in Bicuspid Valve Repair - Part I
• Advances in Heart Surgery at Cleveland Clinic - Part II
• Advances in Heart Surgery at Cleveland Clinic - Part I