Dr. Charles D. Fraser, Jr., Renowned Congenital Heart Surgeon, Named Surgeon-in-Chief at Texas Children's Hospital

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Mar 10, 2010, 06:00 ET

HOUSTON, March 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Charles D. Fraser, Jr., M.D., an internationally recognized leader in pediatric and congenital heart surgery, has been appointed surgeon-in-chief at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, effective July 1. He will lead a team of more than 100 surgeons representing multiple pediatric surgical subspecialties at one of the nation's largest children's hospitals. (Read a biography and view a slideshow of Dr. Fraser).

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100310/DC68620)

Fraser joined Texas Children's as chief of congenital heart surgery in 1995 to establish a focused congenital heart surgery team. During that time, he has built this service into one of the most respected heart centers in the country, with surgical outcomes greater than 98 percent. Along with an active pediatric heart transplant program, his service also includes the nation's largest pediatric lung transplant program, performing an average of 13 lung transplants per year. It also offers the most comprehensive pediatric ventricular assist device program available to children today.

"Dr. Fraser is not only a gifted surgeon, but he is also a skilled leader," said Texas Children's President and CEO, Mark A. Wallace. "In his new position, he will help formulate the overarching vision for the hospital's future endeavors in surgical care, research, and education. He will also be a vital conduit for communication between our many surgical subspecialties, the executive leadership of the hospital, and the Board of Trustees. Clearly, Dr. Fraser embodies excellence in pediatric surgery and is well-qualified to oversee surgery at Texas Children's Hospital."

The new surgeon-in-chief, who has contributed more than 150 journal articles, chapters

and textbooks to medical literature, maintains an active research program with specific interests in surgical outcomes, transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, brain protection during surgery, and the development of bioengineered tissues for use in congenital heart surgery. He currently serves as the National Principal Investigator in a first of its kind multi-center pediatric ventricular assist device trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Berlin Heart Pediatric EXCOR® device. In 2002, his team developed the first pediatric lung transplant program in the Southwest, which has subsequently grown to be the nation's largest program of its kind.

"I am honored to be the next surgeon-in-chief of such a respected surgery department," said Fraser. "As surgeons, we have a responsibility to provide our pediatric patients the highest level of care. Building on the renowned multi-disciplinary strength of Texas Children's as an educational and research leader for pediatric surgery, my vision is to grow our success nationally and globally."

Fraser holds academic appointments as professor of surgery and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and adjunct professor of bioengineering at Rice University. He also has joint clinical appointments at the Texas Heart Institute and The University of Texas at Houston.

A native of Midland, Texas, Fraser graduated with honors in mathematics from The University of Texas at Austin and received his medical degree from The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. He was a resident at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, where he specialized in general, cardiothoracic and thoracic transplant surgery. Fraser completed fellowships in pediatric cardiac surgery at The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, cardiac transplant research at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and cardiovascular surgery at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, Texas. In 1993, he joined the faculty at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. From there, he was recruited to Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine.

About Texas Children's Hospital

Texas Children's Hospital is committed to a community of healthy children by providing the finest pediatric patient care, education and research. Renowned worldwide for its expertise and breakthrough developments in clinical care and research, Texas Children's is ranked in the top ten best children's hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Texas Children's also operates the nation's largest primary pediatric care network, with more than 40 offices throughout the greater Houston community. Texas Children's has embarked on a $1.5 billion expansion, Vision 2010, which includes a comprehensive neurological research institute, the formation of a maternity center, and the development of the new West Campus, Texas Children's first pediatric hospital in a suburban setting. For more information on Texas Children's Hospital, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news from Texas Children's Hospital by visiting the online newsroom and on Twitter at twitter.com/tch_news.