Anderson Expands Heart Surgery Program
Meridian, MS- September 6, 2023 – Anderson Regional Health System (ARHS) has expanded its heart surgery program with the addition of three cardiothoracic surgeons from University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dr. Adam Protos, Dr. Ashok Kumar Coimbatore Jeyakumar and Dr. Athanasios Tsiouris bring surgical expertise in comprehensive care for heart disease at any stage, from minimally invasive cardiac surgeries to complex heart valve replacements.
As a five-time recipient of the American College of Cardiology’s Platinum Performance Achievement Award for outstanding heart attack care, ARHS places great emphasis on providing a comprehensive cardiac program for residents of East Mississippi and West Alabama. John G. Anderson, ARHS President and CEO, said, “Anderson has remained the region’s leader in cardiac care for decades, and this expansion is an example of our ongoing commitment to offer advanced care at the local level. Drs. Protos, Jeyakumar and Tsiouris are expertly trained surgeons with numerous accolades and accomplishments. We are very pleased that they are providing our patients with highly skilled care for complex conditions.”
UMMC is home to Mississippi's only adult congenital heart program, only heart transplant program and only left ventricular assist device or LVAD program.
Protos, assistant professor of surgery, is also the division chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery at UMMC. His college education began at University of Georgia where he received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry followed by a Master of Science in medical sciences at Loyola University. Protos received his MD from Chicago Medical School. He completed a residency in categorical surgery at Michigan State University, a fellowship in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Louisville, and he is board certified in general surgery and thoracic surgery.
Jeyakumar is the surgical director for advanced coronary revascularization at UMMC. He attended medical school at Coimbatore Medical College in India where he is board certified in general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery. Jeyakumar completed two residencies, general surgery and cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology. After being in a private practice for several years, he moved to the United States and completed three fellowships at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta in advanced adult cardiac surgery, TAVR and advanced adult cardiac surgery. He also completed a fellowship in robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. In addition to his role as surgical director at UMMC, Jeyakumar is an assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Tsiouris, assistant professor of surgery, is the surgical director of heart transplant and mechanical circulatory support at UMMC. He received his MD from the University of Thessaly in Greece. He then moved to the United States, where he completed a residency in general surgery at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and a residency in cardiothoracic surgery at Yale University School of Medicine. Tsiouris completed a fellowship in heart, lung transplantation and mechanical circulatory support at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. In addition to his medical training, Tsiouris received a doctoral degree from the University of Thrace in Greece. He is board certified in general surgery and thoracic surgery.
Protos, Jeyakumar and Tsiouris are working alongside nurse practitioner Sondra Odom at Anderson Cardiac Surgical Associates to provide surgical patients with pre- and post-operative care.
Anderson Regional Health System is the most comprehensive health system in the East Mississippi/ West Alabama area and the established leader in offering premier medical services. With two hospitals, a regional cancer center, and a network of clinics, Anderson’s healthcare professionals are committed to the mission of providing a heritage of healing and improving life for the people they serve. For more information, visit www.andersonregional.org
University of Mississippi Medical Center, the state’s only academic medical center, seeks to improve the health of Mississippi’s population and eliminate health disparities through education, research and patient care. UMMC encompasses seven health science schools of medicine, nursing, health related professions, dentistry, pharmacy, graduate studies and population health. The Medical Center includes the state’s only Level I trauma center, only children’s hospital, only organ and bone marrow transplant program and the only Telehealth Center of Excellence, one of two in the nation. For more information, visit www.umc.edu.
