Raluca Popa MD.

Dr. Popa Raluca is a primary physician specialized in vascular surgery, recognized for her dedication and special attention she gives to her patients. A graduate of Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, with extensive experience in the field of cardiovascular and vascular surgery, Dr. Popa Raluca combines medical expertise with an empathetic and personalized approach in caring for each patient. She places particular emphasis on clear and open communication, ensuring that her patients are well informed and comfortable throughout the entire diagnostic and treatment process.

Education:

• 1996 - Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest;
• 2001 - Master's in Social and Health Services Management - University of Bucharest & Institute of Health Ministry Management;
• 2015 - PhD candidate at Carol Davila UMF.

Professional Experience:

• 1997 - Residency in cardiovascular surgery through national competition (ord. 274/1997);
• 1997 - 1999 - Resident in cardiovascular surgery – Floreasca Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, stages in emergency general surgery and vascular trauma, orthopedics;
• 1999 - 2004 - Resident in cardiovascular surgery – Army Center for Emergency and Cardiovascular Diseases, Bucharest, stages in vascular surgery, cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, EKG, ECHO Doppler, echocardiography, cardiovascular ICU, angiography and cardiac catheterization;
• 2002 - 2003 - Cardiac surgery stage - Georges Pompidou European Hospital, Paris, France (Prof. Carpentier & Fabiani);
• 2004 - Specialist in cardiovascular surgery (top of class - ord. no. 500/2004);
• 2004 - 2007 - Specialist in cardiovascular surgery - Central Military Emergency University Hospital Dr. Carol Davila;
• 2007 - 2009 - Practitioner attached to the Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery Service - Regional Hospital Mulhouse, France (Dr. N.Bischoff);
• 2010 - Specialist in cardiovascular surgery - MAI 'Prof. Dr. Gerota' Hospital, Bucharest;
• 2013 - Competence in vascular Doppler ultrasound;
• 2015 - Primary physician in vascular surgery at MAI 'Prof. Dr. Gerota' Hospital;
• 2015 - PhD candidate with the theme « Correlation of vascular age expressed through risk factors with atherosclerotic burden, directly determined by the intima-media index », Carol Davila UMF, Bucharest;
• 2019 - Expert trainer (field of cardiovascular pathology) in a European funded project POCU - « National modular program for raising the professional level of medical staff in the national defense, public order, and national security system »(code SMIS 108196).

Scholarships:

• 1990 - 1996 - Merit Scholarship of the Romanian Government at Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest;
• 2002 - 2003 - Cardiac Surgery Scholarship - European Hospital G. Pompidou - Paris offered by the « Pont Neuf » Association Paris, France;
• 2004 - 2005 - Scholarships (3) offered by the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) for the European School of Cardiac Surgery Bergamo, Italy - levels 1,2,3;
• 2006 - Scholarship offered by EACTS for the European School of Thoracic Surgery Bergamo, Italy - level 1;
• 2006 - Scholarship offered by EACTS for the course « Applied Science for Cardiothoracic Surgeons » -Prague, Czech Republic;
• 2006 - Scholarship offered by EACTS for the course « Advanced Surgical Techniques in Cardiac Surgery »- Krakow, Poland;
• 2007,2008,2009 - Scholarships offered by the American-Austrian Foundation (AAF) for the Cardiac Surgery Seminars organized by Cleveland Clinic and University of Vienna-Salzburg, Austria.

Surgery Courses:

• 2002 - 2003 - Valvular Surgery Techniques - University Diploma - University of Paris VI -Pitie - Salpetriere, Pr. Cr. Acar - 1-year course + written examination;
• 2004 - 2005 - cardiac surgery courses - levels 1,2,3 at the European School of Cardiac Surgery Bergamo, Italy (written examinations);
• 2006 - thoracic surgery course - level 1 at the European School of Thoracic Surgery Bergamo, Italy (written examination);
• 2006 - « Advanced Surgical Techniques in Cardiac Surgery » course, Krakow, Poland;
• 2006 - « Applied Science in Cardiothoracic Surgery » course, Prague, Czech Republic;
• 2007,2008,2009 - Cardiac Surgery Seminars - Cleveland Clinic, USA + University of Vienna, Austria - Dr. Tomislav Mihaljevic (written examinations) - Salzburg, Austria;
• 2009 - « Extracorporeal Circulation » - University Diploma - University of Paris VII Denis Diderot, Pr. E.Vicaut - 1-year course + written examination;
• 2015 - CHIVA venous surgery course - Prof. Roberto Delfrate, Prof Claude Franceschi, Cremona, Italy;
• 2019 - course « Proper Management of Surgical Wounds » Gothenburg, Sweden.

Affiliations:

• Senior member in EACTS - European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery;
• Candidate member in STS – Society of Thoracic Surgeons;
• member of the Bucharest College of Physicians.

Research Experience

• 2003 - Experimental Medicine Department of the Central Military Hospital - Establishment of the Tissue and Organ Bank (harvesting, preservation);
• 2015 - research within the doctoral thesis.

Publications

• Current state of carotid surgery in chronic cerebral ischemia - Journal of Vascular Surgery - Cluj, 2001 - no.3/2001, p.136-139;
• Early carotid endarterectomy after non-disabling strokes - Journal of Vascular Surgery - Cluj, 2001 - no.2/2001, p.14-18;
• Early results in aortic valve and root replacement surgery with homografts and stentless valves (IVth Danubian Forum of Cardiac Surgery, Ostrava 2000) - Romanian Journal of Thoracic Surgery, 2000 - no2/2000, p.56-58;
• Early systolic dysfunction after myocardial revascularization (Vth Danubian Forum of Cardiac Surgery, Innsbruck, Austria, 2001) - Journal of Thoracic Surgery, 2001 - no.4/2001, p.17-20;
• The role of the tissue bank in cardiac surgery - Journal of Thoracic Surgery 2002 - no.1/2002, p.20-23;
• Surgical considerations in pulmonary embolism - Journal of Thoracic Surgery - no.2/2004, p.33-37;

Presented Works:

• Diagnostic and therapeutic approach in vascular traumas of the extremities - Medical Days of Floreasca Emergency Hospital, Bucharest 1997;
• The role of the tissue bank in cardiac surgery - First Congress of Cardiovascular Surgery, Bucharest 2002;
• Early carotid surgery - National Congress of Neurology/Stroke, Piatra Neamt 2002;
• Material selection in femorosuprapopliteal bypass in critical limb ischemia – First Congress of Cardiovascular Surgery, Bucharest, 2002;
• Surgical considerations in 1500 direct carotid revascularizations - Second National Congress of Cardiovascular Surgery, Bucharest, 2004;
• Surgical considerations in pulmonary embolism - Second National Congress of Cardiovascular Surgery, Bucharest, 2004;
• Abdominal aorta aneurysm with aorto-enteric fistula treated with aortic homograft early results – Cardiovascular Surgery Society, 2005;

Posters:

• Early and Late Results in Valve Replacements - The Second National Congress of Cardiovascular Surgery, Bucharest, 2004;
• Early and Late Results in Aorto-Coronary Bypasses - The Second Congress of Cardiovascular Surgery, Bucharest, 2004;
• Early Systolic Dysfunction after Myocardial Revascularization - National Congress of Cardiology, Sinaia, 2001.

Surgical Experience

• as operator: ilio-femoral bypass, femoro-suprapopliteal and infrapopliteal bypass with AVSI/prosthesis, aortobifemoral bypass, femoro-infrapopliteal bypass with composite graft, upper and lower limb embolectomy, femoro-femoral bypass, arterio-venous fistula - angioaccess for dialysis, pericarditis - drainage, pericardial window, vascular and cardiac surgery emergencies for traumatic lesions, carotid angioplasty, femoral angioplasty, sternotomy, radial artery, internal mammary artery, internal saphenous vein harvesting/collection, cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass, aortocoronary bypass - on pump, venous surgery, hydrostatic varicose veins - classic surgery, sclerotherapy, endovenous laser, radiofrequency, Linton operation, de Palma operation;
• as first assistant: coronary and carotid surgery - combined, valvular surgery - aortic, mitral, tricuspid and combinations, dissections of the root and aortic arch, myocardial revascularizations - on pump, off pump, minimally invasive, stem cell (Prof. Menasche), congenital heart diseases – ASD, VSD, Fallot, RVOT, LVOT, palliative shunts, banding A.Pulmonary;
• as first assistant in France: mitral valvuloplasties, Ebstein's disease, Maze procedure (arrhythmia surgery), Ross procedure, Senning procedure for TMV, uni and biventricular assist devices, complex dissections of the descending thoracic aorta, heart, lung, and heart-lung transplants + endocardial biopsy controls, complex thoracic and abdominal vascular bypasses.