One of the country’s foremost pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons has joined the top-ranked pediatric heart program at Phoenix Children’s. Roosevelt Bryant III, MD, now serves as surgical director of the Cardiac Transplantation and Mechanical Assist Device Program at Phoenix Children’s Heart Center, ranked 14 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals and one of just 10 congenital cardiothoracic surgery programs in North America to earn the Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ highest-achievable three-star rating.

“Dr. Bryant is a remarkable surgeon and already an asset to our team,” said Daniel Velez, MD, co-director of the Heart Center and division chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Phoenix Children's. “Not many surgeons have his mix of experience and talent treating the difficult congenital heart conditions that we see at the Heart Center. His addition brings incredible value for our families, and our entire staff, to have access to such talent right here in Arizona.”

At Phoenix Children’s, Dr. Bryant is responsible for overseeing cardiac transplant surgeries for pediatric patients of all ages, as well as implementation of mechanical assist devices for patients who have hearts that are not functioning properly. During his time as a heart transplant surgeon at Cincinnati Children’s, he transplanted more than 60 infants, children, teenagers and adults with complex heart conditions.

“It has been an honor to work with so many patients and their families over the years,” said Dr. Bryant. My primary goal as a physician is to care for these patients as if they were my own family.”

Besides his skill set in cardiac transplant and mechanical assist devices, Dr. Bryant will lead the development of the Airway Reconstruction program at Phoenix Children’s. This multidisciplinary program will be in partnership with Phoenix Children’s Aerodigestive Program, which is supported by ENT, Pulmonology and Gastroenterology. Dr. Bryant will provide consulting and interventional services when patients need reconstructed airways, as identified by any of the supporting specialty areas.

Phoenix Children’s Heart Center cares for hundreds of infants and children each year from across the Southwest and beyond. The team completes more than 500 heart surgeries annually, which includes a large percentage of highly complex cases.

“With the addition of Dr. Bryant, our Heart Center team has a deeper bench of talent than ever before. added Dr. Velez. “I am proud and humbled to be part of a team of doctors, nurses, physician assistants and administrative staff who provide world-class care.”

Before joining Phoenix Children’s, Dr. Bryant served as surgical director of the Heart Transplant program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. While in Ohio, he was also an associate professor of surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Bryant earned his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine. He completed residencies in adult cardiac surgery and cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Cleveland Clinic, in addition to a fellowship in congenital heart surgery at Texas Children’s Hospital. Earlier this year, he was named a Top Doctor in Cardiac Care by Cincinnati Magazine.

About Phoenix Children’s Heart Center

With a team of committed providers ready to care for patients throughout Arizona and the Southwest region, combined with increasing national recognition of its quality and outcomes, Phoenix Children’s Heart Center has become a premier cardiac program in the United States. Consistently over the last six years, the Phoenix Children’s Heart Center has earned the highest-achievable three-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Better-than-expected survival rates signify Phoenix Children’s congenital cardiothoracic surgery program’s outcomes are among the best in the country. Over the past two years, the Center has grown to include robust fetal cardiology services and a new adult congenital heart disease program, which enables providers to care for heart patients of all ages and at all levels of complexity. For more information about the Phoenix Children’s Heart Center, click here.

About Phoenix Children’s

Phoenix Children’s Hospital is Arizona’s only children’s hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals. For 35 years Phoenix Children's has provided world-class inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families in Arizona and throughout the Southwest. As one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country, Phoenix Children’s delivers care across more than 75 pediatric specialties. Recognized specifically for its patient-focused innovation, medical education, growth and research, Phoenix Children’s was named Business of the Year and Exceptional Innovator by the Greater Phoenix Chamber in 2018. For more information about the hospital, visit phoenixchildrens.org.