We now propose the interview to dr. Salvatore Tribastone, Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery of the Heart Center of Pedara (Italy), the structure recognized at the national level of excellence with regard to cardiology and cardiac surgery.

How long have you been in the Morgagni group?

“For almost thirty years, to be precise since 1989 in the Morgagni Clinic in Catania, then since 1993, the year of its foundation, at the Heart Center of Pedara. I was born in Ragusa, I attended the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Siena. But in the last year I came to Catania to attend the Cardiac Surgery School at the Ferrarotto Hospital. I obtain a degree in Medicine and Specialization in Cardiac Surgery at the same university. In 1989, as I said, I became part of my home, the Morgagni Clinic “.

What do you think of today’s heart surgery, how did you experience it in the past and what can the future hold?

“I spent most of my life studying and caring for the heart. We have made a lot of progress with respect to the past. From traditional cardiac surgery we have moved to less invasive techniques, which are useful to guarantee the success of the treatment. And in the Center of Pedara we are at the forefront, for the medical and nursing staff and for the instruments. Technologically, and I say this with pride, we are at the forefront of Italy. I have been collaborating with SICCH, the Italian Society of Cardiac Surgery, for years. I have witnessed the development of Cardiac Surgery in Sicily and the meeting with various European and international schools at this Center. I like to remember the personal friendship with Teruisha Kazui who with his technique, now used all over the world, changed the outcome of thoracic aortic surgery and aortic dissection. Prof. Kazui, like other big names in the international cardiac surgery scene, I mention among the doctors Planche, Brawn and Pierangeli, have collaborated with the Pedara Heart Center.

I also remember that the Pediatric Heart Surgery in Sicily was born right in this Heart Center.

The future is bright! Today, this Center is a Center of excellence recognized by everyone. We treat all cardiac and vascular diseases through traditional surgery, minimally invasive surgery and recently also through the percutaneous techniques for the aortic valve and the mitral and the endovascular surgery “.

In these 25 years spent in Pedara there was something that has deeply disappointed at least from the professional point of view?

“The lack of full recognition of the presence of the accredited private Hospitals in the Emergency Network (118), in our case regional network system for acute coronary syndromes. Example: a citizen suffering from a heart attack in the area of the municipality of Pedara or neighboring municipalities, through the 118 network, can not be transferred to this Heart Center, but only after the 118 has ascertained that it is not available to Cannizzaro or Vittorio Emanuele (public hospitals).

Loss of time is not useful for the success of the service. Conversely, in Northern Italy there are many accredited private structures included in the networks “.

Dr. Tribastone now let us enter your private life. Let’s talk about your family.

“I’m the happy father of two girls. Neither has followed my path, one is an architect and another graduate in economics. But that’s okay, just one of the doctors in the family!”.

Another personal question, which of course you may not answer: do you have a political affiliation?

“No affiliation, I do not belong, have never belonged, and never will belong to any party. Politically I would be a moderate reformist. Here, this is the right definition”.

I close the interview asking about your passions, and hobbies. Do you do any sports?

“No sports, I do not particularly care, and then I would not have the time materially. Instead I love music, I love listening to it. And then I’m a fan of the web, I’ve made various websites and the computer is the companion of all my free time “.

GIGI MACCHI