PINEHURST – A fourth cardiothoracic surgeon has joined the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Center at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.

Peter I. Ellman, M.D., joins Andy Kiser, M.D., John Krahnert, M.D., and John Streitman, M.D., at the CVT Center, which provides comprehensive care in the surgical treatment of diseases affecting the chest, including the heart, blood vessels, lungs and esophagus.

Areas of special concentration at the CVT Center include total arterial grafting and coronary bypass surgery (without the need for a bypass machine) and valve repair and replacement. Emphasis is also placed on the surgical treatment of cancers of the chest in collaboration with specialists in radiation and hematology and oncology as well as vascular disease with special emphasis on the aorta.

Dr. Ellman specializes in all aspects of adult cardiac surgery (coronary artery disease, valvular disease and aortic disease) as well as thoracic surgery.

“Joining the CVT Center has offered me the exciting opportunity to practice cardiothoracic surgery at a Top 100 heart program while also enjoying all of the unique benefits one gets from living in the Sandhills,” he says.

Dr. Ellman grew up in Vermont and received an undergraduate degree in English from Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. Before entering medical school, he taught English and biology and coached high school students at a ski racing academy in Killington, Vt., and also worked as a part-time EKG technician.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia in 2000 and then completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

While doing his residency, he worked part time as an emergency room attending physician at Salem VA Medical Center in Salem, Va. As a research fellow at the University of Virginia, he studied the science and treatment of reperfusion injury in the lungs pertaining to lung transplantation.

He is certified by the American Board of Surgery.

An accomplished skier, Dr. Ellman was a member of Dartmouth’s varsity ski team, winning the Donald J. Cooke Award for most outstanding freshman skier. He was also a member of Dartmouth’s varsity golf team.

For more information on the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Center at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, call (800) 213-3284.