Thomas V. Bilfinger, MD, ScD — Academic Profile

My practice encompasses both heart and lung surgery. I provide consultation and surgical care for adult patients with advanced forms of heart disease, and also for adults and children with a range of benign and malignant pulmonary diseases. My practice uses the most sophisticated conventional procedures, as well as the new minimally invasive procedures, including thoracic aortic stenting for aneurysms and radiofrequency and cryoablation for lung tumors. As the team leader and director of the multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Evaluation Center, I am committed to providing each patient with the best possible care through a comprehensive treatment plan that is designed for the patient’s individual needs. My current research interests are in the areas of cerebral metabolomics and the effects of surgery and lung cancer, plus thoracic aortic disease and spinal cord ischemia.

• Selected for inclusion in the Castle Connolly Guide, Top Doctors: New York Metro Area
• Selected for inclusion in the “Best Doctors” listing of New York Magazine, representing the top 2% of physicians in the New York Metropolitan area

• > Click here to see abstracts/full text of Dr. Bilfinger's journal articles presented in reverse chronological order, starting with most recent, on PubMed (National Library of Medicine).
• Albano D, Bilfinger T, Nemesure B. 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival among early-stage lung cancer patients treated with lobectomy vs SBRT. Lung Cancer (Auckl) 2018;9:65-71.
• Anagnostopoulos CE, Connery CP, Bilfinger TV, Seifert F, et al. Initial clinical experience with rectus sheath grafts in congenital heart disease. J Cardiovasc Surg 1995;36:429-32.
• Argotte AF, Giron F, Bilfinger TV. Bilateral subclavian artery aneurysms with pseudocoarctation of the aorta: case report and review of the literature. J Cardiovasc Surg 1998;39;747-50.
• Baram D, Degene A, Amin M, Bilfinger T, Smaldone G. A case of hypercapnic respiratory failure. Chest 2004;126:1994-9.
• Bilfinger T. Invited commentary. Ann Thorac Surg 2006;81:137-8.
• Bilfinger T, Keresztes R, Albano D, Nemesure B. Five-year survival among stage IIIA lung cancer patients receiving two different treatment modalities. Med Sci Monit 2016;22:2589-94.
• Bilfinger TV. Acute aortic dissection: microenvironmental regulation. 2010;16:RA143-6.
• Bilfinger TV. Invited commentary. Ann Thorac Surg 2006;81:2201.
• Bilfinger TV. Coronary artery bypass stapling: does it reduce the immune response? Mod Aspects Immunobiol 2000;1:119-20.
• Bilfinger TV. Descending aortic atherosclerotic ulcers: natural history and treatment. In: Cao P, Giannoukas AD, Moll FL, Veller M, editors. Vascular Aneurysms. Volos, Greece: University of Thessally Press, 2009: 145-50.
• Bilfinger TV. Fast track surgery. Cost benefits (con). Acta Anaesth Scand 1999;43(Suppl 114):37.
• Bilfinger TV. Morphine, stress and immunity. Acta Anaesth Scand 1999;43(Suppl 114):19-20.
• Bilfinger TV. Role of morphine in blood pressure modulation: influence of nitric oxide. Acta Pharmacol Sin 1999;20:458-9.
• Bilfinger TV. Surgical aspects in the treatment of lung cancer. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2004;10:261-5.
• Bilfinger TV. Surgical viewpoints for the definitive treatment of lung cancer. Respir Care Clin N Am 2003;9:141-62.
• Bilfinger TV, Albano D, Perwaiz M, Keresztes R, Nemesure B. Survival outcomes among lung cancer patients treated using a multidisciplinary team approach. Clin Lung Cancer 2018;19:346-51.
• Bilfinger TV, Fimiani C, Stefano GB. Morphine's immunoregulatory actions are not shared by fentanyl. Int J Cardiol 1998;64(Suppl 1):S61-6.
• Bilfinger TV, Hartman AR, Liu Y, Magazine HI, Stefano GB. Cryopreserved veins in myocardial revascularization: possible mechanism for their increased failure. Ann Thorac Surg 1997;63:1063-9.
• Bilfinger TV, Hartman AR, Liu Y, Magazine HJ, Stefano GB. Nitric oxide in homograft vein function; reply. Ann Thorac Surg 1997;64:1524-5.
• Bilfinger TV, Hughes TK, Rodriguez M, Glass R, Casares F, Stefano GB. Hyperstimulation of leukocytes by plasma from cardiopulmonary bypass patients is diminished by alpha-MSH pretreatment. Int J Cardiol 1996;53(Suppl):S47-53.
• Bilfinger TV, Kushnerik V. The use of morphine in surgery: an overview. Adv Neuroimmunol 1994;4:133-44.
• Bilfinger TV, Kushnerik V, Bundz S, Liu Y, Stefano GB. Evidence for morphine downregulating immunocytes during cardiopulmonary bypass in a porcine model. Int J Cardiol 1996;53(Suppl):S39-46.
• Bilfinger TV, Magazine HI, Casares F, Stefano GB. Neurovascular immune opiate actions. Chin J Neuroimmunol Neurol 1997;4:22-3.
• Bilfinger TV, Petersen MJ, Ricotta JJ. Coronary artery bypass grafting with carotid endarterectomy. In: Yao JS, Pearce WH, editors. Practical Vascular Surgery. Stamford, CT: Appleton & Lange, 1999: 147-60.
• Bilfinger TV, Reda H, Giron F, Seifert FC, Ricotta JJ. Coronary and carotid operations under prospective standardized conditions: incidence and outcome. Ann Thorac Surg 2000;69:1792-8.
• Bilfinger TV, Salzet M, Fimiani C, Deutsch DG, Tramu G, Stefano GB. Pharmacological evidence for anandamide amidase in human cardiac and vascular tissues. Int J Cardiol 1998;64(Suppl 1):S15-22.
• Bilfinger TV, Seifert FC, Giron F, McLarty AJ, Krukenkamp IB, Saltman AE, Ricotta JJ. Can the added risk of stroke from combined coronary artery bypass grafting and carotid endarterectomy be predicted? Ann Thorac Surg 2002;73:S377.
• Bilfinger TV, Seifert FC, Vallone AM, Biancaniello TM. Aortic valve injury 10 years after tetralogy of Fallot repair. Pediatr Cardiol 1994;15:100-2.
• Bilfinger TV, Stefano G. Evidence of immunocyte stimulatory molecule(s) in plasma of patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. J Cardiovasc Surg 1993;34:129-33.
• Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. Downregulating the diffuse inflammatory potential following surgery — preface. Int J Cardiol 1998;64(Suppl 1):S1.
• Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. Human aortocoronary grafts and nitric oxide release: relationship to pulsatile pressure. Ann Thorac Surg 2000;69:480-5.
• Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. The role of protease inhibition with emphasis on the effects of inflammation and vascular immune phenomena. Curr Pharm Des 2002;8:505-9.
• Bilfinger TV, Vosswinkel JA, Cadet P, Rialas CM, Magazine HI, Stefano GB. Direct assessment and diminished production of morphine stimulated NO by diabetic endothelium from saphenous vein. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2002;23:97-102.
• Bilfinger TV, Vosswinkel JA, Rialas CM, Krukenkamp IB, Stefano GB. Functional assessment of disease-free saphenous vein grafts at redo coronary artery bypass grafting. Ann Thorac Surg 2000;69:1183-7.
• Bishawi M, Moore W, Bilfinger T. Severity of emphysema predicts location of lung cancer and 5-y survival of patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer. J Surg Res 2013;184:1-5.
• Bishawi M, Moore W, Kuhnert K, Bilfinger TV. Severity of emphysema assessed via a visual analog scale predicts survival for patients with stage I non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) [abstract]. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2012;185:A4406.
• Cadet P, Bilfinger TV, Fimiani C, Peter D, Stefano GB. Human vascular and cardiac endothelia express mu opiate receptor transcripts. Endothelium 2000;7:185-91.
• Cadet P, Mantione K, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. Morphine down regulates human vascular tissue estrogen receptor expression determined by real-time RT-PCR. Neuroendocrinol Lett 2002;23:95-100.
• Cadet P, Mantione KJ, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. Differential expression of the human mu opiate receptor from different primary vascular endothelial cells. Med Sci Monit 2004;10:BR351-5.
• Caso G, Vosswinkel JA, Garlick PJ, Barry MK, Bilfinger TV, McNurlan MA. Altered protein metabolism following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Clin Sci (Lond) 2008;114:339-46.
• Char D, Cuadra S, Ricotta J, Bilfinger T, Giron F, McLarty A, Krukenkamp I, Saltman A, Seifert F. Combined coronary artery bypass and carotid endarterectomy: long-term results. Cardiovasc Surg 2002;10:111-5.
• Chaudhry A, Grechushkin V, Hoshmand M, Kim CW, Pena A, Huston B, Chaya Y, Bilfinger T, Moore W. Characteristic CT findings after percutaneous cryoablation treatment of malignant lung nodules. Medicine (Baltimore). 2015;94:e1672.
• Chen Q, Scott BH, Bilfinger TV, Petrie J, Glass PS. Pulseless electrical activity after induction of anesthesia: a witnessed cardiac rupture. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 2004;18:767-8.
• Chernilas JZ, Bilfinger TV, Vlay SC. Pacemaker Twiddler's syndrome. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 1996;19(12 Pt 1):2158-9.
• Chopin V, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB, Matias I, Salzet M. Amino-acid-sequence determination and biological activity of CYTIN, a naturally occurring specific chymotrypsin inhibitor from the leech theromyzon tessulatum. Eur J Biochem 1997;249:733-8.
• Christensen VB, Goumon Y, Tonnesen E, Chew M, Bilfinger T, Stefano GB. Endogenous morphine is produced in response to cardiopulmonary bypass in neonatal pigs. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2000;44:1204-8.
• Christensen VB, Tonnesen E, Sanchez RG, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. Endogenous morphine levels increase following cardiac surgery as part of the antiinflammatory response? Int J Cardiol 1997;62:191-7.
• Christensen VB, Tonnesen E, Sorensen IJ, Bilfinger TV, Sanchez RG, Stefano GB. Effects of anaesthesia based on high versus low doses of opiates in the cytokine and acute-phase protein responses in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 1998;42;63-70.
• Christensen VB, Tonnesen E, Sorensen IJ, Bilfinger TV, Sanchez RG, Stefano GB. Effects of anesthesia based on high versus low doses of opioids on acute the cytokine and acute phase protein levels in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Acta Anesthesiol Scand 1997;41:1-8.
• Cuadra SA, Char DJ, Ricotta JJ, Krukenkamp IB, Seifert FS, Giron F, Bilfinger TV. Is there a gender bias after combined carotid endarterectomy/coronary artery bypass grafting? Ann Thorac Surg 2002;73:S371.
• Dane B, Grechuskin V, Bilfinger TV, Plank A, Moore WH. Positron emission tomography / computed tomography (PET/CT) versus non-contrast CT alone for surveillance 1 year post lobectomy for stage I non small cell lung cancer [abstract]. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2012;185:A5071.
• Dane B, Grechushkin V, Plank A, Moore W, Bilfinger T. PET/CT vs. non-contrast CT alone for surveillance 1-year post lobectomy for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer. Am J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2013;3:408-16.
• Farkouh ME, Domanski M, Sleeper LA, et al.; FREEDOM Trial Investigators [member, Bilfinger T]. Strategies for multivessel revascularization in patients with diabetes. N Engl J Med 2012;367:2375-84.
• Fimiani C, Arcuri E, Santoni A, Rialas CM, Bilfinger TV, Peter D, Salzet B, Stefano GB. Mu-3 opiate receptor expression in lung and lung carcinoma: ligand binding and coupling to nitric oxide release. Cancer Lett 1999;146:45-51.
• Fimiani C, Magazine H, Welters ID, Bilfinger TV, Salsano F, Tonnesen E, Stefano GB. Antagonism of LPS and IFN-gamma induced iNOS expression in human atrial endothelia by morphine, anandamide, and estrogen. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2000;21:405-9.
• Fimiani C, Mattocks D, Cavani F, Salzet M, Deutsch GG, Pryor S, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. Morphine and anandamide stimulate intracellular calcium transients in human arterial endothelial cells: coupling to nitric oxide release. Cell Signal 1999;11:189-93.
• Fricchione GL, Bilfinger TV, Hartman A, Liu Y, Stefano GB. Neuroimmunologic implications in coronary artery disease. Adv Neuroimmunol 1996;6:131-42.
• Fricchione GL, Bilfinger TV, Jandorf L, Smith EM, Stefano GB. Surgical anticipatory stress manifests itself in immunocyte desensitization: evidence for autoimmunoregulatory involvement. Int J Cardiol 1996;53(Suppl):S65-73.
• Fricchione GL, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. Aspirin inhibits granulocyte and monocyte adherence to saphenous vein endothelia in a process not mediated by nitric oxide. Int J Cardiol 1998;64(Suppl 1):S29-33.
• Fricchione GL, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. The macrophage and neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuropsychiatr Neurophysiol Behav Neurol 1996;9:16-29.
• Fricchione GL, Cytryn L, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. Cell behavior and signal molecule involvement in a case study of malignant histiocytosis: a negative model of morphine as an immunoregulator. Am J Hematol 1997;56:197-205.
• Golzarian J, Cheng J, Giron F, Bilfinger TV. Tuberculous pseudoaneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta: successful treatment by surgical excision and primary repair. Tex Heart Inst J 1999;26:232-5.
• Gotte JM, Bilfinger TV. Resection of giant right-sided thymoma using a lateral thoracotomy approach followed by median sternotomy for completion thymectomy. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2007;55:336-8.
• Jacob ZC, Rashewsky S, Reinsel RA, Bilfinger TV, Moore W. anesthesia management for pulmonary cryoablation," Open J Anesthesiol 2013;3:255-61.
• Jain V, Gruberg L, Bilfinger TV, Tassiopoulos AK, Loh SA. Coil embolization of an aortic pseudo-aneurysm post open repair of type A aortic dissection. Ann Vasc Surg 2014;28:1312.
• King JM, Srivastava KD, Stefano GB, Bilfinger TV, Bahou WF, Magazine HI. Human monocyte adhesion is modulated by endothelin B receptor-coupled nitric oxide release. J Immunol 1997;158:880-6.
• Kogler AS, Bilfinger TV, Galler RM, Mesquita RC, Cutrone M, Schenkel SS, Yodh AG, Floyd TF. Fiber-optic monitoring of spinal cord hemodynamics in experimental aortic occlusion. Anesthesiology 2015;123:1362-73.
• Lee H, Caparelli E, Li H, Mandal A, Smith SD, Zhang S, Bilfinger TV, Benveniste H. Computerized MRS voxel registration and partial volume effects in single voxel (1)H-MRS. Magn Reson Imaging 2013;31:1197-205.
• Levites HA, Kaymakcalan OE, Phillips BT, Bilfinger TV, Dagum AB. Sternal wound reconstruction with falciform and omental flaps for chronic sternal osteomyelitis. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2014;2:e233.
• Li YF, Wang JX, Shao L, Ding CF, Ottaviani E, Stefano GB, Bilfinger TV, Fan SG. Naltrexone suppresses the rejection of cardiac tissue transplantation. Int J Cardiol 1998;64(Suppl 1):S23-7.
• Liu Y, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. A rapid and sensitive quantitation method of endogenous morphine in human plasma. Life Sci 1997;60:237-43.
• Liu Y, Shenouda D, Bilfinger TV, Stefano ML, Magazine HI, Stefano GB. Morphine stimulates nitric oxide release from invertebrate microglia. Brain Res 1996;722:125-31.
• LoGiurato B, Matthews R, Safaie E, Moore W, Bilfinger T, Relan N, Franceschi D. 18F-FDG PET-CT: predicting recurrence in patients following percutaneous cryoablation treatment for stage I primary non-small-cell lung cancer. Nucl Med Commun 2015;36:908-13.
• Madoff DC, Brathwaite CE, Manzione JV, Bilaniuk JW, Giron F, Char D, Choi J, Bilfinger TV. Coexistent rupture of the proximal right subclavian and internal mammary arteries after blunt chest trauma. J Trauma 2000;48:521-4.
• Magazine HI, Liu Y, Bilfinger TV, Fricchione GL, Stefano GB. Morphine-induced conformational changes in human monocytes, granulocytes, and endothelial cells and in invertebrate immunocytes and microglia are mediated by nitric oxide. J Immunol 1996;156:4845-50.
• Malgor RD, Bilfinger TV. Left subclavian artery occlusion during blunt thoracic aortic injury endovascular repair. Ann Thorac Surg 2014;98:386.
• Malgor RD, Bilfinger TV, Blebea J, Ma H, Arnold SR. Perception of chemical venous thromboprophylaxis for oncologic lung resections among thoracic surgeons. Ann Vasc Surg 2017;44:299-306.
• Malgor RD, Bilfinger TV, McCormack J, Shapiro MJ, Tassiopoulos AK. Trends in clinical presentation, management, and mortality of blunt aortic traumatic injury over an 18-year period. Vasc Endovascular Surg 2013;47:19-23.
• Malgor RD, Bilfinger TV, McCormack J, Tassiopoulos AK. Outcomes of blunt thoracic aortic injury in adolescents. Ann Vasc Surg 2015;29:502-10.
• Malgor RD, Bilfinger TV, McCormack J, Tassiopoulos AK. The impact of blunt thoracic aortic injury on patients aged 80 years or older. Acta Chir Belg 2015;115:208-11.
• Malgor RD, Bilfinger TV, Tassiopoulos AK. Reversed sequence arch debranching for treatment of a ruptured juxta-innominate artery saccular aneurysm. Vasc Endovascular Surg 2013;47:151-4.
• Malik AZ, Bilfinger TV, Vlay SC. Shear syndrome: the worst case scenario of crush syndrome. Pace 1999;22:819-20.
• Meisner RJ, Labropoulos N, Bilfinger T. The current state of type B aortic dissection. Acta Chir Belg 2011;111:57-62.
• Mesquita RC, D'Souza A, Bilfinger TV, Galler RM, Emanuel A, Schenkel SS, Yodh AG, Floyd TF. Optical monitoring and detection of spinal cord ischemia. PLoS One 2013;8:e83370.
• Monastiriotis S, Gonzales C, Kokkosis A, Labropoulos N, Bilfinger T, Tassiopoulos AK. The use of AngioVac for symptomatic aortic thrombus complicated by mesenteric ischemia. Ann Vasc Surg 2016;32:129.e1-6.
• Moore W, Bilfinger TV. Cryoablation of lung tumors. In: Barnes PJ, King TE Jr, Parsons PE, Sanders MH, Hollingsworth H, Wilson KC, editors. UpToDate.com.
• Moore W, Freiberg E, Bishawi M, Halbreiner MS, Matthews R, Baram D, Bilfinger TV. FDG-PET imaging in patients with pulmonary carcinoid tumor. Clin Nucl Med 2013;38:501-5.
• Moore W, Talati R, Bhattacharji P, Bilfinger T. Five-year survival after cryoablation of stage I non-small cell lung cancer in medically inoperable patients. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2015;26:312-9.
• Nemesure B, Plank A, Reagan L, Albano D, Reiter M, Bilfinger TV. Evaluating efficacy of current lung cancer screening guidelines. J Med Screen 2017;24:208-13.
• Parikh PB, Loh S, Gruberg L, Patel N, Weinstein J, Tannous H, Bilfinger T. Transcarotid transcatheter aortic valve replacement as preferred alternative access in a patient with bilateral carotid artery disease. J Invasive Cardiol 2018;30:E9-10.
• Petersen MJ, McBee CM, Bilfinger T, Kvilekval KH, Arnold TE, Ricotta JJ, Giron F. Determinants of morbidity and mortality after combined carotid endarterectomy and open heart surgery. Stroke 1998;29:269.
• Rialas CM, Fimiani C, Bilfinger TV, Salzet M, Stefano GB. Endomorphin 1 and 2 inhibit human vascular sympathetic norepinephrine release: lack of interaction with mu3 opiate receptor subtype. Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao [Acta Pharm Sinica] 1998;19:403-7.
• Ricotta JJ, Char DJ, Cuadra SA, Bilfinger TV, Wall LP, Giron F, Krukenkamp IB, Seifert FC, McLarty AJ, Saltman AE, Komaroff E. Modeling stroke risk after coronary artery bypass and combined coronary artery bypass and carotid endarterectomy. Stroke 2003;34:1212-7.
• Rodrigues Borges AG, Suresh K, Mirza H, Katz JP, Simandl SL, Bilfinger T, Cohn PF. False aneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa after uncomplicated aortic valve replacement. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2002;15:743-5.
• Sachs S, Bilfinger TV. The impact of positron emission tomography on clinical decision making in a university-based multidisciplinary lung cancer practice. Chest 2005;128:698-703.
• Sachs S, Bilfinger TV, Komaroff E, Franceschi D. Increased standardized uptake value in the primary lesion predicts nodal or distant metastases at presentation in lung cancer. Clin Lung Cancer 2005;6:310-3.
• Sachs S, Bilfinger TV, Komaroff E, Liu J. SUV and clinical risk in determining likelihood of malignancy. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2004;169: A753.
• Saeed RW, Stefano GB, Murga JD, Short TW, Qi F, Bilfinger TV, Magazine HI. Expression of functional delta opioid receptors in vascular smooth muscle. Int J Mol Med 2000;6:673-7.
• Salhab KF, Baram D, Bilfinger TV. Growing PET positive nodule in a patient with histoplasmosis: case report. J Cardiothorac Surg 2006;1:23.
• Salzet M, Salzet B, Sautiere P, Lesage J, Beauvillain JC, Bilfinger TV, Rialas C, Bjenning C, Stefano GB. Isolation and characterization of a leech neuropeptide in rat brains: coupling to nitric oxide release in leech, rat and human tissues. Brain Res Mol Brain Res 1998;55:173-9.
• Shroyer AL, Gioia WE, Bishawi M, Wallace AS, Gulack BC, Xian Y, O'Brien SM, Thourani VH, Bilfinger TV. Single- versus multi-center surgeons' risk-adjusted coronary artery bypass graft procedural outcomes. Ann Thorac Surg 2018;105:1308-14.
• Shroyer AL, Quin JA, Grau-Sepulveda MV, Kosinski AS, Yerokun BA, Mitchell JD, Bilfinger TV. Geographic variations in lung cancer lobectomy outcomes: the General Thoracic Surgery Database. Ann Thorac Surg 2017;104:1650-5.
• Skripochnik E, Novikov D, Bilfinger TV, Loh SA. Short-term results of left subclavian artery salvage in blunt thoracic aortic injury with short proximal landing zones. J Vasc Surg 2018;68:985-90.
• Soeparwata R, Hartman AR, Frerichmann U, Stefano GB, Scheld HH, Bilfinger TV. Aprotinin diminishes inflammatory processes. Int J Cardiol 1996;53(Suppl):S55-63.
• Stefano GB, Bilfinger TV, guest editors. Cellular aspects of cardiopulmonary bypass surgery [Int J Cardiol 1996;53(Suppl)].
• Stefano GB, Bilfinger TV, Rialas CM, Deutsch DG. 2-arachidonyl-glycerol stimulates nitric oxide release from human immune and vascular tissues and invertebrate immunocytes by cannabinoid receptor 1. Pharmacol Res 2000;42:317-22.
• Stefano GB, Christensen VB, Tonnesen E, Liu Y, Hughes TK Jr, Bilfinger TV. Interleukin-10 stimulation of endogenous nitric oxide release from human saphenous veins diminishes immunocyte adherence. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1997;30:90-5.
• Stefano GB, Esch T, Bilfinger TV, Kream RM. Proinflammation and preconditioning protection are part of a common nitric oxide mediated process. Med Sci Monit 2010;16:RA125-30.
• Stefano GB, Goumon Y, Bilfinger TV, Welters ID, Cadet P. Basal nitric oxide limits immune, nervous and cardiovascular excitation: human endothelia express a mu opiate receptor. Prog Neurobiol 2000;60:513–30.
• Stefano GB, Kream RM, Mantione KJ, Sheehan M, Cadet P, Zhu W, Bilfinger TV, Esch T. Endogenous morphine/nitric oxide-coupled regulation of cellular physiology and gene expression: Implications for cancer biology. Semin Cancer Biol 2008;18:199-210.
• Stefano GB, Prevot V, Beauvillain JC, Cadet P, Fimiani C, Welters I, Fricchione GL, Breton C, Lassalle P, Salzet M, Bilfinger TV. Cell-surface estrogen receptors mediate calcium-dependent nitric oxide release in human endothelia. Circulation 2000;101:1594-7.
• Stefano GB, Prevot V, Beauvillain JC, Fimiani C, Welters I, Cadet P, Breton C, Pestel J, Salzet M, Bilfinger TV. Estradiol coupling to human monocyte nitric oxide release is dependent on intracellular calcium transients: evidence for an estrogen surface receptor. J Immunol 1999;163:3758-63.
• Stefano GB, Rodriguez M, Glass R, Cesares F, Hughes TK, Bilfinger TV. Hyperstimulation of leukocytes by plasma from cardiopulmonary by-pass patients is diminished by morphine and IL-10 pretreatment. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) 1995;36:25-30.
• Stefano GB, Salzet M, Bilfinger TV. Long-term exposure of human blood vessels to HIV gp120, morphine, and anandamide increases endothelial adhesion of monocytes: uncoupling of nitric oxide release. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1998;31:862-8.
• Stefano GB, Salzet M, Hughes TK, Bilfinger TV. Delta2 opioid receptor subtype on human vascular endothelium uncouples morphine stimulated nitric oxide release. Int J Cardiol 1998;64(Suppl 1):S43-51.
• Stefano GB, Salzet M, Magazine HI, Bilfinger TV. Antagonism of LPS and IFN-gamma induction of iNOS in human saphenous vein endothelium by morphine and anandamide by nitric oxide inhibition of adenylate cyclase. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1998;31:813-20.
• Stefano GB, Salzet M, Rialas CM, Mattocks D, Fimiani C, Bilfinger TV. Macrophage behavior associated with acute and chronic exposure to HIV GP120, morphine and anandamide - endothelial implications. Int J Cardiol 1998;64(Suppl 1):S3-13.
• Stefano GB, Scharrer B, Bilfinger TV, Salzet M, Fricchione GL. A novel view of opiate tolerance. Adv Neuroimmunol 1996;6:265-77.
• Stefano GB, Scharrer B, Smith EM, Hughes TK Jr, Magazine HI, Bilfinger TV, Hartman AR, Fricchione GL, Liu Y, Makman MH. Opioid and opiate immunoregulatory processes. Crit Rev Immunol 1996;16:109-44.
• Stefano GB, Zhu W, Cadet P, Bilfinger TV, Mantione K. Morphine enhances nitric oxide release in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract via the micro(3) opiate receptor subtype: a hormonal role for endogenous morphine. J Physiol Pharmacol 2004;55(1 Pt 2):279-88.
• Stefano GB, Zhu W, Cadet P, Mantione K, Bilfinger TV, Bianchi E, Guarna M. A hormonal role for endogenous opiate alkaloids: vascular tissues. Neuroendocrinol Lett 2002;23:21-6.
• Tasiemski A, Hammad H, Vandenbulcke F, Breton C, Bilfinger TV, Pestel J, Salzet M. Presence of chromogranin-derived antimicrobial peptides in plasma during coronary artery bypass surgery and evidence of an immune origin of these peptides. Blood 2002;15;100:553-9.
• Tasiemski A, Salzet M, Benson H, Fricchione GL, Bilfinger TV, Goumon Y, Metz-Boutigue MH, Aunis D, Stefano GB. The presence of antibacterial and opioid peptides in human plasma during coronary artery bypass surgery. J Neuroimmunol 2000;109:228-35.
• Tonnesen E, Christensen VB, Bilfinger TV, Sanchez RG, Stefano GB. Endogenous morphine levels increase following cardiac surgery as part of the anti-inflammatory response. Int J Cardiol 1998;62:191-7.
• Usman M, Moore W, Talati R, Watkins K, Bilfinger TV. Irreversible electroporation of lung neoplasm: a case series. Med Sci Monit 2012;18:CS43-47
• Vlay SC, Bilfinger TV, Levy M, Chitkara V. Alternative locations for internal defibrillator electrodes. Pace-Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 1998;21:1309-12.
• Vosswinkel JA, Bilfinger TV. Cardiac nail gun injuries: lessons learned. J Trauma 1999;47:588-90.
• Vu CC, Matthews R, Kim B, Franceschi D, Bilfinger TV, Moore WH. Prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis from 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients undergoing stereotactic body radiation therapy for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer. Nucl Med Commun 2013;34:959-63.
• Xenos M, Karakitsos D, Labropoulos N, Tassiopoulos A, Bilfinger TV, Bluestein D. Comparative study of flow in right-sided and left-sided aortas: numerical simulations in patient-based models. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin 2015;18:414-25.
• Waksman R, Rogers T, Torguson R, Gordon P, Ehsan A, Wilson SR, Goncalves J, Levitt R, Hahn C, Parikh P, Bilfinger T, et al. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in low-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. J Am Coll Cardiol 2018;72:2095-105.
• Welters ID, Fimiani C, Bilfinger TV, Stefano GB. NF-kappa B, nitric oxide and opiate signaling. Med Hypotheses 2000;54:263–8.
• Wu GS, Gilet A, Kirshbaum M, Bilfinger T, Ferretti J. Inferior vena cava filter migration with severe deformity of filter. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2009;20:1257-9.
• Zarrilli GM, Liu J, Bilfinger TV, Moore WH, Vacirca J, Baram D. Fat-containing pleural mass due to spillage of an ovarian dermoid cyst. J Broncholo 2008;15:264-7.
• Zemlyak A, Moore WH, Bilfinger TV. Comparison of survival after sublobar resections and ablative therapies for stage I non-small cell lung cancer. J Am Coll Surg 2010;211:68-72.
• Zhong F, Li XY, Yang SL, Stefano GB, Fimiani C, Bilfinger TV. Methionine-enkephalin stimulates interleukin-6 mRNA expression - human plasma levels in coronary artery bypass grafting. Int J Cardiol 1998;64(Suppl 1):S53-9.
• Zhu W, Ma Y, Bell A, Esch T, Guarna M, Bilfinger TV, Bianchi E, Stefano GB. Presence of morphine in rat amygdala: Evidence for the 3 opiate receptor subtype via nitric oxide release in limbic structures. Med Sci Monit 2004;10:BR433-439.
• Zhu W, Ma Y, Cadet P, Yu D, Bilfinger TV, Bianchi E, Stefano GB. Presence of reticuline in rat brain: a pathway for morphine biosynthesis. Brain Res Mol Brain Res 2003;117:83-90.
• Zhu W, Mantione KJ, Casares FM, Cadet P, Kim JW, Bilfinger TV, Kream RM, Khalill S, Singh S, Stefano GB. Alcohol-, nicotine-, and cocaine-evoked release of morphine from invertebrate ganglia: model system for screening drugs of abuse. Med Sci Monit 2006;12:BR155-61.
• > Click here to see abstracts/full text of Dr. Bilfinger's journal articles presented in reverse chronological order, starting with most recent, on PubMed (National Library of Medicine).

• Fellow, American College of Surgeons (FACS)
• Fellow, American College of Cardiology (FACC)
• Fellow, College of Chest Physicians (FCCP)
• Fellow, American Heart Association (FAHA)
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