Max Mitchell, MD
Professor, Surgery-Cardiothoracic

Professional Titles

• Director of the Mechanical Circulatory Support Program
• Co-Director, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Program

Recognition & Awards

• Top Doctor in Denver, 5280 Magazine (2012)
  Voted a 5280 best doctor by my peers in response to the question, "Which physician would you trust to treat you and your family?"
• American's Top Doctors, Castle Connelly (2009)
  
• Listed in the "Guide to America's Top Surgeons", Consumer's Research Council of America (2009)
  
• Health Policy Scholarship Recipient, American College of Surgeons and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (2007)
  
• Top Doctors List (Thoracic Surgery), Castle Connolly (2007)
  

Research Interests

Teaching

Publications

• Thomson LM, Mancuso CA, Wolfe KR, Khailova L, Niemiec S, Ali E, DiMaria M, Mitchell M, Twite M, Morgan G, Frank BS, Davidson JA. The proteomic fingerprint in infants with single ventricle heart disease in the interstage period: evidence of chronic inflammation and widespread activation of biological networks. Front Pediatr. 2023;11:1308700. PubMed PMID: 38143535
• Iguidbashian J, Malone LJ, Browne LP, Nguyen M, Frank B, Schafer M, Campbell DN, Mitchell MB, Jaggers J, Stone ML. Regional Arch Measurements Differ Between Imaging Modalities in Infants With Aortic Coarctation. Ann Thorac Surg. 2023 Dec 10. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 38072352
• Frank BS, Nandy D, Khailova L, Mitchell MB, Morgan GJ, Twite M, DiMaria MV, Davidson JA. Circulating biomarkers of extracellular matrix dysregulation are associated with adverse post-stage 2 outcomes in infants with single ventricle heart disease. Sci Rep. 2023 Sep 28;13(1):16318. PubMed PMID: 37770592
• Schäfer M, Mitchell MB, Brateng C, Ivy DD, Hunter KS, Nash DB, von Alvensleben JC. Extraction and Digitization of ECG Signals from Standard Clinical Portable Document Format Files for the Principal Component Analysis of T-wave Morphology. Cardiovasc Eng Technol. 2023 Oct;14(5):631-639. PubMed PMID: 37491551
• Schäfer M, Mitchell MB, Frank BS, Barker AJ, Stone ML, Jaggers J, von Alvensleben JC, Hunter KS, Friesen RM, Ivy DD, Jacobsen R, Di Maria MV. Myocardial strain-curve deformation patterns after Fontan operation. Sci Rep. 2023 Jul 24;13(1):11912. PubMed PMID: 37488167
• McLennan D, Schafer M, Barker AJ, Mitchell MB, Ing RJ, Browne LP, Ivy DD, Morgan GJ. Abnormal flow conduction through pulmonary arteries is associated with right ventricular volume and function in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: does flow quality affect afterload? Eur Radiol 2023;33:302-311. (PMID 35852579)
• Stone ML, Schäfer M, von Alvensleben JC, Frank BS, Campbell DN, Mitchell MB, Jaggers J. Left ventricular dysfunction following the Ross-Konno reconstruction is independent of the operation. Pediatr Cardiol. 2023;44:463-471. (PMID: 36370189)
• McLennan D, Schäfer M, Barker AJ, Mitchell MB, Ing RJ, Browne LP, Ivy DD, Morgan GJ. Abnormal flow conduction through pulmonary arteries is associated with right ventricular volume and function in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: does flow quality affect afterload?. Eur Radiol. 2023 Jan;33(1):302-311. PubMed PMID: 35852579
• Eldeiry M, Miyamoto S, Chatfield K, Reece TB, Mitchell MB. Frozen elephant trunk aortic reconstruction in a patient with Loeys-Dietz syndrome. JTCVS Tech. 2022 Dec;16:8-10. PubMed PMID: 36510543
• Hill MA, Mitchell MB, Rajab TK. Mitral valve anatomy in patients with native aortic root thrombosis after Norwood palliation. Ann Thorac Surg 2022;114:1089-90. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2021.09.053.
• Schäfer M, Stone ML, Jaggers J, Browne LP, Mitchell MB. Commentary: In vortices veritas-quantitative approach. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2022; 163:964-66.doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2020.05.112.
• Frank BS, Khailova L, Silveira L, Mitchell MB, Morgan GJ, DiMaria MV, Davidson JA. Increased circulating Endothelin 1 is associated with postoperative hypoxemia in infants with single ventricle heart disease undergoing superior cavopulmonary anastomosis. J Am Heart Assoc 2022. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.024007.
• Schafer M, Frank BS, Ivy DD, Mitchell MB, Collins KK, Jone PN, von Alvensleben JC. Repolarization dispersion is associated with diastolic electromechanical discoordination in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension. J Am Heart Assoc 2022; doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.024787 (PMID 35229614)
• Schafer M, Frank BS, Grady RM, Eghtesady P, Mitchell, MB, Jaggers J, Ivy DD. Monitoring and evaluation of the surgical Potts shunt physiology using 4-dimmensional flow magnetic resonance imaging. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2022;164:331-41. (PMID: 34872760)
• Stone ML, Schafer M, DiMaria MV, von Albensleben JC, Campbell DN, Jaggers J, Mitchell, MB. Diastolic inflow is associated with inefficient ventricular flow dynamics in Fontan Patients. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2022; 163: 1195-1207.
• Stone ML, Schäfer M, von Alvensleben JC, Frank BS, Campbell DN, Mitchell MB, Jaggers J. Left Ventricular Dysfunction Following the Ross-Konno Reconstruction is Independent of the Operation. Pediatr Cardiol. 2022 Nov 12. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36370189
• Malone LJ, Browne LP, Morgan GJ, Lovell MA, Campbell DN, Jaggers JJ, Leahy RA, Mitchell MB, Mong DA, Weinman JP, Zablah JE, Stone ML. Computed Tomographic Angiography Provides Reliable Coronary Artery Evaluation in Infants With Pulmonary Atresia Intact Ventricular Septum. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2022 Oct 14. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36244628
• Schäfer M, Di Maria MV, Stone ML, Jaggers J, Mitchell MB. Reply from authors: The unbearable weight of shape and flow quality. JTCVS Open. 2022 Jun;10:352-353. PubMed PMID: 36004238
• Schäfer M, Frank BS, Jacobsen R, Rausch CM, Mitchell MB, Jaggers J, Stone ML, Morgan GJ, Browne LP, Barker AJ, Hunter KS, Ivy DD, Younoszai A, Di Maria MV. Patients with Fontan circulation have abnormal aortic wave propagation patterns: A wave intensity analysis study. Int J Cardiol. 2021 Jan 1;322:158-167. PubMed PMID: 32853667
• Schäfer M, Frank BS, Grady RM, Eghtesady P, Mitchell MB, Jaggers J, Ivy DD. Monitoring and evaluation of the surgical Potts shunt physiology using 4-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2021 Nov 16. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34872760
• Hill MA, Mitchell MB, Rajab TK. Mitral Valve Anatomy in Patients with Native Aortic Root Thrombosis after Norwood Palliation. Ann Thorac Surg. 2021 Nov 1. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34736928
• Stone ML, Schäfer M, DiMaria MV, von Alvensleben JC, Campbell DN, Jaggers J, Mitchell MB. Diastolic inflow is associated with inefficient ventricular flow dynamics in Fontan patients. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2021 Jul 17. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34429192
• Wilkinson D, Lin Y, Everett M, Auerbach S, Morgan G, Mitchell MB. Coronary Artery Reimplantation and Berlin Heart EXCOR Rescue for Left Coronary Artery Atresia With Severe Ischemic Cardiomyopathy. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2021 Nov;12(6):793-795. PubMed PMID: 34264154
• Wojcik BM, Rajab TK, Newman S, Jaggers J, Mitchell MB. COVID-19 Testing, Surgical Prioritization, and Reactivation in a Congenital Cardiac Surgery Program. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2021 Jan;12(1):150-151. PubMed PMID: 33179577
• Frank BS, Khailova L, Silveira L, Mitchell MB, Morgan GJ, Hsieh EWY, DiMaria MV, Twite M, Klawitter J, Davidson JA. Proteomic profiling identifies key differences between inter-stage infants with single ventricle heart disease and healthy controls. Transl Res. 2021 Mar;229:24-37. PubMed PMID: 33045409
• Schäfer M, Di Maria MV, Jaggers J, Stone ML, Ivy DD, Barker AJ, Mitchell MB. High-degree Norwood neoaortic tapering is associated with abnormal flow conduction and elevated flow-mediated energy loss. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2021 Dec;162(6):1791-1804. PubMed PMID: 33653609
• Darr OA, Stone ML, Mitchell MB, Meier J, Kelley P, Prager JD. Slide Tracheoplasty for Tracheal Cartilaginous Sleeve in a Patient With Apert Syndrome. Ann Thorac Surg. 2021 Dec;112(6):e419-e421. PubMed PMID: 33676902
• Schäfer M, Frank BS, Ivy DD, Abman SH, Stenmark KR, Mitchell MB, Browne LP, Barker AJ, Hunter KS, Kheyfets V, Miller-Reed K, Ing R, Morgan GJ, Truong U. Short-Term Effects of Inhaled Nitric Oxide on Right Ventricular Flow Hemodynamics by 4-Dimensional-Flow Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Children With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Apr 20;10(8):e020548. PubMed PMID: 33821682
• Oganesyan A, Hoffner-Heinike A, Barker AJ, Frank BS, Ivy DD, Hunter KS, Mitchell MB, Humphries SM, Fenster BE, Schäfer M. Abnormal pulmonary flow is associated with impaired right ventricular coupling in patients with COPD. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2021 Oct;37(10):3039-3048. PubMed PMID: 34021434
• Stone ML, Schäfer M, von Alvensleben JC, Browne LP, Di Maria M, Campbell DN, Jaggers J, Mitchell MB. Increased Aortic Stiffness and Left Ventricular Dysfunction Exist After Truncus Arteriosus Repair. Ann Thorac Surg. 2020 Dec 8. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33307069
• Venardos N, Browne LP, Fujiwara T, Mitchell MB. Type B Aortic Dissection Complicating Stage 1 Norwood Procedure. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2020 Nov;11(6):805-807. PubMed PMID: 33164691
• Frank BS, Khailova L, Silveira L, Mitchell MB, Morgan GJ, Hsieh EWY, DiMaria MV, Twite M, Klawitter J, Davidson JA. Proteomic profiling identifies key differences between inter-stage infants with single ventricle heart disease and healthy controls. Transl Res. 2020 Oct 9. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33045409
• Rajab TK, Mitchell MB. Native Aortic Root Thrombosis after Norwood Palliation for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Ann Thorac Surg. 2020 Sep 25. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 32987016
• Schäfer M, Stone ML, Jaggers J, Browne LP, Mitchell MB. Commentary: In vortices veritas-quantitative approach. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020 Jun 27. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 32768303
• Schäfer M, Ivy DD, Barker AJ, Mitchell MB. Reply to Commentary: Can't flow down: More 4-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging studies are needed in congenital heart disease. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020 Oct;160(4):1019-1020. PubMed PMID: 32739168
• Schäfer M, Bjornstad P, Frank BS, Baumgartner A, Truong U, Enge D, von Alvensleben JC, Mitchell MB, Ivy DD, Barker AJ, Reusch JEB, Nadeau KJ. Frequency of Reduced Left Ventricular Contractile Efficiency and Discoordinated Myocardial Relaxation in Patients Aged 16 to 21 Years With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (from the Emerald Study). Am J Cardiol. 2020 Aug 1;128:45-53. PubMed PMID: 32650923
• Schäfer M, Younoszai A, Truong U, Browne LP, Mitchell MB, Jaggers J, Campbell DN, Hunter KS, Ivy DD, Di Maria MV. Influence of aortic stiffness on ventricular function in patients with Fontan circulation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2019 Feb;157(2):699-707. PubMed PMID: 30396734
• Frank BS, Urban TT, Lewis K, Tong S, Cassidy C, Mitchell MB, Nichols CS, Davidson JA. Circulating biomarkers of left ventricular hypertrophy in pediatric coarctation of the aorta. Congenit Heart Dis. 2019 Jan 16. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30650250
• Frank B, Schäfer M, Douwes JM, Ivy DD, Abman SH, Davidson JA, Burzlaff S, Mitchell MB, Morgan GJ, Browne L, Barker AJ, Truong U, Von Alvensleben JC. Novel Measures of Left Ventricular Electromechanical Discoordination Predict Clinical Outcomes in Children with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2019 Dec 20. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31858817
• Nakano SJ, Walker JS, Walker LA, Li X, Du Y, Miyamoto SD, Sucharov CC, Garcia AM, Mitchell MB, Ambardekar AV, Stauffer BL. Increased myocyte calcium sensitivity in end-stage pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2019 Dec 1;317(6):H1221-H1230. PubMed PMID: 31625780
• Chatfield KC, Sparagna GC, Chau S, Phillips EK, Ambardekar AV, Aftab M, Mitchell MB, Sucharov CC, Miyamoto SD, Stauffer BL. Elamipretide Improves Mitochondrial Function in the Failing Human Heart. JACC Basic Transl Sci. 2019 Apr;4(2):147-157. PubMed PMID: 31061916
• McLennan D, Schäfer M, Mitchell MB, Morgan GJ, Ivy D, Barker AJ, Jacobsen R. Usefulness of 4D-Flow MRI in Mapping Flow Distribution Through Failing Fontan Circulation Prior to Cardiac Intervention. Pediatr Cardiol. 2019 Jun;40(5):1093-1096. PubMed PMID: 30982076
• Schäfer M, Browne LP, von Alvensleben JC, Mitchell MB, Morgan GJ, Ivy DD, Jaggers J. Ventricular interactions and electromechanical dyssynchrony after Ross and Ross-Konno operations. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2019 Aug;158(2):509-517. PubMed PMID: 30928217
• Schäfer M, Ivy DD, Abman SH, Stenmark K, Browne LP, Barker AJ, Mitchell MB, Morgan GJ, Wilson N, Shah A, Kollengode M, Naresh N, Fonseca B, DiMaria M, Buckner JK, Hunter KS, Kheyfets V, Fenster BE, Truong U. Differences in pulmonary arterial flow hemodynamics between children and adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension as assessed by 4D-flow CMR studies. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2019 May 1;316(5):H1091-H1104. PubMed PMID: 30822118
• Schäfer M, Frank BS, Ivy DD, Wilson N, Morgan GJ, Barker AJ, Browne LP, Mitchell MB, Truong U. Close look at the Potts shunt flow hemodynamics in a patient with severe pulmonary hypertension: 4D-flow MRI evaluation. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2018 Nov 19. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30451346
• Cassidy C, Mitchell MB, Jone PN. Three-dimensional echocardiographic evaluation of Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve in a patient with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Cardiol Young. 2018 Jun;28(6):885-887. PubMed PMID: 29679990
• Schäfer M, Morgan GJ, Mitchell MB, Ross M, Barker AJ, Hunter KS, Fonseca B, DiMaria M, Vargas D, Ivy DD, Wilson N, Browne LP. Impact of different coarctation therapies on aortic stiffness: phase-contrast MRI study. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2018 Sep;34(9):1459-1469. PubMed PMID: 29667078
• Schäfer M, Browne LP, Truong U, Jaggers JJ, Mitchell MB, Malone L, Morgan G, Chatfield K, McLennan D, Turbendian H, Vargas D, Fonseca B, DiMaria M, Shah A, Ivy MP, Barker AJ, Hunter KS, Wilson N, Ivy DD, Campbell DN. Aortic stiffness in adolescent Turner and Marfan syndrome patients. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2018 Nov 1;54(5):926-932. PubMed PMID: 29684119
• Schäfer M, Browne LP, Morgan GJ, Barker AJ, Fonseca B, Ivy DD, Mitchell MB. Reduced proximal aortic compliance and elevated wall shear stress after early repair of tetralogy of Fallot. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2018 Dec;156(6):2239-2249. PubMed PMID: 30449579
• Zablah JE, Ross M, Wilson N, Fonseca B, Mitchell MB. Kawashima by Fenestrated Hemi-Fontan for Palliation Following Prior Stage I Norwood Operation. World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2018 Jul;9(4):451-453. PubMed PMID: 29945505
• Mitchell MB. Pulmonary valve replacement for congenital heart disease: What valve substitute should we be using?. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2016 Nov;152(5):1230-1232. PubMed PMID: 27637425
• Reeves JG, Montesa C, Fonseca B, Mitchell MB. Aortic Translocation for Repair of Transposition of the Great Arteries (S,D,L) With Ventricular Septal Defect and Pulmonic Stenosis. Ann Thorac Surg. 2016 Jan;101(1):357-9. PubMed PMID: 26694279
• Burkett DA, Wilson N, Mitchell MB, Younoszai AK. Acute ischaemic heart block in hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Cardiol Young. 2016 Jan;26(1):151-4. PubMed PMID: 25531744
• Kopelovich JC, Wine TM, Rutter MJ, Mitchell MB, Prager JD. Secondary Reverse Slide Tracheoplasty for Airway Rescue. Ann Thorac Surg. 2016 Mar;101(3):1205-7. PubMed PMID: 26897214
• Siomos AK, Mitchell MB, Fonseca BM. Successful surgical repair of a massive window duct in a 1-month old with aniridia and pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis. Cardiol Young. 2015 Mar;25(3):594-6. PubMed PMID: 24848376
• Deng XS, Meng X, Zeng Q, Fullerton D, Mitchell M, Jaggers J. Adult aortic valve interstitial cells have greater responses to toll-like receptor 4 stimulation. Ann Thorac Surg. 2015 Jan;99(1):62-71. PubMed PMID: 25442996
• Peng E, Campbell DN, Jaggers J, Mitchell MB. Three-Sinus Repair of Elastin Arteriopathy Associated Supravalvar Pulmonary Stenosis With Bilateral Branch Pulmonary Artery Involvement. Ann Thorac Surg. 2015 Aug;100(2):741-3. PubMed PMID: 26234860
• Stidham TR, Auerbach SR, Mitchell MB, Buckvold SM. Respiratory Failure in a Pediatric Patient with Biventricular Assist Devices: Identification and Novel Management of Inflow Cannula Obstruction. ASAIO J. 2015 Jul-Aug;61(4):e26-8. PubMed PMID: 26039554
• Mauchley DC, Mitchell MB. Transplantation in the Fontan patient. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu. 2015;18(1):7-16. PubMed PMID: 25939837
• Mitchell MB. Pulmonary venous obstruction in the single ventricle patient: Possible causes, possible solutions. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2015 May;149(5):1245-6. PubMed PMID: 25680748
• Hawkins SM, Taylor AL, Sillau SH, Mitchell MB, Rausch CM. Restrictive lung function in pediatric patients with structural congenital heart disease. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2013 Sep 20. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 24060364
• Almond CS, Morales DL, Blackstone EH, Turrentine MW, Imamura M, Massicotte MP, Jordan LC, Devaney EJ, Ravishankar C, Kanter KR, Holman W, Kroslowitz R, Tjossem C, Thuita L, Cohen GA, Buchholz H, St Louis JD, Nguyen K, Niebler RA, Walters HL 3rd, Reemtsen B, Wearden PD, Reinhartz O, Guleserian KJ, Mitchell MB, Bleiweis MS, Canter CE, Humpl T. Berlin Heart EXCOR pediatric ventricular assist device for bridge to heart transplantation in US children. Circulation. 2013 Apr 23;127(16):1702-11. PubMed PMID: 23538380
• Erwin N, Zuk J, Kaufman J, Pan Z, Carpenter E, Mitchell MB, da Cruz EM. Extended survival and re-hospitalisation among paediatric patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for primary cardiac dysfunction. Cardiol Young. 2013;23(2):258-64. PubMed PMID: 22694830

Professional Memberships

• American College of Surgeons (ACS), Fellow
• Western Thoracic Surgical Association, Member
• Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Member
• European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery, Member
• International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, Member
• Rocky Mountain Thoracic and Cardiac Surgical Society, Member
• Denver Academy of Surgery, Member
• Congenital Heart Surgeons Society, Member
• American Association for Thoracic Surgery, Member