Interventional Cardiologist Nidal Abi Rafeh, M.D., FACC, Joins North Oaks Cardiology

Fellowship-trained and board-certified Interventional Cardiologist Nidal Abi Rafeh, M.D., FACC, has joined North Oaks Cardiology. Get to know him in his own words here. To schedule an appointment, call (985) 230-7350.

Abi Rafeh is world-renowned for his expertise in the performance of complex and high-risk Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (CTO PCI). This minimally invasive technique is used to treat patients with complete blockages of the coronary arteries, which is caused by plaque buildup that compromises blood flow to the heart.

“Many patients are unable to undergo an invasive heart bypass procedure.” Abi Rafeh explains. “The minimally invasive technique that I specialize in gives high-risk patients another option for the removal of their blockages without the risk and down time of an open heart procedure.”

Certified in Interventional Cardiology and as a diplomate in Cardiovascular Disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Abi Rafeh also is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

After earning a medical degree from the Lebanese University School of Medicine in Lebanon, Abi Rafeh completed an internship, residency as chief resident and fellowship as chief fellow in Cardiovascular Medicine through Staten Island University Hospital in New York. He went on to complete a second fellowship in Interventional Cardiology through Tulane University in New Orleans.

Abi Rafeh comes to North Oaks Cardiology Clinic from St. George Hospital-University Medical Center in Beirut, Lebanon. Before that, he was on the medical staff of the Lebanese Hospital Geitaoui-University Medical Center, also in Beirut, Tulane University of School Medicine and Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System in New Orleans.

Abi Rafeh is highly regarded in research and education relevant to CTO PCI. At present, he serves as a consultant and complex CTO PCI physician proctor for multiple companies. He currently co-chairs the American Progress CTO Registry for the MENATA Chapter (Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Asia) and is a past director and founder of Tulane Medical Center’s CTO program.

Abi Rafeh has demonstrated his commitment to sharing his knowledge and expertise with future generations of physicians as an adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine, faculty member and interventionalist with The Heart and Vascular Institute at Tulane University School of Medicine and as associate professor of medicine for Balamand University School of Medicine in Beirut.

He serves on the editorial board of multiple peer review journals. He has contributed to several research books and articles for peer-reviewed journals, including The Lancet, Journal of Women’s Health, Journal for Healthcare Quality and the International Journal of Cardiology.

In addition to English, he also is fluent in Arabic.

North Oaks Cardiology Clinic is located in Suite 403 of the North Oaks Clinic Building at 15813 Paul Vega, M.D., Drive in Hammond.

Other providers include: Drs. Jherie D. Ducombs, Bruce Ennis, William P. Kopfler and James M. Parker; and Nurse Practitioners Jean Genzale-Bertrand, Kristen King, Erickia LeMeunier and Charlie Shelton.

Clinic hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

To learn more about North Oaks’ primary, specialty and walk-in clinics, call North Oaks Public Relations at (985) 230-6647.