Learn More About Me
Specialties: Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, Valvular Disease Cardiology, General Surgery, Cardiac Surgery
Languages: English
202-877-3503
About me
Ammar S. Bafi, MD, is a cardiothoracic surgeon at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. He is board certified in thoracic surgery.
As a cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Bafi treats all adult cardiac disease, such as valvular and coronary artery disease, through the use of advanced surgical techniques. He specializes in mitral valve repair, as well as off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.
With more than 25 years of experience, he has performed more than 10,000 heart operations with superb results, exceeding the national average in patient satisfaction, as well as achieving lower-than-average mortality outcomes. In his high-volume clinical practice, he performs approximately 400 heart surgeries each year.
Dr. Bafi serves on the Cardiovascular Surgery Program Quality Improvement Committee at MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute. He is also a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Dr. Bafi received his medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine before completing a general surgery internship at Cornell University Medical Center/North Shore University Hospital. He then returned to the George Washington University Hospital to complete a six-year general surgery residency, which included one year of research. Finally, he completed a two-year specialty residency in cardiothoracic surgery at GWU, and one year as a clinical associate in the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Dr. Bafi’s clinical research includes serving as principal or co-investigator in multiple transcatheter aortic and mitral valve studies, including the CoreValve®, PARTNER, COAPT, and NeoChord™ trials. He continues to participate in many cardiac surgery and cardiology clinical trials, particularly as they relate to percutaneous valvular therapies. He works with a team of skilled interventional cardiologists to continue bringing novel treatments to his patients. Dr. Bafi’s research is widely published in medical journals.
Philosophy of Care
“Growing up as a child of diplomats, I lived in different countries. As a part of this experience, I learned to develop and appreciate a wide perspective on many people, religions, and cultures. I believe this contributes to my ability to connect and empathize with my patients and colleagues. I am driven by the knowledge that every day I’m working to improve the quality of life for my patients. I feel it is my privilege and honor to have a positive impact on my patients’ health and their lives.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Heart Transplant
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breathing
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Amyloidosis
- Aneurysm Of Ascending Aorta
- Aneurysm Of Descending Aorta
- Angina
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Arch Aneurysm
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Disorders
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Prosthetic Device Complications
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiac Valve Tumors
- Cardiomyopathy
- Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
- Circulatory System Complications
- Coarctation Of The Aorta
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Cardiac Surgery
- Complications Of Heart Transplant
- Complications Of Procedures
- Congenital Heart Valve Defects
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Congenital Malformations Of Pulmonary And Tricuspid Valves
- Coronary Artery Blockage
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Ebstein's Anomaly
- Eisenmenger Syndrome
- Heart Bypass Surgery
- Heart Disease
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Transplant Failure
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Infectious Endocarditis
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Marfan Syndrome
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocardial Infarction (HEART ATTACK)
- Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Disease
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pericardium Diseases
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Right Ventricular Aneurysm
- Single Ventricle Heart Defects
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm
- Transposition Of The Great Arteries
- Tricuspid Atresia
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
- Ventricular Aneurysm
- Ventricular Septal Defect
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Aneurysm Repair
- Aortic Arch Reconstruction
- Aortic Dissection Repair
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Rupture Treatment
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Aortic Valve Supplement
- Atrial Appendage Closure
- Atrial Septal Defect Closure
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Atrial Septum Supplement
- Bilateral Cardiac Sampling And Pressure
- Cardiac Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Cardiac Ablation For Ventricular Tachycardia
- Cardiac Arrhythmia Surgery
- Cardiac Bypass Surgery
- Cardiac Myxoma Excision
- Cardiac Sampling And Pressure Measurement
- Cardiac Surgery For Cardiac Tumors
- Cardiac Surgery For Congenital Heart Defects
- Cardiac Surgery For Congenital Heart Disease
- Cardiac Surgery For Heart Block
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Cardioversion
- Cerebral Embolic Filtration
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Destruction Of Left Atrial Appendage
- Device Implantation For Heart Failure
- Endoscopy With Vein Harvest
- Excision Of Left Atrium
- Excision Of Pericardium
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Heart Failure Surgery
- Heart Therapeutic Injection
- Heart Transplant
- Heart Valve Reconstruction
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment
- Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
- Intraaortic Balloon Pump Placement
- Maze Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery
- Mitral Balloon Valvuloplasty
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Occlusion Of Left Atrial Appendage
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus Repair
- Pulmonary Valve Reconstruction
- Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Reoperation, Coronary Artery Bypass
- Repair Tricuspid Valve
- Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement
- Tricuspid Valve Reconstruction
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Tricuspid Valve Supplement With Synthetic Substitute
- Valvuloplasty
- Ventricular Restoration
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Navigate
- Sentara Health
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-POS
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Network OA
- IH-Indemnity
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Choice POS
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CIGNA EPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- HighMark
- CIGNA PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Choice POS II Open Access
- First Health PPO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Basic
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- MultiPlan, Inc
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- IH-EPO Plus
- Beech Street PPO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- IH-HMO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Student Resources
- TRICARE for Life East
- UHC Passport
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Blue Choice Advantage
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Administrators
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- United Healthcare Choice
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS II
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- OA Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Medicare Direct
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Choice POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- TRICARE East Select
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- POS OA
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- IH-Open HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Employee Health Plan
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst EPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Medicare FFS
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
Videos
Education
Board Certification:
Fellowship: Cleveland Clinic (1996)
Fellowship: George Washington University School of Medicine (1995)
Residency: George Washington University Hospital (1993)
Medical School: George Washington University (1989)
Internship: North Shore University Hospital (1988)
Awards
- Washingtonian Top Doc 2025