Our Team

Our Team

Our Team

The Robotic Mitral Valve Program is comprised of a highly-skilled team of healthcare professionals. They include a nurse coordinator, who will be involved in your care from your first consultation until your post-operative visit, anesthesiologists (who will evaluate, monitor and supervise your care during surgery), a team of nurses and scrub techs, physician assistants to assist Dr. Geirsson with the operation, perfusionists specially trained to operate the heart lung machine for this specialized procedure, and finally, Dr. Geirsson, who will be performing the operation. Each member plays an integral role in your care and they are the top performers in their specialized areas.

Medical specialists team

Our Team

The Robotic Mitral Valve Program is comprised of a highly-skilled team of healthcare professionals. They include a nurse coordinator, who will be involved in your care from your first consultation until your post-operative visit, anesthesiologists (who will evaluate, monitor and supervise your care during surgery), a team of nurses and scrub techs, physician assistants to assist Dr. Geirsson with the operation, perfusionists specially trained to operate the heart lung machine for this specialized procedure, and finally, Dr. Geirsson, who will be performing the operation. Each member plays an integral role in your care and they are the top performers in their specialized areas.

Maureen Legenos, RN

Maureen Legenos, RN began her nursing career in cardiac surgery as a bedside nurse. Cardiac surgery has, to this day, remained her passion. She transitioned to the role of Surgical Nurse Coordinator early on in her career, as this allowed her to continue to work closely with patients and their families. In her role, she has developed longstanding collaborative relationships with the cardiac surgeons and referring cardiologists.Maureen has proven to be a trusted, knowledgeable and efficient partner, to whom many turn to for assistance. Most importantly she is a caring, compassionate, and infinitely patient resource to our large population of patients.

Maureen has taken a keen interest in the development of our surgical mitral valve program, and has been an integral part of the team focused on the growth of the robotic cardiac surgery program. In her role, she has assisted with developing outreach initiatives, staff education, and resources for patient education. For her, the most important part of her job is to help patients understand their condition, the options for therapy, and to partner with them as they navigate the cardiac surgery experience.

Outside of the hospital, Maureen enjoys organic gardening, traveling, and spending time with her growing family.

Maureen Legenos, RN
Michael LaLonde, PA-C

Michael LaLonde, PA-C

Michael LaLonde, PA-C is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. He began his career in healthcare as a surgical technologist in 1999 in Oakland, CA, specializing in cardiac surgery. After completing his physician assistant education at Long Island University, he began his career at Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he currently serves as Lead Physician Assistant for the cardiac surgery program. Michael’s professional interests include minimally invasive procedures to treat cardiac conditions, endoscopic vessel harvesting, and complex cardiac surgery.

Michael and Dr. Geirsson have worked together for over ten years, and have developed a highly specialized working relationship. He plays an integral role in the development and maintenance of the Robotic Cardiac Surgery Program, and plays an active role as Dr. Geirsson’s assistant in the operating room, especially during robotic mitral valve procedures.

Outside of the hospital, he enjoys traveling, photography, boating, snowboarding, cycling, weightlifting, spending time with his family, and raising his two active boys.

Michael LaLonde, PA-C

Mitral Valve Repair

Most commonly the mitral valve is repaired in patients with mitral valve prolapse. In the hands of experienced high volume (more than 25 operations per year) mitral valve surgeons mitral valve prolapse can be repaired in 99% of patients. Successful repair is associated with normalization of patient lifespan and excellent durability