About Dr. Stephen Chiu,
Heart Valve Surgeon

"My experience with Dr. Stephen Chiu exceeded all expectations. He is a highly credentialed, knowledgeable, and skilled surgeon with an exceptional and caring bedside manner. From our first meeting, Dr. Chiu was thoughtful and compassionate, taking the time to thoroughly explain my diagnosis and review all treatment options. He ensured that my wife and I fully understood my diagnosed cardiac condition and the procedure recommended for the best possible outcome.

Dr. Chiu’s communication skills are outstanding—he patiently answered all of our questions and spent well over an hour with us during the initial consultation to make sure we were comfortable and informed. Although this was my first experience with major surgery, I felt confident and reassured by Dr. Chiu and the entire surgical team, who were both highly professional and genuinely caring.

Dr. Chiu and his team provided excellent support throughout my postoperative recovery, including consistent communication during my at-home healing process. The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute is truly world-class, and the care I received was exceptional. I highly recommend Dr. Stephen Chiu and the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute."

-- Mitchell Burnstine, Aortic Valve, Root Replacement, 12/03/2025

"In April of 2025 after a routine physical with my Primary Care Physician, I was diagnosed with an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm at just 35 years old. I began to research programs, and learned about the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago,Illinois. After a quick online consult, I was referred to Dr. Stephen Chiu for a surgical consult. The team at Northwestern took care of all the requests for medical records and scans associated with my case. All I needed to do was show up.

To say Dr. Chiu takes the individual needs of every patient into consideration is a major understatement. After more testing, Dr. Chiu adjusted his schedule, and moved our meeting up to the same day as my other appointments for our consultation due to the seriousness of the case. Dr. Chiu was straightforward, but his confidence and demeanor were immediately reassuring. Dr. Chiu explained the procedure very well, including all outcomes and possible risks. I left the hospital that day understandably nervous, but felt in the right hands. I had never had major surgery before, let alone open heart surgery.

A month later, I had my Valve Sparing Procedure with Hemiarch Replacement. During the procedure, Dr. Chiu and his team worked tirelessly, repairing my Aortic Valve 3 separate times to allow for an optimal outcome. I feel most other places may have attempted one or two repairs before resorting to a mechanical valve. Dr. Chiu's patience and skill allowed me to continue to work and participate in the active lifestyle I enjoy without any restrictions.

The personalized approach did not end there. During my recovery, Dr. Chiu stopped in and checked on me, and even called me at home after I was released from the hospital, as he did not get a chance to see me before I was discharged. Dr. Chiu then went out of his way to ensure that I had timely access to further genetic testing in an extremely quick time frame.

My family and I will be forever grateful for Dr. Chiu and his team at Northwestern Medical Center."

-- Ben Zwolinski, Aortic Valve, Valve-Sparing Aortic Root Replacement, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, 08/27/2025