Dr. Abdulla A. Attum

Expert Publications

• Infective endocarditis: diagnosis, treatment, and mortality, as related to surgical timing and infectious organism.
• The use of the gastroepiploic artery for coronary artery bypass graft: another alternative.
• Malignant clinical behavior of cardiac myxomas and "myxoid imitators".
• Atrial myxoma: benign and malignant.
• Risks of cerebrovascular events related to open heart surgery.

Media Releases

Get to know Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Abdulla A. Attum, who serves patients in Pikeville, Kentucky. 

Dr. Attum is a board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiothoracic surgeon specializing in open-heart procedures, off-pump bypass, valve surgery, lung & chest wall resections, aortic & peripheral vascular surgeries, and complex cardiac procedures. He can be found on staff at Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) in Pikeville, Kentucky. 

When asked why he chose to work at PMC, Dr. Attum said, “It is the infrastructure. Everything is well organized and in order. Everything from anesthesia to intensive care and cardiology, everything is extremely well put together.” He said he has been to Mayo Clinic on various occasions for meetings and conferences and that PMC mirrors the world-renowned clinic.

The doctor’s philosophy is that every patient is the most important patient. He sees each person as someone who has a family and wants a good quality of life. “I want my patients to know I will work my heart out to take care of them. I will do everything possible to treat them as if they were a member of my family. I work hard for each patient with the goal of giving them the best outcomes I can” he expressed. 

Throughout his academic career, Dr. Attum earned his medical degree from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. Upon relocating to the United States, he completed his residency and fellowship training in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

Following his education, he became board-certified in thoracic and cardiac surgery by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, which is an American surgical organization devoted to surgery of the chest. He also attained board certification through the American Board of Wound Management, which is dedicated to the multidisciplinary team approach in promoting the science of prevention, care, and treatment of acute and chronic wounds.

“I decided to be a cardiothoracic surgeon in 1967. I was sitting in the lab when I heard about Christiaan Barnard performing the world’s first human heart transplant operation and I knew then what I wanted to do with my life” as stated by Dr. Attum. 

Cardiothoracic surgery is the field of medicine involved in the surgical treatment of organs inside the thorax. Cardiothoracic surgeons are medical doctors who specialize in surgical procedures inside the thorax, which may involve the heart, lungs, esophagus, and other organs in the chest. Alongside performing surgery, they also diagnose and treat diseases of these organs. 

Outside of practicing medicine, Dr. Attum enjoys spending time with his wife, Mervat, and their four children and four granddaughters.

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