|
Dr. Bitar pioneered the introduction of the discipline of
fetal echocardiology to the
American
University
of Beirut - Medical Center and Lebanon. He was the first to
perform coil embolization of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in
Lebanon and the Middle East. He introduced to Lebanon, in the
mid 90’s, neonatal interventional catheterization procedures,
like balloon dilatation of critical valvar aortic and
pulmonary stenosis. This was followed by advanced
interventional catheterization procedures, like device closure
of atrial septal defects and patent ductus arteriosus and
stent implantation. In addition, he recently reported a novel
treatment for acute rheumatic fever.
Dr. Bitar is a member of several professional societies and
organizations, i.e., the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, the Cardiovascular Disease and Young
Council, American Heart Association and the American Society
of Pediatric Echocardiography. He is an elected member of
the Peers Review Committee, member of the Continuing
Education Committee and the Intensive Care Committee at the
American University of Beirut.
Dr. Bitar is an International Expert Medical Correspondent,
invited by the Senior Council of the Sociedad Iberoamericana
de Informacion Cientifica. He is the recipient of the
Humanitarian Recognition Award for “Service Above Self”
presented by “Rotary International Clubs and Gift of life
project “ in the USA, and the “Appreciation Award” from the
A.U.B. Medical Alumni in
Jordan.
Dr. Bitar research
interests include epidemiology and genetics of congenital
heart disease, rheumatic fever in children and mechanisms of
myocardial growth in the chronically hypoxic heart of a rat
model mimicking cyanotic heart disease. He published more
than 30 articles in peer-review journals. He has more than 25
abstracts. He moderated, chaired and was an invited speaker in
more than 25 national and international conferences.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
*Aortico -left
ventricular tunnel with aortic atresia in the newborn. Am
Heart J 126 (6):1480-1482, 1993.
Bitar FF,
Smith FC, Kavey RE, Kveselis DA, Byrum CJ, Brandt B, Gaum WE.
*Effect of early
versus late hypoxic environment on the neonatal rabbit; an
animal model for neonatal cyanosis. J Surg. Res 57 (2):
264-267, 1994 .
Bitar FF,
Feldman D, Kolman L, Veit L.
*Fetal
Echocardiology. Lebanese Cardiology Society , pp 4-8 , 1995.
Bitar,
FF.
*In-utero
management of hydrops fetalis caused by critical aortic
stenosis. Am J of Perinatol : 14 (7): 389-391, 1997.
Bitar FF ,
Byrum CJ, Kveselis DA, Lawrence DA, Smith FC.
*Highlights on the
diagnosis and management of fetal cardiac diseases. Journal
officiel de la Societe Libanasie de Cardiologie; Issue 1; pp.
4-5, 1997.
Bitar
FF.
*Intrapericardial
Teratoma in an Adult - A Rare Presentation . Med Pediatr
Oncol. 30(4): 249-251, 1998 .
Bitar FF,
El-Zein C, Tawil A, Gharzuddine W, Obeid M.
*Dextrocardia,
corrected Transposition {I,D,D} and Kartagener’s syndrome: a
unique association. Clin Cardiol 21(4):298-9,1998 .
Bitar FF,
Shbaro R, Mroueh S, Yunis K, Obeid M.
*Double outlet
right ventricle- tetralogy of Fallot type- with anomalous
origin of the left coronary artery from the right pulmonary
artery : report of total surgical repair in a 2 month old
infant. Pediatr Cardiol 19 (4) :361-362, 1998.
Bitar FF,
Kveselis DA, Smith FC, Byrum CJ, Quagenbeur J .
*Disappearance of
Patent Ductus Arteriosus in a Child with Leukemia receiving
chemotherapy. Med Pediatr Oncol 31(6):558,1998.
Bitar
FF,
Abou Orm S, Obeid M, Dbaibo GS, Muwakkit S.
*Transient
Neonatal Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Antenatal
administration of Steroids. Am J of Perinatol, 1999;16
(1):17-21.
Yunis KA, Bitar FF, Hayek P, Mroueh SA , Mikati M
*Congenital Heart
Disease at a tertiary care center in Lebanon. M. E. J. Anesth
, 1999; 15 (2): 159-164.
Bitar FF,
Baltaji N, Dbaibo GS, Abed El-Jawad M, Yunis KA, Obeid M.
*Rheumatic Fever
in Children: A 15 year Experience in a Developing
Country.Pediatr Cardiol, 2000; 21 : 119-122 .
Bitar FF,
Hayek P, Obeid M., Gharzeddine W, Mikati M, Dbaibo GS.
*Pediatric
infective endocarditis. A 19 -year experience at a tertiary
care hospital in a developing country. Acta Paediatrica 2000;
89: 427-30.
Bitar FF,
Jawdi RA, Dbaibo GS, Yunis KA , Gharzeddine G, Obeid M.
*The Children’s
Cardiac Registry Center (CCRC) - The American University of
Beirut- Medical Center Experience. Published through the
Lebanese National Council for Research and Development. July
, 1999. ( pp: 1-35)
Bitar
FF,
Obeid M, Khogali M, Mikati M, Sabbagh M.
*Apoptosis:
Regulating death for a better life.M. E. J. Anesth ; 2001; 16
(1), 7-18.
Bitar
FF,
Dbaibo G.
*Pediatric
Interventional Cardiology: A specialty comes of age. Journal
officiel de la Societe Libanasie de Cardiologie ;Editorial,
vol 9., issue 109, pp 1-2 , April, 2000.
Bitar, FF.
*Complete Cleft
Sternum and Congenital Heart Disease: A Case Report and Review
of the Literature. Pediatrics International, Vol. 44. No. 3,
2002.
Shalak L , Obeid M, Kaddoura I, Hashem H, Haidar R, Yunis KA ,
Bitar FF.
*Doppler
characterization of left ventricular diastolic function in
B -Thalassemia Major. Evidence for an early stage of
impaired relaxation. Eur J Echocardiogr, 2002, March: 3(1):
47-51.
Gharzuddine W, Kazma H, Nuwayhed I, Bitar FF, Koussa
S, Moukarbel G, Taher A.
*Patent Ductus
Arteriosus in a child with Leukemia :Role of anti-inflammatory
mediactions. Med Pediatr Oncol . 38:151, 2002.
Bitar FF.
*Treatment of
rheumatic carditis with intravenous immunglobulin: Is there a
beneficial effect? Cardiol Young, Sept; 11(5):565-7, 2001.
Diab K, Timani MA, Bitar FF.
*Pseudomonas
Pericarditis in an immunocompetent newborn, a case report and
review of the literature. J Infect. 2002 Feb; 44(1):49 -51
El Hassan N, Diab K, Dbaibo G, Musallam S, Obeid M, Haidar R,
Bitar FF.
*Cerebral Mycotic
Aneurysm in a Child with Down’s Syndrome: a unique Association
. J Child Neurol., Nov; 16(11): 868-70, 2001.
Diab KA, Rania Richani, AL Koutoubi A, Mikati M, Dbaibo GS,
Bitar FF.
*Modulation of the
Ceramide Content and Lack of the apoptotic response in the
chronically hypoxic rat heart. . Pediatr Res. 51:144-149,2002
Bitar FF,
Bitar H, El Sabban M, , Nasser M, Yunis KA, Tawil A, Dbaibo G.
*Lack of apoptosis
in the hypoxic brain of a rat model mimicking cyanotic heart
disease. Brain Inj. 2002 Oct;16(10):891-900.
Bitar
FF, El
Sabban M, Bitar H, Karim Diab, Mroueh S, Nasser M, Mikati M,
Dbaibo G.
*Cardiac diseases
in Children in Lebanon: The AUB-MC Children’s Cardiac Registry
Experience. Lebanese Medical Journal, 49 (6), 2001.
Bitar FF,
Sabbagh M, Diab K, Siblini G , Obeid M.
*Paternal
consanquity and congenital heart disease in a developing
country. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 2003.
Nabulsi M, Tamim H, Sabbagh M, Obeid M, Yunis, K, Bitar
FF.
GRANTS (
Principle Investigator):
*A Randomized
,Controlled Trial of Intravenous Gamma globulin Therapy in
Children with Acute Rheumatic Fever.
Grant no. M.P.P.R.F. #DCU 22420-998877 Medical Practice Plan
Committee. April, 23,1996
*A Proposal to
Establish a Children ‘s Cardiac Registry Center at AUBMC.
Grants from the Lebanese National Council for Research and
Development (1997- 2002).
*Apoptosis in the
Hypoxic Rat Heart.
Grant no M.P.P.R.F. # DCU 686039 . Medical Practice Plan
Committee.
*Differences in
the Apoptotic Response of the Neonatal and Adult Rat Heart to
Acute and Chronic Hypoxia.
Grant from the University Research Board Committee and the
Medical Practice Plan Committee .
*Myocardial DNA
and protein Changes in a rat model Mimicking Cyanotic Heart
Disease : Effect of Chronic Hypoxia on Myocardial
Proliferation.
Grant from the University Research Board Committee and the
Medical Practice Plan Committee , July, 2000.
*Role of Nf Kappa B in myocardial proliferation in a
chronically hypoxic rat animal Model.
Grant from
the University Research Board Committee, July, 2001.
*Mapping of GATA-4
mutations causing cardiac congenital diseases in the Lebanese
population.
Grant from URB and MPP, 2002.
*Mechanisms and
Triggers of Cardiac Growth in the Chronically Hypoxic Rat
Heart :Role of Angiogenesis and Ceramide Pathway.
Grant from URB and MPP, 2002 |
