Locations
Office
Scranton, PA
Phone
Practice website
Insurances accepted
Aetna
Blue cross blue shield
Coventry
Humana
Medicaid
United healthcare
Geisinger Health Plans
Office
Moosic, PA
About
Bio
Born in Montreal, Canada I attended McGill University Medical school where I also did my general surgery residency. After completing that training I went to Albany Medical Center for Thoracic surgery residency.
I finally did a 2 year fellowship with Dr. Tirone David and his staff at Toronto General Hospital.
I am a board certified cardiothoracic surgeon specializing in valve repairs and VATS surgery for lung cancer.
I was a contributing on air TV Medical Expert for a local CBS news affiliate and am seriously interested in medical telejournalism.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Thoracic Surgery
Doctor Q&A
240 Answers
90 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Not so bad: The national averages for CABG operations are roughly a 2-3-% mortality rate and 5% morbidity rate for stroke, bleeding, infection, etc. Some patient... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Nope: We just turn it off so it doesn't go off during the case from cautery noise.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
When?: Most aortic and mitral valve procedures and some limited coronary bypass procedures.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Same as traditional.: While smaller incisions imply less post op pain it isn't always true. In addition the operation done on the inside should be the same as a traditional... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Anyone with a heart: Heart surgery of any type is designed to relieve symptoms, prolong life. No surgeon is going to operate on a patient who doesn't need it.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Years: High blood pressure is associated with the development of atherosclerosis or plaques in the arteries. This accumulation of fat in the arterial wall ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
You probably can't: Keep feeding them a diet high in cholesterol, buy them cigarettes, don't encourage exercise, ignore their diabetes, and keep them away from their fami... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Quality of pain: The answer is the type or quality of pain being felt. The location, severity, onset, precipitating factors etc all can help medical personnel figure ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Short: With limited stage disease the median survival is less than 2 years and with extensive disease less than a year. Having said that there are 5 year sur... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Not really: Mechanical ventilation is to assist patients whose lungs are so sick they can't breathe adequately on their own. There is no advantage from a lung can... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old male asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
No: Less than 5% of patients who have avr require a permanent pace maker post op.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
It's a Problem: Smoking up until the time of CABG will cause more secretions in your lungs. You might end up going home on oxygen for a short time after surgery. Best... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Big two: Stroke and heart attack are the big two. Hypertension, arrythmias, valve disease, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, aneurysms ar... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
At least a month: Depends what sports you are talking about. I would be careful about serious contact sports ever. You still have a risk of ptx on the other side
scub... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Sounds vascular: Patients with blocked leg arteries have dependent rubror, red skin when dangling, never heard of it in upper extremity but it could be possible.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Rest and time: Not sure exactly what you mean by burnt, but the only burn an esophagus can suffer is a caustic injury. This can be life threatening and require seri... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Atherosclerosis: Fatty plaque buildup in the walls of coronary arteries that result in decreased flow of blood to the muscle of your heart is coronary artery disease.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Dramatic: A massive pulmonary embolus or pneumothorax could cause sharp pain and be fatal.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Not severe: Mild chest pain might mean on a scale of 1-10 only 2-3. It might lo mean only happens with severe exertion. Don't ignore any chest pain.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Esophagectomy: Esophagectomy is a surgical operation where all or part of the esophagus is removed. Intestinal continuity is usually accomplished with connecting the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old male asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Few possibilities: Could be a lot of things. Sebaceous cyst, skin abscess, enlarged lymph node. See your doctor and get it looked at.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 50-year-old female asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Might be normal: Might be normal post op pain but a quick chest x-ray will help make sure there's no recurrent pneumo.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Heart replaced: For patients with irreversible end stage heart failure their only treatment besides mechanical assist devices is a heart transplant. In this procedure... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Chest pain: Remember a heart attack is an occlusion of a coronary artery and doesn't mean cardiac arrest. If you develop sudden crushing chest pain not relieved ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 55-year-old female asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
1 cm nodule : Any nodule is abnormal. Nodules greater than a centimeter are considered pathological and worrisome. Certain radiological characteristics make some no... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Heart disease: Listen to your body, sound like you might ae angina for real.
See your family doctor and get the proper work up and treatment before you have a mass... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Yes: High blood pressure along with high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, family history all contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. It is the rup... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
If a tree falls...: If your alone in a pool how will anyone know you had a heart attack?
Seriously, if you have chest pain call 911 and get help. Go to american heart ass... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Nothing after midnit: There are really no dietary restrictions before heart surgery really. After you will have to follow a low salt low fat diet with limited fluid intake.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Midline sternotomy: A midline sternotomy is the most common incision used in heart surgery. There are a few variations on this incision that people claim are minimally in... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
If needed: A small percentage of patients require post op pacemakers after aortic valve surgery. It usually does not cause any problems.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Tests: Ecg, echocardiography, cardiac caths are some of the tests used. Your underlying heart disease will determine if mics can be done.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 52-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Several: Common diagnosis are renal failure, heart failure, infection, and cancer.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Risky: Risks get higher every time. Potential damage to heart structures , damaging grafts, bleeding, infection are all higher with redo operation.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Lets see: Valve surgery is the most common followed by coronary surgery. Everything from small thoracic incisions to robotics.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Standard sternotomy: The majority of heart surgery is still done through a traditional midline sternotomy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 52-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Sure why not: The only complication after open heart surgery that could interfere with a normal pregnancy would be if you had to be started on Coumadin (warfarin) f... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
5 risk factors: Build up of fatty plaques in artery wall is associated with smoking, high cholesterol diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and family history.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
At least a month: If you had a spontaneous pneumothorax and required chest tube drainage or a vats blebectomy operation you can probably resume ear normal physical cogi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
At least a month: If you had a spontaneous pneumothorax and required chest tube drainage or a vats blebectomy operation you can probably resume near normal physical act... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Not necessarily: Coughing up blood ornhemoptysis when associated with lung cancer implies a tumor in one of the major airways usually. More distally located tumors ca... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old female asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Good news: Sounds ike your symptoms are not heart related and could be coming from something else. Rest assured but if it doesn't improve seek more medical evalu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
90% should be repair: On average 90% of patients with mitral regurgitation diseased valves should be amenable to surgical repair. This can usually be done with minimally in... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Bypass machine: The majority of CABG operations are done with cardiopulmonary bypass assistance. This is a machine that drains blood out of the body, cools it, oxygen... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
It will cost more: Health insurance measures your risk of getting sick and bases your premiums on that. The sicker you are the more your insurance will cost.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
It affects all valve: The left sided valves (aortic and mitral) are commonly the most fequent infected. This can result from dental work, infections elsewhere.
The right ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Chances are you wont: Th average mortality rate after mitral valve repair surgery nationally is roughly 5%.
This rate will increase with age, comrbidities, and weaker hea... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Depends how severe: Aortic stenosis is usually offered for patients with severe stenosis or moderate stenosis and symptoms. Once you reach either of these two levels of ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Depends: If your young and the injury isn't too severe just a few days to weeks and if your older and have a more severe injury it will take weeks to months.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Brian Mottanswered
Thoracic Surgery 31 years experience
Hasn't healed yet : A punctured lung means there is a hole in the lung. It could be small or big. The hole is like a cut on your finger that needs to heal first. Patience... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
4
Recommendations
411
Thank you notes
Mar 31, 2015
Great doctor. Consistently gives thoughtful, insightful and expert advice.
Feb 6, 2013
I recommend this Physician
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Mott is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! I may have to go TAVI route. My heart is very weak with a EF of 25 .
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer or tip was very helpful! Thanks for being so awesome
HealthTap member
Thanks for your quick reply! I guess I just realised the importance Thanks
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
McGill University Faculty of Medicine, QC
Graduated 1992MD
Awards
Top Doctor, Third Place, Scranton, PA - Winter
2013
Most Influential, Third Place, Scranton, PA - Winter
2013
Thought Leader, First Place, Scranton, PA - Winter
2013
Affiliations
Geisinger Community Medical Center
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