Roy Williams, M.D., has been practicing thoracic surgery in South Florida for more than 25 years. Dr. Williams completed both his general surgery and cardiothoracic surgical training at the State University of New York/Kings County Hospital program. This included an additional year of designated specialized thoracic surgical training. He is board certified in cardiothoracic surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

He is one of the nation’s leaders in Robotic Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (RVATS) and a pioneer in using minimally invasive techniques in aggressive early diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of lung cancer. Dr. Williams, who has performed more than 3,000 minimally invasive Robotic thoracic procedures, is one of the few surgeons in the U.S. with experience in the field. The procedure typically involves four small openings between the ribs, as opposed to six-to 10- inch incisions that are customary with traditional thoracic surgery. Patients experience less pain, fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and a faster recuperation.

He performs aggressive early diagnosis and staging procedures, including ION robotic navigational bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound. Dr. Williams also oversees a full-service, comprehensive thoracic surgical oncology service with high volume of 1,000 cases annually. In addition, he performs interventional pulmonary procedures including: endoluminal ablative therapies; endoluminal stenting; intra-bronchial valve deployment; minimally invasive esophageal surgery; esophageal stenting; and tracheal surgery.

Dr. Williams is accomplished in all aspects of acquired and congenital adult cardiothoracic surgery including: off-pump and on-pump myocardial revascularization; valvular heart surgery, including homograft; stentless aortic valve; complex cardiac valve repair; aortic dissection; circulatory arrest; and surgical arrhythmia management. Dr. Williams developed South Florida’s first robotic assisted minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) surgery and performs complex major central hybrid vascular cases.

*This physician is employed by Mount Sinai Medical Center

Selected Publications:

• Robotic-assisted lobectomy for malignant lung tumors. Wahi JE, Ajabshir N, Williams R, Bustamante H, Safdie FM. J Minim Access Surg. 2022 Jan 4. doi: 10.4103/jmas.jmas_266_21. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35046181
• Minimally invasive valve surgery in high-risk patients. Santana O, Xydas S, Williams RF, Wittels SH, Yucel E, Mihos CG. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jun;9(Suppl 7):S614-S623. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.03.83. PMID: 28740715
• Endoluminal management of benign bronchoesophageal fistula. Wahi JE, Rocco D, Williams R, Safdie FM. BMJ Case Rep. 2021 Sep 20;14(9):e245240. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2021-245240. PMID: 34544721
• Hybrid repair of aortic arch aneurysms: a comprehensive review. Xydas S, Mihos CG, Williams RF, LaPietra A, Mawad M, Wittels SH, Santana O. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jun;9(Suppl 7):S629-S634. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.06.47. PMID: 28740717
• Mitral Valve and Subvalvular Repair for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation: Rationale and Clinical Outcomes of the Papillary Muscle Sling. Mihos CG, Capoulade R, Yucel E, Xydas S, Nappi F, Williams RF, Santana O. Cardiol Rev. 2018 Jan/Feb;26(1):22-28. doi: 10.1097/CRD.0000000000000168. PMID: 29206746
• Outcomes of minimally invasive double valve surgery. Santana O, Xydas S, Williams RF, LaPietra A, Mawad M, Hasty F, Escolar E, Mihos CG. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jun;9(Suppl 7):S602-S606. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.05.62. PMID: 28740713
• Isolated and concomitant minimally invasive minithoracotomy aortic valve surgery. Lamelas J, Mawad M, Williams R, Weiss UK, Zhang Q, LaPietra A. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2018 Mar;155(3):926-936.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2017.09.044. Epub 2017 Sep 19. PMID: 29061465
• Robotic video-assisted thoracoscopy: minimally invasive approach for management of mediastinal tumors. Radkani P, Joshi D, Barot T, Williams R. J Robot Surg. 2018 Mar;12(1):75-79. doi: 10.1007/s11701-017-0692-2. Epub 2017 Mar 23. PMID: 28337576
• Complications Associated With Femoral Cannulation During Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery. Lamelas J, Williams RF, Mawad M, LaPietra A. Ann Thorac Surg. 2017 Jun;103(6):1927-1932. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2016.09.098. Epub 2016 Dec 22. PMID: 28017338
• Outcomes of a hybrid approach of percutaneous coronary intervention followed by minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. Santana O, Xydas S, Williams RF, LaPietra A, Mawad M, Rosen GP, Beohar N, Mihos CG. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jun;9(Suppl 7):S569-S574. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.04.28. PMID: 28740709
• Hybrid approach of percutaneous coronary intervention followed by minimally invasive mitral valve surgery: a 5-year single-center experience. Santana O, Xydas S, Williams RF, Mawad M, Heimowitz TB, Pineda AM, Goldman HS, Mihos CG. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jun;9(Suppl 7):S595-S601. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.06.29. PMID: 28740712
• Robotic video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection for lung tumors: a community tertiary care center experience over four years. Radkani P, Joshi D, Barot T, Williams RF. Surg Endosc. 2016 Feb;30(2):619-624. doi: 10.1007/s00464-015-4249-z. Epub 2015 Jun 20. PMID: 26091989
• Aortic valve replacement in patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% performed via a minimally invasive right thoracotomy. Santana O, Xydas S, Williams RF, La Pietra A, Mawad M, Behrens V, Escolar E, Mihos CG. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jun;9(Suppl 7):S607-S613. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.06.32. PMID: 28740714
• Staged percutaneous coronary intervention followed by minimally invasive mitral valve surgery versus combined coronary artery bypass graft and mitral valve surgery for two-vessel coronary artery disease and moderate to severe ischemic mitral regurgitation. Mihos CG, Xydas S, Williams RF, Pineda AM, Yucel E, Davila H, Beohar N, Santana O. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jun;9(Suppl 7):S563-S568. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.04.17. PMID: 28740708
• Mitral valve repair and subvalvular intervention for secondary mitral regurgitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled and propensity matched studies. Mihos CG, Xydas S, Yucel E, Capoulade R, Williams RF, Mawad M, Garcia G, Santana O. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jun;9(Suppl 7):S582-S594. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.05.56. PMID: 28740711
• Percutaneous coronary intervention followed by minimally invasive valve surgery compared with median sternotomy coronary artery bypass graft and valve surgery in patients with prior cardiac surgery. Santana O, Xydas S, Williams RF, LaPietra A, Mawad M, Wigley JC, Beohar N, Mihos CG. J Thorac Dis. 2017 Jun;9(Suppl 7):S575-S581. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2017.04.40. PMID: 28740710