Brittany Anne Zwischenberger, MD

My Locations

Duke Heart Transplant Clinic - Clinic 2F/2G

40 Duke Medicine Cir
Clinic 2F/2G

Durham, NC 27710-4000

Office: 919-681-5816 Get Directions

About Me

Learn More About Me

I am enthusiastic about heart disease and the variety of surgical options currently available. At Duke Health, I am able to work closely with other heart doctors to treat complicated coronary artery disease and valve disease, particularly in patients with other co-morbidities. I perform minimally-invasive heart surgeries for revascularization (improve blood flow to the heart), valve disease (narrowed or leaky valves), and atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm). I also use robotic technology to perform a single-vessel CABG (coronary artery bypass grafting). I live in Durham with my husband and two children.

School of Medicine Departments and Divisions

Surgery
- Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery

Current Appointments and Affiliations

Associate Professor of Surgery, Surgery, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery 2024

Languages

English

Areas of Expertise

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG)
Coronary Artery Disease
Heart Bypass Surgery
Heart Valve Disease
Heart Valve Surgery

Training

Board Certifications

American Board of Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery

American Board of Surgery, General Surgery

Residency

General Surgery, University of Kentucky, 2010-2015

Education

MD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, 2010

Fellowship

Thoracic Surgery, Duke University Hospital, 2015-2018

Clinical Focus and Research

My Research Interests

My research interests include coronary vascular disease and valve disease. I study large datasets of cardiac surgical patients at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) to improve our understanding and treatment of such diseases. I am particularly interested in coronary vascular disease and valve disease in women, which is notoriously underdiagnosed.

Publications and Grants

REvascularization CHoices Among under-Represented Groups Evaluation (The RECHARGE Trial) awarded by Weill Cornell Medicine 2024 - 2034
Randomized comparison of the clinical Outcome of single versus Multiple Arterial grafts: the ROMA trial. awarded by Weill Cornell Medicine 2023 - 2033
RECHARGE Hybrid: Revascularization of Underrepresented Groups with minimally-invasive CABG plus PCI awarded by Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education 2025 - 2027

Sun, Katherine W., Yi-Ju Li, Hui Huang, Anne D. Cherry, Daryl Kerr, Crosby M. Culp, Fawaz Alenezi, Mihai V. Podgoreanu, Brittany A. Zwischenberger, and Alina Nicoara. “Right Ventricle-Pulmonary Artery Coupling and Major Morbidity and Operative Mortality After Cardiac Surgery.” Anesth Analg, June 12, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1213/ANE.0000000000007582.
Iribarne, Alexander, Brittany Zwischenberger, J. Hunter Mehaffey, Tsuyoshi Kaneko, Moritz C. Wyler von Ballmoos, Jeffrey P. Jacobs, Carole Krohn, et al. “The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database: 2024 Update on National Trends and Outcomes.” Ann Thorac Surg 119, no. 6 (June 2025): 1139–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2025.03.011.
Walton, Allison J., Andres M. Pineda, Luke Rogers, Piroze M. Davierwala, and Brittany A. Zwischenberger. “Review of minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting.” Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 67, no. 5 (May 6, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezaf160.

Zwischenberger, B. A., J. E. Lynch, and J. B. Zwischenberger. “Mechanical support of the failing lung (respiratory assist devices).” In Cardiothoracic Surgery Review, 1242–44, 2012.

Zwischenberger, Brittany A., Carmelo Milano, John Haney, Jeffrey G. Gaca, Jacob Schroder, Keith Carr, and Donald D. Glower. “Durability of porcine and pericardial prostheses in tricuspid valve replacement.” In JTCVS Open, 21:78–87, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjon.2024.06.017.
Williams, Adam R., Mary E. Moya-Mendez, Sachin Mehta, Andrew Vekstein, J Kevin Harrison, Carmelo A. Milano, Ryan P. Plichta, et al. “Infarct exclusion repair of postmyocardial infarction ventricular septal rupture with a hybrid patch and septal occluder device compared with patch only.” In JTCVS Tech, 22:228–36, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjtc.2023.07.022.
Seese, Laura, Edward P. Chen, Vinay Badhwar, Dylan Thibault, Robert H. Habib, Jeffrey P. Jacobs, Vinod Thourani, et al. “Optimal circulatory arrest temperature for aortic hemiarch replacement with antegrade brain perfusion.” In J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 165:1759-1770.e3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.09.068.

Clinical Trials

CTSN PACES (A-Fib)

IRB#

PRO00103761,

NCT#

NCT04045665

ROMA Women (Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery)

IRB#

PRO00112608

Ratings and Reviews

The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

Overall Provider Rating

4.85 out of 5

144 ratings, 10 reviews

Patient Reviews

Patient comments are gathered from our Press Ganey Patient Survey and displayed in their entirety.
Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy

Insurance

Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below. Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.

Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna/CVS Health
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
- *Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
CIGNA
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
- *Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
First Health
Gateway Health Alliance
Halifax Physician-Hospital Organization
- Halifax Physician-Hospital Organization plans*
- *This plan is only accepted at Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, and Duke HomeCare & Hospice.
Healthgram

Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
MedCost
Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
MultiPlan / Private Healthcare Systems
NC Medicaid
- WellCare of North Carolina
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
- NC Medicaid Direct
- Healthy Blue
- Carolina Complete Health
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
OneNet PPO
Optima Health
- FAMIS*
- Optima Family Care (Medicaid HMO in VA)*
- Optima Individual & Family (On & Off Exchange Plans)
- Optima Plus (PPO)
- Optima Vantage (HMO)
- *Duke Primary Care, Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, and Duke Raleigh Hospital are not participating with this plan.
TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
- *Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.

External Relationships

Duke requires faculty members to report certain relationships outside of their employment in order to ensure potential conflicts can be addressed. This faculty member has reported no outside activities that relate to their Duke responsibilities.