Ricardo Cigarroa II, M.D., returns home to provide Laredoans with specialized training in Interventional Cardiology Care

He and his wife, a pediatric cardiologist, now part of the Cigarroa Clinic

Ricardo Cigarroa II, M.D. has returned to his hometown of Laredo to offer the community his specialty of Interventional Cardiology. In doing so, Dr. Cigarroa joins his wife and Pediatric Cardiologist, Claire Cigarroa, M.D., his father and Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Ricardo Cigarroa, his uncle and Family Practitioner, Leo Cigarroa, M.D., and his sister and board member of the Cigarroa Clinic, Alyssa Cigarroa. The practice is also privileged to care for patients through the expertise Radiology services of Patrick Valls, M.D., as well as its team of nurse practitioners.

With extensive training in one of the largest academic institutions in the United States, Dr. Cigarroa II brings to the Laredo community advancements in interventional cardiology, a branch of cardiology that deals specifically with catheter-based treatment of structural heart disease—a field of medicine that since a very young age, Dr. Cigarroa II was exposed to.

“Choosing this field of medicine was the right path for me as it’s a specialty that continues to evolve with more and more being done percutaneously—or minimally invasive,” said Dr. Cigarroa II. “It began with simple catheters inserted into heart arteries but has now evolved into treating problems with the muscle, or the valves of the heart, without having to perform surgery. This now opens the door for treatment options to patients who were previously not ideal surgical candidates.”

Having received his undergraduate degree in Biology from Harvard College in Cambridge, MA, and a Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Dr. Cigarroa then completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Soon after, Dr. Cigarroa was accepted into Mass General’s prestigious Cardiovascular Medicine Fellowship Program, of which upon completion, he continued his training in their Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program, and subsequently, their Structural Interventions Advanced Fellowship Program.

Upon completing his training in July of 2020, Dr. Cigarroa II and his wife, Dr. Claire Cigarroa, made the decision to return to Laredo to practice medicine and raise their family.

“Most of the people we trained with choose to stay in Boston or move to other big hospital centers around the country,” Dr. Cigarroa II explained. “However, my wife and I both knew that our biggest impact in medicine would be to practice in a city like Laredo that currently does not offer some of the services we can provide. Furthermore, we thought this would be a great place to raise our family.”

Some of the more common conditions treated through minimally invasive cardiology interventions include heart attacks, strokes, and blockages to the kidneys and legs. Weakened heart valves or narrowed arteries are also treated through interventional cardiology.

“In joining the Cigarroa Clinic, I plan on continuing the quality of care that the clinic is known for,” said Dr. Cigarroa II. “This includes bringing to the table my additional training in treating problems occurring with the structure of the heart, such as holes in the heart that are present at birth, as well as valve problems that develop over time.”

As he and his wife begin to accept new patients, Dr. Cigarroa says the future of cardiology in Laredo will continue to grow. He has already begun working on plans to expand the scope of his practice.

“I’m excited to bring new procedures to Laredo in the near future,” he said. “These include procedures that deal with structural issues in the heart, such as transcatheter treatment of heart valve problems (TAVR), and percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO’s) for patients who have had strokes, with no cause readily found.”

Finally, the decision to come home and offer Laredoans advanced heart care had a lot to do with his father, Dr. Ricardo Cigarroa, who he says has always played an important role in his life.

“The chance to work with my dad and learn from him is really incredible,” he explained. “He is one of the best doctors I have come across, and I have trained at one of the finest medical institutions in the world. But over 30 years ago, my Dad made a similar decision to come back to Laredo and work with his dad–my Grandfather Dr. Joaquin Cigarroa—and it was one of the best decisions he made. Now, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made.”

Dr. Cigarroa ll is now accepting new patients at the Cigarroa Clinic, located on the 5th floor of Tower B, Ste. 500, of Laredo Medical Center (1710 E. Saunders St.). To make an appointment, call (956) 725-1228.

THE CIGARROA CLINIC

The Cigarroa Clinic provides unmatched expertise in Interventional Cardiology and Internal Medicine. As leaders in South Texas, the Cigarroa family has earned a stellar reputation for serving their community for almost a century in providing world-class care infused with traditional family values.