Dr. Silva earned his medical degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in December of 1994. Upon completing his medical degree, he did three years of Cardiology training in Brazil. After coming to the United States, he completed three years of postgraduate training in Internal Medicine at The University of Texas-Houston. At the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, Silva completed four years (June 2003 – June 2007) of fellowship in Research and Adult Cardiology. During his training at the Texas Heart Institute, Dr. Silva held the position of Chief Cardiology Fellow and was given The Tauber Award for the Outstanding Cardiology Fellow of the 2007 graduating class. From July of 2007 to June of 2008, Dr. Silva completed his Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at the Texas Heart Institute and again held the position of Chief Interventional Cardiology Fellow. Finally, Dr. Silva completed a fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Structural Heart Disease from July 2012 to July 2013.

The major focus of Dr. Silva has been in cardiovascular disease research and is one of the pioneers in the utilization of stem cells for treating heart attacks and heart failure. With over 40 full papers published in the peer-reviewed literature, over 100 abstracts, and 13 books and book chapters along with multiple invitations to teach in the United States and South America are a testimony of his commitment to clinical research and patient care. Dr. Silva’s academic work includes topics such as: stem cell therapy for heart disease, interventional cardiology, coronary imaging, and structural heart disease interventions.

Dr. Silva is an expert in complex interventional cardiology procedures, including; cardiac catheterization, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), coronary stenting, peripheral vascular angioplasty and stenting, and rotational atherectomy. He has also specially trained in structural heart disease interventions and performs procedures such as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), Percutaneous Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) closure and Percutaneous Atrial septal Defect (ASD) closure and Percutaneous closure of Paraprosthetic Valvular Leaks repairs. Lastly, Dr. Silva also specializes on percutaneous techniques to treat Mitral Valve Disease. He also specializes in MitraClip, a less-invasive treatment option for certain people with mitral regurgitation who are not suitable for surgery.