Phoenix Heart Surgeon Ted Diethrich Dies At 81

By Al Macias
Published: Monday, February 27, 2017 - 9:31am
Updated: Tuesday, March 9, 2021 - 1:24pm
(Photo courtesy of drteddiethrich.com)
Dr. Ted Diethrich.

A pioneering Phoenix heart surgeon has passed away after a long battle with brain cancer.

Dr. Ted Diethrich founded the Arizona Heart Institute and its foundation in 1971.

The high-profile cardiovascular surgeon performed one of the first heart-lung transplants in Arizona. He died Thursday evening after a four-year battle with brain cancer.

Diethrich served as the Heart Institute’s medical director for 40 years.

He also owned the Arizona Wranglers, a football team in the United States Football League, in the early 1980s. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Dr. Ted Diethrich was 81. 

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