Chawannuch Ruaengsri, MD
Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) · Palo Alto, CANPI 1134788136
Payments from drug & device makers
What this record shows
This record is dominated by consulting fees: $178,000 of the $188,420 with a category attached, or 94.5%. Paragonix Technologies, Inc. accounts for 95.8% of it on its own, with 5 other manufacturers making up the rest. 2025 is the largest year on record at $124,889, more than ten times the $874 reported in 2019. Among thoracic surgery (cardiothoracic vascular surgery) clinicians in CA with any reported payments, this total sits in the top 5% — high for the specialty, which is a reason to read the composition above rather than the number alone.
Across 62 payments — averaging $3039.03 each. Meals, travel, consulting and speaking fees, gifts and royalties reported by drug and device makers.
- Paragonix Technologies, Inc.$180K
- Transmedics, Inc.$7K
- Medtronic$708
- Xvivo Perfusion Inc.$281
- Abbott$183
- Edwards Lifesciences$136
What the payments were for
- Consulting fees$178,00094%
- Travel & lodging$9,3365%
- Food & beverage$9000%
- Education$1830%
General payments by program year
Who reported the general payments
Companies are grouped under their corporate parent — a single manufacturer often files under several CMS reporting entities. Research and ownership payments are counted separately and are not in this table.
| Company | Payments | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Paragonix Technologies, Inc. | 47 | $180,416 |
| Transmedics, Inc. | 3 | $6,696 |
| Medtronic | 9 | $708 |
| Xvivo Perfusion Inc. | 1 | $281 |
| Abbott | 1 | $183 |
| Edwards Lifesciences | 1 | $136 |
What the payments were tied to
Products named in the reported payments. Only payments of $100 or more are attributed here — the typical reported payment nationally is a meal worth about $16, and listing those product-by-product would be noise.
How this compares
$188,420 in reported general payments places this provider in the 95th percentile of 546 thoracic surgery (cardiothoracic vascular surgery) providers in California.
See all thoracic surgery (cardiothoracic vascular surgery) providers in California →
Medicare billing
What this is not: this is the amount Original Medicare Part B allowed for services this provider billed in 2024. It is not their income. It excludes Medicare Advantage — now more than half of all Medicare enrollment — along with Medicaid and all commercial insurance, and it is gross practice revenue before staff, rent, supplies and malpractice premiums. CMS also suppresses any figure covering ten or fewer patients, so low-volume providers appear smaller than they are.
Other thoracic surgery (cardiothoracic vascular surgery) in Palo Alto
- Vincent GaudianiPalo Alto$101K
- Leah BackhusPalo Alto$74K
- Joseph ShragerPalo Alto$56K
- Thomas FogartyPortola Valley$3.7M
- Steven GundryPalm Springs$1.6M
- Armin KiankhooySaint Helena$941K
- Ara KlijianMurrieta$916K
- Gregory FontanaThousand Oaks$875K
- Gansevoort DunningtonSaint Helena$764K
- Wilson TsaiWalnut Creek$680K
Where these figures come from
- Payments: CMS Open Payments, program years 2019–2025 (publication P06302026_06032026).
- Billing: Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners, data year 2024. Original Medicare Part B only.
- Identity: NPPES NPI Registry, July 2026.