Cardiac Surgery

Our cardiac surgery team is performing some of the most advanced procedures in the country. You can read more about these procedures below.

 Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG)
Creates a bypass that permits blood flow around a narrowed coronary artery (the vessels that feed the heart). A healthy vessel from the leg, chest wall, or arm is used. One or several bypasses may be needed, depending on the number of narrowed coronary arteries.

 MAZE Procedure
Treats an atrial fibrillation, a common abnormal heart rhythm, which cannot be controlled through other treatments or medications. Small surgical incisions or small burns with a special type of catheter are made in the upper chambers of the heart muscle to interrupt abnormal pathways for electrical impulses. This allows the impulses to travel down the normal pathway, making the heart pump more effectively.

 Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB)
An alternative form of bypass surgery that can be offered to some patients. The heart is kept beating and the heart/lung machine is not used. Otherwise, the concept is the same as CABG (see above).

 Thoracic Aorta Surgery
The repair and replacement of the main blood vessel from the heart (the aorta) in the chest.

 Valve Repair
Mends a patient's valve to help it work better. A man-made ring may be sewn around the opening of the valve to tighten it. Other parts of the valve may be cut, shortened, separated, or made stronger to help the valve open and close better.

 Valve Replacement
Replaces a valve damaged by stenosis, (failure of the valve to open fully), or regurgitation (also called a "leaky valve" - the failure of the valve to close tightly). Four different types of valve replacement may be performed, depending on a patient's age, lifestyle, health and life expectancy.

 Autograft
The replacement of a damaged valve with another one of the patient's own valves. Blood thinners are not needed. However, fifteen percent require another surgery after 20 years and therefore, this is used only for select cases.

 Biologic (Tissue) Valve
An animal valve, porcine (from a pig) or bovine (from a cow) is used. Usually does not require long-term anticoagulation (blood thinning). These have a better track record and less than 50% require repeat surgery after 10 years.

 Homograft
A preserved human valve is used to replace a heart valve that is not working properly. There is a lower risk for blood clots and long-term anticoagulation (blood thinning) is unnecessary. Only 10% require repeat surgery after 10 years.

 Mechanical Valve
A man-made valve is used to replace a heart valve that is not working properly. This requires lifetime blood thinning to prevent clots from forming. Because these valves are long lasting, it is the best alternative for patients who have life expectancies greater than 10 years to avoid repeat surgery.

 Ross Procedure
Uses one of the patient's own valve's in combination with a preserved human valve. A diseased aortic valve is replaced with the patient's own pulmonary valve. Then the patient's pulmonary valve is replaced with a preserved human valve. This is used only with a selected group of patients.