Cardiothoracic surgery

The aorta is the main artery that serves the heart and pumps blood throughout the body. For conditions affecting the aorta, we offer multiple treatment options, including:

• Aortic aneurysm repair — Uses a graft to replace the weakened area of the aorta, including the ascending aorta, aortic arch or thoracoabdominal aorta
• Endovascular open treatments — Treats conditions affecting the blood vessels
• Repair of aortic dissection — Removes damaged portions of the aorta and replaces them with grafts to rebuild the aorta

Our heart surgeons, also called cardiac surgeons, use minimally invasive procedures as much as possible to repair and replace heart valves. Valve surgery may be appropriate if you experience a condition affecting the mitral or aortic valve.

Cardiac ablation

This minimally invasive procedure is used to treat heart arrhythmias, also known as irregular heartbeats. Using a catheter to access the heart, our cardiac surgeons will destroy problematic heart tissue to stop the misfiring electrical impulses causing your arrhythmia.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)

CRT is used to treat heart failure. To accomplish this, we implant a pacemaker that works to improve the heart's rhythm and overall pumping efficiency.

Heart bypass procedures

Bypass surgery is an advanced surgical method that involves bypassing damaged or blocked arteries. If you need a surgical bypass, we offer a number of treatment options, including:

• Arterial grafting for coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) — Uses arteries from the left or right internal mammary artery (RIMA) to perform a CABG procedure, which works to restore or improve blood flow to the heart when the coronary arteries are blocked or narrowed
• Hybrid treatments — Allows you to receive the benefits of multiple surgeries, while only having to undergo one surgery
• Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass graft (MICS CABG) — Requires only a few small incisions in the chest to perform a CABG, often resulting in a faster recovery and less scarring
• Off-pump coronary artery bypass — Provides the same treatment as a CABG, but without the use of a heart-lung machine

Medical device implants

To help you achieve and maintain a regular heart rate, we can implant a biventricular pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or a standard pacemaker.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)

TAVR, a minimally invasive procedure, is performed if you have severe aortic stenosis, but are at high risk for traditional surgery.

We perform TAVR by inserting a catheter into the femoral artery of the groin or upper thigh and then guiding it to the diseased aortic valve. Next, a replacement valve is led through the catheter and expanded into place. This allows blood to flow through the aortic valve naturally.

Although you will need to remain in the hospital for a few days to recover, the actual procedure typically takes between one to two hours to complete.

Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR)

If you have severe mitral regurgitation, we will typically perform TMVR. Like TAVR, a catheter will be inserted through the groin or upper thigh. Your surgeon will then guide the catheter into the left atrium and use it to attach small metal clips to the leaflets of the valve.

Although you will need to remain in the hospital for one to two days, the actual procedure typically takes between two to three hours to complete.

Both TAVR and TMVR offer a much shorter recovery time than many other types of heart surgery.

We perform vascular surgery to care for conditions affecting the arteries, veins and blood vessels throughout the body. Our vascular surgeons specialize in vascular interventional radiology, using imaging technology to guide them through minimally invasive procedures, including:

• Angioplasty — Widens narrowed or blocked veins to improve blood flow
• Embolectomy — Removes a blood clot in emergency situations
• Stenting — Places a stent, or small tube, inside a blood vessel to improve blood flow