Cardiovascular Surgery

Congenital Surgery 
Various types of surgeries that may be performed to correct heart abnormalities that have existed since birth.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG) 
Surgery performed to create a bypass that permits blood flow around a narrowed coronary artery. 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 
A heart surgical procedure used for the treatment of atrial fibrillation which can not be controlled by other treatments or medications. Small incisions 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.

Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass (MIDCAB) 
Alternative surgery for a very select type of patient. Smaller incisions are made in the chest and the heart/lung bypass machine is not used.

Open Heart Surgery 
Surgery is done while the bloodstream is diverted through a heart-lung machine. Some of the different types of surger include valve replacements and bypass (cardiac revascularization).

Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR) 
Restores blood flow to small vessels of the heart that bypass surgery or balloons and stents cannot reach by using a computer-synchronized carbon dioxide laser to place channels through the oxygen-deprived heart muscle.

Valve Repair 
Mending of a patient's own 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 
Surgical replacement of a damaged valve due to stenosis, (when the valve does not open fully), or insufficiency, also called regurgitation, (when the valve does not close tightly). Four different types of valve replacement may be done depending on patient's age, lifestyle, health and life expectancy.

Biologic (Tissue) Valve 

• Animal valve.
• Usually does not require long term anticoagulation (blood thinning).
• 50% require repeat valve replacement after 10 years.

Mechanical Valve 

• Man-made valve.
• Requires lifetime daily anticoagulation.
• Are superior for patients who have life expectancies greater than 10 years.

Homograft 

• Preserved human valve.
• Low risk for blood clot and long term anticoagulation is unnecessary.
• Only 10% require repeat valve replacement after 10 years.
• For selected cases only.

Autograft 

• Patient's own valve.
• No need for anticoagulation.
• 15% require valve replacement after 20 years.
• For selected cases only.

Ross Procedure 

• Combination autograft/ homograft.
• Replacement of the diseased aortic valve with the patient's own pulmonary valve. Then replacement of the patient's pulmonary valve with a preserved valve.
• This is used with only a selected group of patients.