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The
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular
Surgery is one of the largest, most experienced cardiac surgery groups
in the world. Each year, our surgeons care for thousands of patients,
young and old, who require virtually every type of heart surgery including
coronary artery bypass surgery; elective or emergency surgery for aortic
aneurysm, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias (such as atrial fibrillation),
heart failure, Marfan syndrome, and other less common conditions; and
heart valve surgery for heart valve disease (such as mitral regurgitation
or aortic stenosis). Our staff works with the newest surgical techniques,
equipment and devices.
One of the most frequent
operations performed is heart bypass surgery. The mortality for primary
isolated CABG was 0.6%, well below the national average reported by The
Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Some of our patients
come to us for second or even third heart bypass surgery. We also operate
on people who have been told that they are too elderly for a heart bypass or that
their condition is inoperable. The depth and breadth of our experience
with all kinds of cases allows us to handle these more complex operations
with success rates above the national average.
We are also able to
offer the very newest techniques including minimally invasive surgery,
off-pump bypass, robotic surgery, and laser heart surgery. Minimally invasive
surgery reduces the size of the surgical incision, blood loss, and length
of stay in the hospital. Off-pump surgery, also called beating-heart surgery,
allows the patient to forego cardiopulmonary support (connection to a
heart-lung machine). Instead, the bypass is done while the heart is beating.
The precise area of operation is stilled with high-tech stabilizing devices.
Robotic surgery is another type of minimally invasive heart surgery, which
uses robots to assist in making smaller keyhole incisions. TMR (Transmyocardial
Laser Revascularization) is a new laser heart surgery procedure for inoperable
coronary artery disease patients, giving new hope for improved quality
of life and symptom relief for those with severe angina (chest pain).
Our heart valve surgeons
have the largest heart valve surgery practice in the U.S. Operations performed
include valve repair, replacement, and combined surgical procedures using
tissue valves, mechanical valves, and homografts. In spite of the increasing
complexity and rate of reoperations, overall operative mortality for heart
valve procedures is 2.9%, far below the reported national average. Mortality
rates for both mitral and aortic valve replacements are lower than those
reported by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Surgery of the aorta
and surgery for Marfan Syndrome is performed by the Aorta Center, Marfan
Syndrome Clinic, and Connective Tissue Disorder surgeons. These operations
represent some of the most complicated cases, for which experience is
extremely important.
The Cleveland Clinic's
heart transplant program is one of the three largest transplant programs
in the United States. Our surgeons have a vast experience with left ventricular
assist devices, or LVADs, that help the heart pump. These devices ease
symptoms of heart failure and help improve patients' quality of life.
Click
here to learn more about our surgical outcomes.
Take a look at
the following related information on our website:
Patient Care
Research
Information
for Health Care Professionals
Meet
our doctors
Click
here to find publications written by our physicians
Click
here to go to the Department of Thoracic Sugery - for treatments of
Lung Cancer, Swallowing Problems (achalasia, Barrett’s
Esophagus, reflux, and hiatal hernia), Chest Problems (pneumothorax, pericardial
effusion, pleural effusion, pulmonary nodules, and thoracic outlet syndrome),
Emphysema, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH), Surgical procedures,
such as traditional surgery approaches, minimally invasive surgery, and
lung transplant are described.
Learn
More: Would you like to know more about coronary
artery bypass and the Heart Center? Use the search tool at the bottom
of the screen to learn about everything from coronary artery bypass and
aortic anuerysms to valve disease and heart transplants.
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