Department Details

Cardiac surgery involves specialized, often life-saving operations on the heart and major blood vessels to treat conditions like coronary artery disease, valve disorders, and congenital defects. Key procedures include Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), valve repair/replacement, and heart transplants, often utilizing a heart-lung machine to bypass the heart.

Cardiac surgery involves specialized, often life-saving operations on the heart and major blood vessels to treat conditions like coronary artery disease, valve disorders, and congenital defects. Key procedures include Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), valve repair/replacement, and heart transplants, often utilizing a heart-lung machine to bypass the heart. 

Key Aspects of Cardiac Surgery

• Common Procedures: CABG (bypass), valve replacement (aortic/mitral), aneurysm repair, Maze procedure for atrial fibrillation, and congenital heart defect correction.
• Specialists: Cardiothoracic surgeons handle the heart, lungs, and chest cavity, while cardiovascular surgeons focus on the heart and blood vessels.
• Techniques: Procedures can be open-heart (requiring sternotomy) or increasingly, minimally invasive, using advanced technology to reduce recovery time.
• Recovery: Most patients spend less than a week in the hospital, with potential rehabilitation for a full recovery.
• Risks: While advanced, these procedures carry risks, including potential for stroke, kidney injury, or infection. 

Cardiology vs. Cardiac Surgery

• Cardiologists diagnose, manage, and treat heart diseases using medication or, in some cases, less invasive, catheter-based procedures (interventional cardiology).
• Cardiac Surgeons are physicians who perform surgical interventions (operations) to correct, repair, or replace structures within the heart. 

Common Conditions Treated

• Coronary Artery Disease (blocked arteries).
• Valve Disease (leaking or narrowed valves).
• Aortic Aneurysms.
• Heart Failure.
• Arrhythmias