Cardiac Surgery
Patients may seek heart surgery for a number of reasons, including coronary artery disease, severe chest pain due to narrowing arteries or a blockage in a blood vessel. It could also be sought out as an emergency response to a heart attack. Cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons at Northwest Healthcare offer a wide range of surgical treatment options, from open-heart surgery to minimally invasive procedures, and are committed to offering quality, advanced care.
Bypass Surgery
Sometimes patients need more advanced surgical care to heal their hearts. At Northwest Healthcare, we offer a broad range of cardiothoracic surgery, including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Traditionally during a CABG procedure, the heart is stopped and your body relies on a machine to pump blood while the surgeon operates. At Northwest, we offer beating heart bypass for patients who are appropriate candidates. During beating heart bypass surgery, the surgeon is able to stabilize sections of the heart while he/she works, allowing the rest of the heart to continue beating. In some cases, beating heart bypass can reduce the risk of stroke and kidney failure as well as other complications, such as the need for blood transfusions. Hospital stays are often shorter than for patients who have had a traditional CABG surgery.
TAVR
Northwest Healthcare offers transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to treat aortic stenosis in patients who are at high risk for an open heart procedure.
The TAVR procedure replaces the patient’s aortic valve, often through a small incision. A catheter that carries the new heart valve is passed through an artery in the groin and up to the heart, where the valve is placed. Patients have a team of physicians caring for them during the procedure, including an anesthesiologist, a cardiothoracic surgeon and two interventional cardiologists who specialize in the TAVR procedure. A cardiologist specializing in echocardiography is also part of the team.
TAVR patients receive a variety of tests to ensure they are appropriate candidates for the procedure. Tests include:
- Cardiac catheterization, to ensure there are no issues with blood flow that would need to be addressed prior to or during the TAVR procedure.
- A CT scan of the patient’s heart and abdomen, which provides a look at the “path” the cardiologist will take from the patient’s groin to their heart, and allows for the accurate measurement of the patient’s aortic valve.
- An ultrasound of the carotid arteries on both sides of the patient’s neck, to indicate any buildup of cholesterol plaque.
- A pulmonary function test, to determine the strength of the patient’s lungs.
Patients undergoing the TAVR procedure are typically in the hospital three to five days, but usually start feeling better 24 hours after receiving their new valve. Learn more about our TAVR clinic.
Heart Pumps
Northwest Healthcare uses a tiny heart pump to support the body by doing some of the work of the heart when it is failing or needs to rest for recovery. Inserted into the left side of the heart during surgery, the pump can be used for a few hours or several days. It helps take some of the workload off of the heart, allowing the heart to rest and recover.