Uses a special device to stabilize the section of the heart being operated on, without stopping the heart. This reduces the risk of complications associated with stopping the heart during surgery.

May be used for patients with significant blockages and narrowing of their heart arteries (coronary artery disease). The procedure reroutes blood around clogged arteries to improve blood and oxygen flow to the heart.

Is a minimally invasive alternative when cardiac bypass surgery isn’t an option. The bypass graft involves a smaller incision than surgery and avoids cutting into bone. Patients tend to experience shorter recovery periods, returning to their normal routine sooner than they would with surgery. Criteria for receiving the graft are different than surgery and not all patients are candidates.

Interventional pulmonology is a specialized area of lung medicine that uses minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat various lung and airway conditions. It's an approach that uses small tubes with cameras and special tools (called endoscopes) to look inside your lungs and airways and perform procedures. This allows doctors to diagnose and treat lung problems without major surgery in many cases. Common conditions addressed:

 

1. Lung cancer - helping diagnose and treat tumors in the lungs
2. Airway blockages - opening up airways that have become narrowed or blocked
3. Breathing difficulties - addressing issues that make it hard to breathe properly
4. Fluid around the lungs - draining excess fluid to help you breathe easier
5. Lung nodules - examining suspicious spots in the lungs
6. Chronic lung diseases - like emphysema or COPD

Interventional pulmonology offers new options for many patients with lung problems, potentially improving diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life.

Is commonly offered as an alternative to qualified, but waiting candidates for heart transplant. The LVAD is a small pump implanted into the upper part of the abdomen that helps circulate blood throughout the body. The procedure presents a high survival rate and improved quality of life for patients in need of a heart transplant or suffering from heart failure.

Disrupts electrical signals in the heart that cause an erratic heartbeat (arrhythmia). Surgeons make several incisions in the atria, creating scar tissue to stop the unwanted electrical impulses that cause atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.

Offer alternatives for patients with severe symptoms of heart failure that can’t be controlled by medication. A biventricular pacemaker is a relatively new option for patients. This particular device uses electrical pulses sent by wires into the left and right ventricles to create a more normal heartbeat.

Help to secure the aortic wall in the event of an aortic aneurysm (a weakening or bulging on the wall of the aorta)

• Endovascular dissection repair resolves acute Type B aortic dissection complicated by rupture or malperfusion syndrome. In the procedure, a stent is placed in the aorta to shrink the walls down after an aneurysm.
• Hybrid total arch repair grafts multiple stents in the brachiocephalic arteries, providing blood flow to the upper extremities, neck and head. The procedure is primarily an alternative for patients who are otherwise considered prohibitively high risk for traditional open arch repair due to a saccular arch aneurysm.
• Reoperative aortic root reconstruction can help improve the life expectancy of patients who have previously received an aortic valve replacement.
• Thoracic aortic stent graft repair prevents the aorta from rupturing by grafting a stent inside the aorta for support. The procedure is for patients with transverse arch and descending thoracic aortic aneurysms.
• Valve-sparing aortic root replacement helps patients with aortic root and ascending aorta aneurysms. The procedure keeps the patient’s aortic valve and avoids the need for lifelong use of blood-thinners (anticoagulants).

Thoracic surgery deals with operations on organs in the chest area, excluding the heart and lungs. It focuses on treating conditions affecting the lungs, esophagus, chest wall, and other structures in the chest cavity. Some of the most common conditions addressed by thoracic surgery include:

 

1. Lung cancer: Removal of lung tumors or affected portions of the lung.
2. Emphysema and other severe lung diseases: Procedures to improve breathing and quality of life.
3. Esophageal problems: Treating issues like cancer, severe acid reflux, or narrowing of the esophagus.
4. Chest wall tumors or deformities: Correcting abnormalities of the rib cage or removing tumors.
5. Collapsed lung (pneumothorax): Repairing the lung to prevent air from leaking into the chest cavity.
6. Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis): Surgical treatment to reduce severe sweating.
7. Lung nodules: Removing and examining suspicious growths in the lungs.

Thoracic surgeons use various techniques, including traditional open surgery and minimally invasive approaches like video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). These less invasive methods often mean smaller incisions, less pain, and faster recovery for patients.

Is a minimally invasive treatment for angina aimed at improving blood flow to areas of the heart that could not be treated by angioplasty or surgery. A laser creates small channels into the heart muscle and into the heart’s lower left chamber. This procedure may be combined with coronary artery bypass surgery in some patients.

Is necessary when one or more heart valves aren’t working properly, often as a result of regurgitation or stenosis (a narrowing of the valve).

Annuloplasty repairs the ring-like part of the valve by attaching a ring of plastic, cloth or tissue around it, restoring normal blood flow through the valve.

Is primarily performed to replace diseased aortic or mitral heart valves. The procedure replaces a defective valve with a mechanical or biological valve.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat aortic stenosis when a patient is not eligible for open-heart surgery. A new valve made from wire-mesh and tissue is delivered via catheter to replace the malfunctioning aortic valve.

Community Regional Medical Center is the only hospital in the region to offer this life-saving procedure. To learn how you or a loved one can seek relief from aortic stenosis, call (559) 459-7492 or email heart@communitymedical.org.

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