Types Of Surgery
Open heart, or cardiac surgery, is a process by which the heart, its related vasculature, or valves are repaired. The term open heart refers to the opening of the chest to expose the heart to be repaired. In many instances cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is employed to aid in the operation. CPB is a process which utilizes a heart-lung machine to provide oxygen and blood flow to the body during the procedure. The heart is typically stopped via a high potassium solution to facilitate the surgery. In some cases, however, the surgery is performed on a beating heart.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
A type of heart surgery known as CABG or "cabbage." The surgery is done to reroute (bypass) blood around clogged arteries and improve the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart. During surgery the surgeon takes a blood vessel from another part of the body and constructs a detour around the blocked part of the coronary artery. Usually either an artery from the chest wall is attached to the coronary artery below the blockage, or a piece of vein is removed from the leg and one end is sewn to the aorta and the other sewn below the blocked coronary artery. Learn more about bypass graft surgery from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons website: After My Bypass

Beating Heart Surgery
Beating heart surgery may benefit some patients, depending on the extent of their coronary disease. Certain cardiac surgical procedures may be done without the use of the use of the heart-lung machine.

Valvular Repair / Replacement Surgery
The type of open heart surgery where diseased or defective heart valves may be replaced. Surgeons remove the existing valve(s) and use either a tissue valve (made from pericardial tissue) or a mechanical valve (manmade, artificial) to replace it, thereby improving the function of the heart. Learn more about valve replacement surgery: One Valve for Life

Thoracic Aortic Surgery
An aneurysm is an abnormal bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. Aneurysms can form in any blood vessel, but they occur most commonly in the: aorta (aortic aneurysm) which is the main blood vessel leaving the heart, abdominal area below the kidneys (abdominal aortic aneurysm), chest cavity (thoracic aortic aneurysm). Aneurysms are usually caused by: atherosclerosis, hypertension, trauma, congenital abnormality, aging, and Marfan's syndrome (a genetic connective tissue disorder).

When an aortic aneurysm is large or associated with symptoms, the weakened section of the vessel can be surgically removed and replaced with a graft of artificial material. Repairing the aneurysm surgically is complicated and requires an experienced surgical team.

Pacemaker Implantation
A pacemaker is a small unit that uses batteries to help your heart beat more regularly through the use of small electric stimulation that helps control your heartbeat. The surgeons at St.Clair Hospital implant pacemakers routinely to correct abnormal heart rhythms.

Arrthymia Surgery (Ablation Surgery)
The most common arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a disorder found in about 2 million Americans. In it the heart's two small upper chambers (the atria) quiver instead of beating effectively. Blood isn't pumped completely out of them, so it may pool and clot. If a piece of a blood clot in the atria leaves the heart and becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke results. About 15 percent of strokes occur in people with atrial fibrillation.

New surgical procedures uses radiofrequency to develop controlled lesions (similar to the lesions created by the Maze procedure), to block the abnormal conduction pathway, restoring normal heart rhythm. This state of the art procedure is performed at The Heart Center at St.Clair Hospital.

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