Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at St.Vincent’s
National recognized - best in class
St. Vincent’s Regional Heart & Vascular Center is known throughout the state and nationally for introducing revolutionary new minimally invasive techniques into its outstanding cardiothoracic surgery program. Extraordinary advances in heart surgery, including the newest minimally invasive techniques, have proved their effectiveness, and are continually being implemented by our skilled surgeons who have undergone stringent training required to hone their expertise.
Minimally invasive procedures at St. Vincent’s have expanded to include coronary artery bypass, heart valve repair, correction of atrial fibrillation and endoscopic vein harvesting. Minimally invasive techniques mean less blood loss, complications, pain and a shorter recovery time for patients.
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
When angioplasty is not an option to clear a blocked artery, your doctor may refer you to a St. Vincent’s cardiac surgeon for a coronary artery bypass graft, which in effect, detours around the area of blockage using a vein from the leg to restore blood flow to the heart. Minimally invasive techniques at St. Vincent’s include endoscopic vein harvesting or making small incisions to take veins from the leg to create a bypass around the diseased arteries.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement - TAVR
TAVR, a revolutionary, non-surgical procedure, brings new hope to cardiac patients suffering from aortic stenosis. While aortic valve replacement, the most common method for treatingaortic valve stenosis, has traditionally required open-heart surgery, St. Vincent's Medical Center now specializes in a non-surgical alternative called TAVR, or transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
Minimally Invasive Surgical treatment for A-fib
Minimally invasive heart valve surgeries are also performed at St. Vincent’s to correct atrial fibrillation or A-fib, characterized by an irregular heartbeat. A “maze” of scar tissue in the heart is created to correct the conduction of abnormal impulses through the heart. Read more about St. Vincent's “A-fib Mini-Maze Surgery”
Mitral valve repair versus replacement
Surgeons at St. Vincent’s often use minimally invasive procedures to perform delicate mitral valve repair surgeries.
The mitral valve is a particularly vulnerable part of the heart. Named for its shape, which is similar to that of a bishop’s cap, or miter, it is located between the heart’s left atrium and ventricle. It opens and closes and along with the other heart valves, controls blood flow. Also called the bicuspid valve, the mitral was previously subject more often to replacement rather than repair.
However, repair is far preferable because replacing it can injure the heart due to the delicate and complex structure of the mitral valve. Repair actually offers longer, even life-long effectiveness. Now with minimally invasive surgery at St. Vincent’s, the mitral valve can be repaired rather than replaced, and patients also do better because there is much less blood loss and shorter recovery times.
Robot & hybrid OR technology
With the introduction at St. Vincent’s of robot technology in the form of the da Vinci Robot SI System, (see da Vinci Robot) the latest most advanced model of robotic technology, and the Hybrid OR where both surgical and catheter-based vascular/cardiovascular interventions or operations can be performed, St. Vincent’s has entered a new era in cardiovascular surgery and treatment. These new technologies are set to transform cardiac surgery and interventions in many ways that will benefit the safety, comfort and outcomes for our patients.
Surgical team
The experienced surgical team at St. Vincent’s adheres to the highest national standards for safety and goes the extra mile to ensure the best outcomes for patients. Our nationally recognized cardiac surgery program embraces the latest techniques and is focused on patient satisfaction.
St. Vincent's Medicial Center: Surgical expertise when you need it most.
Contact us
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