Cardiac surgery by skilled heart surgeons in East Texas
The UT Health East Texas Heart and Vascular Institute is staffed by a team of highly skilled surgeons with the experience and expertise to perform a wide variety of cardiac surgeries. We offer traditional procedures, like cardiac bypass surgery, as well as minimally invasive heart surgery and other innovative procedures. Our team will evaluate your condition and provide the most appropriate procedure and treatment plan for you.
Heart surgery procedures we offer
Our expert cardiovascular surgeons are trained to perform a range of heart and vascular surgery treatments. Click below to explore our heart surgery treatment options.
Aortic surgery
Aneurysms, tears, and abnormal communications between vessels (such as arteriovenous malformations) can all affect the major arteries originating from the heart, like the aorta. Not uncommonly, aneurysms of the aorta can be noticed in patients who have imaging done for another reason. Because of the aorta’s proximity to the heart and the potential need to interrupt blood flow to other organs during repair, cardiac surgeons play a vital role in the management of these disorders. Our cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, and vascular surgeons have developed an extensive program to care for patients with these disorders, with treatments that include close surveillance, surgical care, and endovascular treatments.
Bypass surgery
Bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) or aorta coronary bypass (ACB) is one of the most frequently performed heart procedures in the United States. This procedure is used to treat a disease called coronary atherosclerosis (blockages in the coronary arteries), which, if left untreated, can lead to a heart attack. Blockages in the coronary arteries can be detected based on patient symptoms, an abnormal EKG, abnormal stress test or other non-invasive tests on the heart. The presence of blockages must be confirmed by a heart catheterization, in which contrast dye is injected into these arteries to determine the location and extent of blockages prior to treatment.
Bypass surgery is one method used to treat blockages, the others being medicine or stents. Deciding which treatment is best for each patient is complicated and usually based on thorough knowledge of anatomic factors, patient risks, and carefully studied data. Our goal is to provide the best solution for each individual, and your treatment may require collaboration between many specialists.
Bypass surgery uses either arteries or veins taken from the body to reconstruct blood flow to the heart muscle, creating a bridge around the area where the vessel is blocked. Each patient is unique in regards to the size and configuration of these vessels, as well as the location of blockages and other health issues. Your surgeon and cardiologist will evaluate each case and determine which procedure you may benefit from.
Traditional on-pump bypass surgery
On-pump bypass surgery uses the heart-lung machine to temporarily stop the heart to perform the surgery. This allows excellent visualization of the arteries of the heart and allows the procedure to be performed in a “bloodless” and immobile manner. As the most frequently performed method used in the United States, on-pump bypass surgery has the advantages of precise control of the heart, stability of vital signs, and the ability to perform multiple procedures on the heart in one setting if necessary.
Beating heart off-pump bypass surgery
Pioneered decades ago with a resurgence in popularity, off-pump or beating heart surgery allows the blockages to be grafted without stopping the heart or interrupting the blood flow to the body. Advantages of this procedure include less blood loss, less risk of stroke and kidney damage, and reduced inflammation after the surgery.
At the UT Health East Texas Heart and Vascular Institute, our surgeons are experienced in both types of surgical methods, allowing us to tailor each surgical approach to the patient’s needs.
Cardiac tumor surgery
Although rare, tumors, clots and infections of the heart can cause life-threatening symptoms. However, prompt diagnosis and treatment can lead to normal recovery and resolution of symptoms. The most common cardiac tumors are myxomas, which are benign tumors usually located in the atria. If found early, many tumors can be removed using minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Mechanical circulatory support
If a patient’s heart function deteriorates due to a heart attack or disease of the heart muscle, the rest of the body can suffer due to a lack of blood flow. When medications are insufficient to support blood pressure and heart function, temporary and permanent pumps can be placed in the heart to support a patient until a more definitive solution can be devised.
The physicians at UT Heath East Texas are experienced at both placing these heart pumps and caring for the sometimes critical problems that can arise in the acute setting of these diseases. Our dedicated cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) and critical care nurses provide 24/7 care for patients with life-threatening cardiovascular shock using leading-edge technology.
MitraClip surgery
The mitral valve is the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle of your heart. A leak in the mitral valve occurs when the flaps do not close completely, allowing blood to flow back into the heart as it pumps. The heart then has to work harder to keep blood flowing and can raise your risk for life-threatening stroke and heart failure. This condition is called mitral valve regurgitation (MR). When MR becomes severe, it can affect a person’s quality of life by causing shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, and other debilitating symptoms.
Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR -MitraClip) is a non-surgical, minimally invasive valve replacement procedure for patients with mitral valve regurgitation who are too high-risk for other surgery options. The small MitraClip clip is guided into place using a thin tube (catheter) through a small incision in a leg vein. The clip is then attached to the flaps of the mitral valve to help it close more completely and restore normal blood flow. Patients tend to have a short hospital stay and experience improved heart function and symptoms almost immediately.
Pericardial disease treatment
Diseases of the sac around the heart are infrequent, but when present, can limit cardiac function. Common conditions include pericardial fluid buildup around the heart, tumors that have spread to the heart sac, and inflammatory diseases of the pericardium. Using a multidisciplinary approach, our specialists may use cardiac imaging, fluid management, and surgery to resolve or improve heart health in patients with these disorders.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a life-saving, minimally invasive valve replacement procedure for patients with aortic stenosis.
Aortic stenosis is caused by the build-up of calcium on the aortic valve’s leaflets. This impairs the aortic valve’s ability to fully open and close, resulting in the narrowed valve allowing less oxygen-rich blood to flow from the lungs to the brain and rest of the body. This can cause symptoms of severe shortness of breath and extreme fatigue, and will eventually lead to the heart muscles weakening, increasing risk of heart failure and death.
During TAVR, a catheter is inserted through a small incision and guided through the arteries to the heart, where a new valve is placed. This procedure was designed for patients whose hearts were considered too weak for valve replacement surgery. Because it’s less invasive than traditional open heart surgery, recovery time is much shorter and significantly less painful.
No matter your needs, our cardiologists are committed to providing exceptional care for tailored to your individual needs. Please call us to learn more about our surgical treatment options.