Cardiovascular Surgery
Our cardiovascular surgery program is a North Bay/North Coast leader with a tradition of excellence and innovation. Our surgeons, with a total of 33 combined years of experience, have been trained, and taught at, leading academic centers, including Loma Linda University and the University of Toronto. They combine the cutting edge technology usually found in large metropolitan areas with personal warmth and compassion.
Coronary artery bypass surgery – When extensive atherosclerosis blocks the heart’s coronary arteries, it can lead to chest pain (angina) and eventually to a heart attack. With coronary artery bypass surgery, blood is rerouted through “new” vessels, downstream from where the blockages are located. The vessels utilized are arteries from the chest wall, veins from the legs, and occasionally, arteries from the forearm.
Currently, only 25% of coronary artery bypass operations in the United States are performed without a heart-lung machine.
Many of bypass operations at St. Helena Hospital are performed without use of a
heart-lung machine, avoiding the possibility of neurological damage during
surgery.
Vein and artery harvesting – At St. Helena, vein harvesting from the legs is routinely done through a 1” incision, using a fiber-optic tube with a small camera and tiny surgical tools. The camera projects the image onto monitors in the operating room. A blood vessel is removed through the incision and used as a graft to bypass the arterial blockage. This method of harvesting results in less tissue damage and fewer post-operative complications.
Valve repair and replacement – The Heart &
Vascular Center has a long history of innovation in heart valve surgery. When it is determined that a heart valve cannot be repaired, it must be replaced. We offer many minimally invasive approaches to aortic and mitral valve replacement.
Arrhythmia surgery – Our surgeons perform a “modified Maze procedure” for treatment of atrial fibrillation, a relatively common form of irregular heart rhythm. With the use of sophisticated instrumentation applied to specific areas of the heart, the patient’s heart rhythm is stabilized and redirected along a normal path. By converting atrial fibrillation to a normal rhythm, heart function improves and strokes are prevented.
Thoracic aneurysm - Aneurysms are potentially fatal. For aneurysms of the ascendng aorta or aortic arch, replacement of the aorta with a fabric substitute is recommended. For aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta, patients may undergo aorta replacement or the aorta can be stented.
Vascular Services
Here are some of the advanced vascular surgeries and procedures performed at The
Heart & Vascular Center:
Endarterectomy – This is a procedure in which a fatty plaque buildup is removed from the artery. The vascular surgeon makes an incision over the affected artery and removes the plaque in the artery’s lining. This procedure leaves an open artery to restore blood flow.
Leg bypass surgery – Performed when an endovascular approach is not feasible, this bypass is done when you have a blockage in the main artery in your leg. The surgeon either uses one of your veins or an artificial vein to bypass the blockage and provide blood flow to the lower leg again.
Abdominal aneurysm – Aneurysms of the aorta are thoracic, abdominal or both. The abdominal aneurysm below the renal arteries is the most common and poses the least risk with surgery. High risk patients may be a candidate for a stent graft, done with endovascular technique. Thoracic aneurysms pose a much higher risk of death and complications. We use newer techniques to do the thoracic aneurysm to lessen morbidity.
Dialysis access – Dialysis access is an entrance into your bloodstream
in the form of a tube beneath your skin and easy to use. The access is usually in your arm or leg and allows the blood to be safely removed and returned quickly. This is the most common treatment for kidney failure. A dialysis machine, like an artificial kidney, circulates blood through a machine to remove impurities, regulate fluid and improve chemical balances.
Renal artery stents – Renal artery stent placement has been demonstrated to improve blood pressure control and stabilize patients with atherosclerotic renal artery disease. This procedure is not without risks; however, interventional cardiologists at St. Helena have a high level of experience in this area, which can help reduce those risks.
Percutaneous Endovascular Procedures – Non-invasive approaches can be used to detect symptoms of blockages in the arms and legs. The patient can then be treated with a same day procedure using atherectomy devices, specialized balloons or stents in the major arteries of the extremities. These procedures are very low risk in comparison to surgical revascularization.
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