Among the pioneers in open-heart surgery, cardiac surgeons at O’Connor Hospital continue to employ their skills and expertise in the traditional open-chest procedure as well as in newer, less-invasive surgeries such as the ‘off-pump’ coronary artery bypass and ‘small-incision’ valve surgery.
O’Connor surgeons also have instituted a ‘cell saver’ surgery program to meet the needs of individuals who wish to avoid blood transfusions because of religious convictions or other concerns.
In addition, our vascular surgeons have been instrumental in developing aortic aneurysm stent graft technology, making O’Connor one of the first hospitals in the country to offer this advanced and innovative procedure.
Conventional Open-Heart Surgery
Any minimally invasive surgical procedure is measured against conventional open-heart coronary artery bypass surgery. The open-heart procedure has been around for years, provides excellent results, and cardiac surgeons have had ample opportunity to become technically proficient at performing the procedure.
During traditional open-heart surgery, the surgeon stops the heart in order to repair it. While the heart is stopped, the patient’s blood is supplied with fresh oxygen and pumped through the body by a heart-lung machine. The surgeon gains access to the heart through a long incision in the chest, called a sternotomy.
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