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Cardiovascular Surgery

Understanding Cardiovascular Surgery

Also referred to as cardiac surgery or heart surgery, this includes any surgical procedure involving the heart or the blood vessels that carry blood to and from the heart.

While this type of surgery is not always necessary to treat heart conditions, a cardiologist or other specialist may recommend it to treat or prevent heart attacks and blood clots, to address irregular heartbeats, to open blocked or narrowed arteries and for a variety of other reasons.

Some cardiovascular conditions require open surgery, but many can be treated with minimally invasive procedures using catheters and robotics.

Some common cardiac and vascular procedures we perform across our health system:

Spotlight on: The Minimally Invasive TAVR Procedure

What is TAVR?

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is a revolutionary cardiac valve procedure used to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis who are not eligible for traditional open heart surgery. Unlike aortic valve replacement performed by traditional open heart surgery, TAVR is a less-invasive technology that allows your heart team to replace a diseased aortic heart valve while the heart is still beating.

How Does It Work?

An implantable valve is inserted through a catheter and placed within the diseased aortic valve. The catheter allows the valve to be inserted through an incision in the leg and into an artery (transfemoral procedure) or through an incision between the ribs. It then enters the bottom end of the heart, or the apex (transapical procedure). The heart team assigned to your case will determine the best procedure.

Who Is a Candidate for TAVR?

Not every patient in need of an aortic valve replacement will be considered for TAVR. Each patient is evaluated using specific criteria to determine what type procedure can give a patient the best individual outcome. TAVR candidates were diagnosed with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and are at intermediate or greater risk for open heart surgery. The risk associated with surgery depends on how healthy or sick a patient is. Based on the health of the individual, some patients may be considered intermediate risk for surgery.

Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Surgeon Becomes Our 500th TAVR Patient

After performing hundreds of heart valve replacements at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center and Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital, renowned local heart surgeon Richard Dearman, MD, underwent a heart valve replacement of his own.

Read Dr. Dearman’s story

Leaders in Cardiovascular Surgery

Learn More about Our Unique Heart Health Offerings Across Louisiana and Greater Jackson

Our Lady of the Lake Health

The surgeons at Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Cardiothoracic Surgery and Our Lady of the Lake Heart and Vascular Institute perform a wide variety of surgeries to treat conditions and diseases affecting the heart.

Our Lady of the Lake Health

Our Lady of Lourdes Health

Cardiovascular surgical procedures at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center and Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital are performed in a specially designed hybrid endovascular suite where open-heart surgery and minimally invasive procedures can take place on the same patient simultaneously in one operating room.

Our Lady of Lourdes Health

Our Lady of the Angels Health

Our Lady of the Angels Health partners with Lady of the Lake Louisiana Cardiology Associates to provide specialized cardiology care for a full range of heart conditions.

Our Lady of the Angels Health

St. Dominic’s

Mississippi Heart & Vascular Institute and St. Dominic's Cardiovascular Surgery Associates include teams of highly skilled cardiovascular surgeons well trained in the latest surgical or minimally invasive procedures.

St. Dominic’s

St. Francis Health

St. Francis Health offers interventional cardiology, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, a state-of-the-art hybrid operating suite and a full range of diagnostic and interventional cardiac and peripheral vascular catheterization services.

St. Francis Health

Cardiovascular Centers of Excellence

Across our system, our cardiovascular centers are renowned for top-of-the-line care for every type of heart condition.

Learn more