Cardiac Surgery

• CABG Most commonly referred to as simply "bypass surgery," this surgery is often performed in people who have angina (chest pain) and coronary artery disease (where plaque has built up in the arteries). During the surgery, a bypass is created by grafting a piece of a vein above and below the blocked area of a coronary artery, enabling blood to flow around the obstruction. Veins are usually taken from the leg, but arteries from the chest may also be used to create a bypass graft.
• Valve Replacement/Repair A mechanical or tissue valve is transplanted into the heart to replace the damaged valve, or a damaged valve is repaired by loosening stiff valve leaflets or tightening loose valve leaflets.
• Off-Pump CABG Off-pump bypass surgery, often referred to as "beating heart" surgery, does not require the heart-lung machine. Modern technology allows the surgeon to stabilize and operate on arteries while the heart is still beating. Not all patients are candidates for this type of surgery. The decision to use the off-pump method is made by the surgeon.
• LVAD The Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) is a mechanical pump that helps a weakened heart pump blood throughout the body. LVAD is typically used as a "bridge to transplant" for those who are hospitalized with end-stage heart failure.
• Endoscopic Vein Harvesting Bypass surgery typically involves using a vein (saphenous) from the leg to construct the bypass. With endoscopic vein harvesting, surgeons create one to three small incisions in the leg instead of the traditional long incision. This modern method results in less muscle/tissue damage and fewer post-operative complications.
• Atrial Fibrillation Ablation This surgical procedure provides testing and treatment to patients suffering from irregular heart rhythm. Our specialists, employing pacemakers and automatic defibrillators, and using a new procedure called ablation, remove abnormal electrical pathways which cause the irregular heartbeat. This procedure can preclude the need for open-heart surgery.
• Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR) TMR is a method of creating new blood perfusion channels in the heart muscle to supplement diseased coronary arteries. The surgeon uses a laser to create the channels. This procedure is used when traditional bypass surgery is not an option, and medication or PCI are not determined to be viable treatments.

For more information, contact The Reading Regional Heart Center: 610-988-HELP.

Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award^TM  four consecutive years (2008-2011)

• Ranked among the top 5% in the nation for Cardiac Surgery: four consecutive years (2008-2011)
• Ranked among the Top 5 or 10 in PA for Cardiac Surgery: four consecutive years (2008-2011)
• Five-star rated for Cardiac Surgery: four consecutive years (2008-2011)
• Five-star rated for Coronary Bypass Surgery: six consecutive years (2006-2011)
• Five-star rated for Valve Replacement Surgery: three consecutive years (2009-2011)