Heart Surgery

WHEN IS SURGERY REQUIRED?

It’s the last resort.  When non-surgical treatments and medications prove ineffective, surgery will be the only way to remove or destroy heart tissue causing your problem, such as coronary artery blockage.

At ARMC, you are thoroughly evaluated to determine whether or not you need heart surgery. 

The three major types of surgery are:

Minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic).
One or more small incisions, about the size of a dime, are made. Advantages:

• Take less time to heal
• Cause less post-operative pain
• Have shorter hospital stay
• Leave a significantly smaller scar
• Cause less trauma to the body
• Return you to your normal activities faster

Minimally invasive techniques are used, when possible, for:

• Repair or replacement of heart valves
• Certain bypass surgeries

Not every heart patient is a candidate for laparoscopic surgery.

Open Heart Surgery

• Your chest is opened
  • Surgery is performed on the
    Heart muscle
  • Valves
  • Arteries
  • Other heart structures

Insertion of a pacemaker: A medical device, smaller than a matchbox.  It  works to regulate your heart beat.

• Placed under the skin near the collarbone.
• A thin wire extends from the device to your heart.
• When the pacemaker detects an abnormally slow heart rate or no heartbeat, it emits electrical impulses that stimulate your heart to speed up or resume beating.
• Implanted if medications result in an excessively slow rate.