Cardiac Surgery
Saving Hearts. Saving Lives.
Not only does Alta Bates Summit Medical Center perform more cardiac surgeries than any other hospital in the Bay Area, it's also one of the top three cardiac surgery programs in the State. This year, Alta Bates Summit was once again recognized for better than expected outcomes in heart bypass surgery by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
These excellent outcomes make a big difference. Samuel Richardson’s family had a history of heart problems. His mother and his daughter both had their aortic valves replaced. So when 59-year-old Samuel collapsed in the lobby of the hospital where his mother was recovering from a stroke, he wasn’t surprised to wake up in the Emergency Department to learn that he needed his aortic valve replaced too. On top of that, he had Atrial Fibrillation and needed to have a new procedure that would reroute the electrical current in his heart. Today, Samuel is back to living his normal life. “I’m cured of my heart conditions,” said Samuel, “and am relieved to know that should I have problems in the future, medical science will be there to help me.”
We’re living in an era of cardiac miracles with stories like Samuel Richardson’s occurring daily. These miracles happen for Alta Bates Summit patients, particularly those who were too sick for surgery and had exhausted their cardiac catherization options. Our commitment to being at the forefront of cardiac surgery technology has brought to our patients new minimally invasive procedures, robotics, and lasers. These advancements have enabled us to successfully treat many heart conditions that were incurable just a few years ago.
Although new technology plays an essential role in our program, it’s our specialist’s experience and exceptional teamwork that guides our ability to save hearts. Our cardiac surgery team performs more than 1,000 open-heart surgeries annually, giving us the experience that comes from completing a high number of procedures. The entire team is well versed in its individual roles as well as working together as a team, resulting in outstanding outcomes for our patients.
Alta Bates Summit patients suffering from many common heart ailments have access to three of the latest and most exciting technologies in heart surgery: Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery, TMR (Transmyocardial Revascularization) for severe chest pain, and the Maze Procedure to cure Atrial Fibrillation.
Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery
In keeping with our goal to be at the forefront of new technology, we are expanding minimally invasive techniques for cardiac surgery. We are already using minimally invasive vein harvesting during coronary artery bypass surgery. Our surgeons are now training to take a minimally invasive approach in valve replacements, and, eventually bypass surgery.
The traditional approach to bypass surgery, aortic and mitral valve replacements requires the opening of the chest cavity. This causes a great deal of trauma to the patient, increasing the recovery time as well as the level of pain the patient experiences. But, minimally invasive surgery opens many new doors to patients suffering from heart disease. These advanced surgical techniques require only small incisions, followed by the insertion of tiny instruments and cameras to perform the operation. Patients recover faster, spend less time in the hospital, and have less pain and scarring.
Once our minimally invasive bypass and valve replacement program is underway, we will then progress to robotic-assisted surgery. Robotics will allow our surgeons to use cutting and suturing movements transmitted to the instruments through a computer, and makes minimally invasive surgery possible in more situations.
Back to top
Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR)
TMR is a new laser surgery that relieves severe chest pain (angina). This procedure gives hope to patients who are:
* Suffering from severe angina despite taking medications
* Limited in their activity due to their chest pain
* Too ill to have coronary artery bypass surgery or angioplasty.
We have successfully performed TMR surgery on patients who were not candidates for cardiac surgery due to illness or severity of heart disease. TMR uses a laser beam to open channels in the wall of the heart, restoring blood flow and oxygen. The surgeon makes a small opening in the chest and shoots a laser on the beating heart, immediately vaporizing heart tissue and creating a thin bloodline through the wall of the heart. Patients show immediate results in their level of pain as well as their exercise tolerance. After TMR surgery, they are usually able to resume many activities and enjoy a greatly improved quality of life. But more than giving hope to heart patients with no other options, TMR offers a new method for surgically repairing hearts.
Mary Ann Johnson had such severe angina that she suffered from five bouts of it in one day. So when the 78-year-old went to the hospital, she learned that she was the perfect candidate for TMR. She immediately underwent the procedure, in addition to repeat coronary artery bypass surgery she had 25 years ago after having a heart attack. Now, Mary Ann is living her life to the fullest and is active as ever. “Good blood flow makes quite a difference,” said Mary Ann.
More about TMR and candidacy for the procedure.
Back to top
Maze Procedure
Before the Maze Procedure, patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF), a rapid, irregular heartbeat caused by a faulty electrical system in the heart, had little hope for a cure. Although many people live for years with AF, we now know that chronic AF can cause:
* Stroke. Because the atria are beating rapidly and irregularly, blood flow slows down and makes the blood more likely to clot. If the heart pumps a clot to the brain, the patient can have a stroke. AF patients are five to seven times more likely to have a stroke than the general population.
* Kidney, Heart, and Intestinal Damage. Blood clots can travel to other parts of the body, causing damage to the kidney, heart, and intestines.
* Congestive Heart Failure. AF can also decrease the heart's pumping ability by as much as 20 to 30 percent, resulting in congestive heart failure.
* Death. Chronic AF is associated with an increased risk of death.
But the Maze Procedure cures AF by interrupting irregular electrical patterns. As its name suggests, the procedure creates a maze within the heart so the electrical impulse travels only along a specific route. This stops the irregular heartbeat and restores proper heart rhythm. One Maze Procedure controls AF for the rest of the patient’s life.
Back to top
