Surgical & Heart Information

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Acute or Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis

Acute or Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis is an infection of the heart's endocardium. The endocardium is the inner lining of the heart muscle...more

Aneurysm of Aorta

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Aortic Dissection

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Aortic Left Ventricular Tunnel

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Aortic Root Replacement

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Aortic Stenosis/Ross Procedure (Video Included)

In a normal heart the aortic valve lies between the left ventricle and the aorta (the large artery that carries the red or oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body). The aortic valve opens to allow blood to pass from the left ventricle into the aorta, and when it closes it prevents blood from backing up. The narrowing of the aortic outflow tract and/or the inability of the aortic valve to open properly and fully is termed "aortic stenosis"...more

Aortic Valve Repair and Replacement

There are usually two reasons why physicians will recommend proceeding with a valve replacement procedure. First, once the patient begins to show symptoms of left heart failure, aortic stenosis can quickly become fatal...more

Aortofemoral Bypass

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Aortopulmonary Window

Aortopulmonary window (APW) is a rare congenital heart defect that results from an abnormal separation of the two main arteries leading from the heart, the aorta and the pulmonary artery...more

Aneurysm Surgery

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Arterial Switch Procedure (Video Included)

Transposition of the Great Arteries or (TGA) is diagnosed when the two main blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart are formed in a position opposite from where they should be. The Aorta and the Pulmonary Artery are "transposed"...more

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) (Video Included)

An ASD, or Atrial Septal Defect, is a "hole" or "holes" between the Atria, the upper two chambers of the heart. The "hole" or "holes" may be single or multiple. It can be located anywhere along the atrial septum...more

Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD)

An AVSD is a congenial heart defect in which part of the wall or septum between the two upper chambers (atria) and the two lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart has holes or defects (ASD and VSD, respectively)...more

Atrioventricular Canal (AV Canal)

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Axil Bifemoral Bypass

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A-V Fistula

An arteriovenous (AV) fistula is an abnormal passageway between an artery and a vein. It usually occurs in the arms or legs...more

B

Bidirectional Glenn/Hemi

The second stage or surgical intervention is usually done when the child is around three months of age. This procedure is known as the bi-directional Glenn. Other names or variations of this surgery include: "Glenn procedure", "Glenn shunt", "classic Glenn", and the "Hemi-Fontan"...more

Bloodless Surgery

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Blalock-Taussig Shunt

The first surgical intervention is usually done soon after the infant is born. This procedure is done to secure the infant's blood flow to the lungs until the second surgical intervention can be performed. As mentioned above, this initial surgery is known as a Blalock-Taussig shunt (BT shunt)...more

Bronchogenic Cyst Rigid

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C

Carotid Endarterectomy

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Coarctation of the Aorta

Coarctation of the Aorta (CoA) is a narrowing of the main artery (Aorta) which carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body. The narrowing decreases the blood flow to the body and makes the left side of the heart work harder to pump blood out of the smaller than normal opening. ...more

Coronary Artery Bypass

A coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery is used to improve blood flow to the heart in people with severe coronary artery disease (CAD). This is the most common type of open-heart surgery in the United States...more

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Defibrilation Insertion

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Dialysis Access Surgery

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Diaphragmatic Hernia Repair (Video Included)

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia is present in approximately 1 in every 3000 births. A Diaphragmatic Hernia is defined as a "hole" located in the diaphragm (the large muscle that separates the abdominal cavity form the chest cavity)...more

Double Chamber Right Ventricle

A double outlet right ventricle (DORV) is a congenital heart disease in which the aorta rises from the right ventricle, instead of from the left ventricle. Both the pulmonary artery and aorta come from the same pumping chamber...more

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ECMO

ECMO stands for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. ECMO is a form of therapy that can support heart and/or lung function when a patient's own heart and/or lung function is inadequate. The technology of ECMO is similar to the heart-lung bypass techniques used in cardiovascular surgery...more

Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy

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Esophageal Resection for Cancer or Benign Disease

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F

Fontan Extracardiac(Video Included)

A Fontan Extracardia is called an "extra-cardiac conduit", a Gortex tube sewn outside the heart...more

Fontan Intracardiac(Video Included)

A Fontan Extracardia is called an "intra-cardiac baffle", a Gortex patch is used to create this inside the heart...more

Fontan Procedure

The whole premise of the "Fontan" circulation for children with "single ventricle" anatomy is directing the entire systemic venous circulation to the pulmonary arteries without an intervening pumping chamber. This ultimately separates the "blue" and "red" blood circulations...more

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Hemi-Fontan(Video Included)

The Hemi-Fontan procedure is the second of three operations for children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and other types of single ventricle physiology. This procedure is generally performed at 6 months of age. The Hemi-Fontan consists of anastomosis of the superior vena cava (SVC) to the right pulmonary artery, augmentation of the branch pulmonary arteries and patch closure of the communication between the superior vena cava and the right atrium.more

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome(Video Included)

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is a congenital heart defect characterized by the partial or complete failure of the left side of the heart to develop. A normally developed heart is composed of four chambers...more

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Interrupted Aortic Arch(Video Included)

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Lobectomy for Cancer or Congenital Disease

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M

Marfans Syndrome

The Marfan syndrome is a connective tissue disorder. Connective tissue provides substance and support to tendons, ligaments, blood vessel walls, cartilage, heart valves...more

Mediastinal Surgery

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Minimally Invasive Techniques

As medical techonolgy has advanced, minimally invasive surgical techniques have been created to allow access to the heart without the use a sternotomy and may not require the use of a heart-lung machine...more

Mitral Valve Repair/Replacement

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Norwood Procedure(Video Included)

Parents should understand that the Norwood procedure is the first of 3 operations performed over a period of 2-3 years. The surgical treatment for HLHS, as with all "single ventricle" hearts,...more

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Off-Pump Coronary Bypass

In an off-pump coronary bypass, or beating heart surgery, the patient's heart is beating while the coronary artery bypass grafts are being placed on the patient's coronary arteries. A tissue stabilization system...more

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Pacemaker Insertion

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Pain Management

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Patent Ductus Arteriosus(PDA)

In a Normal Heart of an infant inside a mother's womb, there is a small ligamentous vessel connecting the two great vessels of the heart (the Aorta and the Pulmonary Artery). During pregnancy this vessel directs or "shunts" the blood from the Pulmonary Artery to the Aorta...more

Pulmonary Artery Banding

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Pulmonary Valve Replacement

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R

Rastelli Procedure

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Ross Procedure(Video Included)

A first option that can be presented for consideration in the case of valve replacement for the treatment of aortic stenosis is known as the "Ross procedure". The Ross procedure is considered when the patient has a well-formed and functioning pulmonic valve...more

S

Sano Procedure

The Sano shunt consists of connecting a Gortex tube graft between the single, right ventricle and the pulmonary arteries...more

Single Ventricle

Infants with tricuspid atresia usually fall into a category of congenital defects known as 'single ventricles'...more

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Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return (TAPVR)

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Thoracoscopy

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Thoracoscopic Maze Procedure

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Tetralogy of Fallot

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Traumatic Aortic Disruption

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Tricuspid Atresia

Tricuspid Atresia is a cyanotic or "blue" heart disease characterized by complete failure of the development of the tricuspid valve. When you look at a normally developed heart, it is composed of four chambers...more

Tricuspid Valve Replacement

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Truncus Arteriosus

During normal fetal development both of the great vessels of the heart (aorta and main pulmonary artery) arise from division of a single primitive arterial trunk (trunk arteriosus). The aorta supplies blood to the head and the body...more

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V

Ventricular Septal Defect(Video Included)

A VSD, or Ventricular Septal Defect, is a "hole" or "holes" between the bottom two chambers of the heart. The "hole" or "holes" may be single or multiple. It can be located anywhere along the ventricular septum...more

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