A Tradition of Excellence
The heart specialists of the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute — which includes Providence Saint Joseph and Providence Holy Cross Medical Centers — diagnose and treat more than 5,000 cardiac patients each year with an impressive range of state-of-the-art specialty care services. Proudly serving the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys, our board-certified cardiac surgeons perform more than 300 open heart surgeries annually — including coronary artery bypass grafts, off-pump coronary artery bypass and heart valve repair and replacements. In addition, Providence Saint Joseph cardiac surgeons lead the San Fernando Valley in less invasive surgical techniques, with nearly 500 of these surgeries performed to date. Furthermore, Providence Saint Joseph is the only hospital in the San Fernando Valley to offer minimally invasive heart valve surgery, which is routinely performed at fewer than 20 hospitals in California. Providence Holy Cross and Providence Saint Joseph Medical Centers consistently receive prestigious accolades for being among the best providers of cardiovascular care in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. The California Office of State Health Planning and Development has consistently reported that Providence Saint Joseph and Providence Holy Cross Medical Centers produce better than average survival rates for coronary artery bypass surgery, and that Providence Saint Joseph produces better than average outcomes for the treatment of heart attack. Perhaps most importantly, patients ranked both Providence Holy Cross and Providence Saint Joseph among the top five heart programs in the Los Angeles area, according to a preference survey conducted by the National Research Corporation. On the Cutting-Edge of Cardiac Surgical Care
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)
One of the most common surgeries performed in the United States, a traditional CABG requires the surgeon to harvest a vein or veins from the patient’s leg and then attach, or graft, the vessel to a part of the coronary artery that is not blocked, thus bypassing the blocked portion of the coronary artery. During a traditional CABG, a heart-lung machine functions for the heart and lungs during surgery, oxygenating and pumping blood back into the body. While this technique is highly successful, it can affect the function of the heart, brain, kidneys and lungs. Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB)
Highly specialized surgical instruments stabilize the heart during the OPCAB, also known as beating heart surgery. This enables the surgeon to isolate and manipulate small, localized areas of the heart while attaching the newly harvested vessels. The remainder of the heart continues to beat normally, which exposes the body to far less trauma compared to traditional bypass surgery. Valve Surgery
Advances in the surgical treatment of diseased heart valves — along with improved diagnostic tests to help identify the location, type and extent of the valve disease — allow the surgeon, cardiologist and primary care physician to collaboratively recommend a course of treatment based on the structure of the heart, as well as the age and lifestyle of the patient.
Traditional Valve Repair and Replacement
During traditional heart valve surgery, a surgeon makes an incision down the center of the breastbone to get direct access to the heart, and then repairs or replaces the abnormal heart valve or valves. Often, the surgeon and cardiologist employ transesophageal echocardiography during the operation to assess valve’s functioning before and after surgery.
Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery
Minimally invasive valve surgery allows surgeons to operate through a small opening, or “port”, in the chest wall between the ribs. It involves the same steps as open heart surgery but eliminates one of the most painful elements — the need to open the chest through a 12- to 15-inch incision in the breastbone. Instead, the cardiac surgeon makes one small incision approximately 4 inches in length above or below the right breast through which the valve surgery is performed. Other Surgical Procedures Excellent Outcomes
Continued improvements in intraoperative management and post-operative care have contributed to superior outcomes for our cardiac surgery patients. In spite of increasingly higher acuity among open heart patients, the average post-operative length of stay has remained constant for traditional CABG patients and has been reduced for patients receiving heart valve surgeries at both Providence Saint Joseph and Providence Holy Cross Medical Centers. Additionally, with OPCAB and other minimally invasive techniques, some patients leave the hospital within two to five days following surgery. Minimally invasive valve surgery offers tremendous benefits to appropriate patients, who frequently resume their normal daily activities within a couple of weeks rather than having to depend on others to help them with daily hygiene and household chores for more than a month following surgery. Other benefits include — Less blood loss Less scarring and pain Less need for blood transfusions Reduced postoperative ventilator support Reduced medication Reduced chance of stroke Shorter intensive care unit stays Shorter postoperative hospital stays Shorter recovery periods Fewer postoperative complications Reduced risk of wound infection
Compassionate Care
With a solid commitment to provide clinically excellent cardiovascular care in a manner that compassionately respects the unique needs and preferences of each of our patients, the heart specialists of the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute remain at the forefront of cardiac surgery in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. For more information about our physicians and available treatments, call
1-888-HEALING (1-888-432-5464).
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