Of all the relationships we develop in life, one of the most important
is that between the patient and the physician. The Independence Health
System Heart, Lung & Vascular Institute has been recognized by national,
regional and local groups for the exceptional care provided.
The IHS Heart, Lung & Vascular Institute offers comprehensive programs
to treat conditions of the heart, lungs, and vascular systems. IHS offers
patients access to specialty-trained cardiologists, nationally renowned
surgeons, advanced technology and care teams that are dedicated to helping
the patient during every step of their health journey.
Whether the need is for preventative care and early monitoring because
of the risk for heart disease or advanced care for a more complex condition,
IHS offers award-winning, state-of-the-art treatments close to home.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are enlarged sections in the lower part of the
aorta, which is a major vessel that supplies blood to the body. Often,
abdominal aortic aneurysms are symptomless and found during another medical
evaluation. The course of treatment depends on the size of the aneurysm.
Small aneurysms, which are less than 5 cm in diameter, are treated with
daily exercise, lifestyle changes, and possible medications to help lower
blood pressure. For larger aneurysms open surgery is advised. With the
placement of a prosthetic graft, our cardiovascular specialists are able
to prevent the rupturing and worsening of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Anti-Arrhythmia Surgery
Depending on the severity of a heart arrhythmia, a pacemaker or implantable
cardioverter-defibrillator may not be enough to treat and maintain a healthy
heart. When this is the case, there are two common surgeries our cardiologists
at the Heart, Lung & Vascular Institute utilize to treat our patients.
The first being the Maze Procedure. This procedure involves a surgeon
making a series of small surgical incisions in the upper half of your
heart tissue, referred to as the atria. Because scar tissue doesn't conduct
electricity, it prevents any stray electrical impulses from causing arrythmias.
The second type of surgery to treat arrythmias is Coronary bypass surgery.
The purpose of this procedure is to improve the blood flow to the heart,
aiding in the steady beating of the heart and strengthening of the heart muscles.
Atrial Fibrillation Surgical Ablation
If a patient has an irregular heartbeat, or atrial fibrillation, treatment
ablation is a recommended procedure used to treat an irregular heart rhythm
(arrhythmia). Symptoms caused by an irregular heartbeat, such as shortness
of breath and fatigue, usually improve after undergoing one of the following
surgical procedures: Catheter Ablation, Maze Procedure, and AV Node Ablation.
The Catheter Ablation is a procedure where a cardiovascular surgeon threads
a catheter (a thin, long tube) to apply extreme cold or heat to cause
tiny scars to specific areas of the heart. The Maze Procedure is an ablation
technique where a pattern of scare tissue is created in the upper chambers
of the heart. These two procedures disrupt the erratic electrical signals
to the heart causing arrythmia. The third procedure, AV Node Ablation
or Atrioventricular Node Ablation, is the scarring of heart tissue in
an area called the AV node. This node connects the upper and lower chambers
of the heart. This scar tissue prevents the sending of erratic electrical
signals throughout the heart. Without treatment, atrial fibrillation tends
to get worse over time.
Cardiac Ablation
When a patient is suffering from an arrythmia, a form of treatment, cardiac
ablation, is recommended procedure that can help resolve heart rhythm
problems. The way that cardiac ablation works is by scarring heart tissue
that causes abnormal heart rhythms. A cardiovascular surgeon uses a small
catheter to apply extreme heat or cold to the tissues in your heart that
are the cause of the arrythmia. By doing so, this disrupts the irregular
electrical impulses within the heart. By performing the procedure with
a catheter, it is less invasive and shortens the post-surgery recovery period.
Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
After a cardiac event or for those with lung and vascular disease, our
goal is to improve your health and quality of life. With the help of
cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation the program centers around the strengthening of your heart, lungs, and
most importantly, your quality of life. A doctor’s referral is needed
for our rehabilitation programs, but we can assist you in obtaining a referral.
Cardiac Catheterization
In order to accurately diagnose and treat certain cardiovascular conditions,
our cardiovascular surgeons will perform a cardiac catheterization procedure.
When using a catheter doctors can conduct diagnostic tests such as a biopsy
or reading blood pressure and flow levels, coronary angioplasties to push
plaque and widen arteries, coronary stenting to help keep an artery open,
as well as repairing heart defects.
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Cardiothoracic surgery, often referred to as thoracic surgery, is the surgical treatment of organs
inside the chest. These are cardiovascular disease treatments for conditions
of the heart and lungs. If you need surgery, it’s good to know your
hearts in the right place at the Heart and Vascular Center. The cardiothoracic
surgeons have the reputation for excellence in patient care and quality outcomes.
Diagnostic Cardiology
Diagnostic cardiology tests provide the data points and information needed for cardiologists
to create a detailed picture of how a patient's heart is functioning.
Cardiovascular specialists are able to reach a diagnosis faster and more
accurately with the advanced cardiac testing we provide.
Electrophysiology
Electrophysiology (EP) is a procedure or study is a series of tests used to assess a patient's
heart electrical system. When determining proper cardiovascular disease
treatment, it is important to accurately diagnose abnormal heartbeats
or arrhythmia through the help of EP tests. An arrhythmia, or abnormal
heartbeat, can often make patients feel as though they have heart fluttering,
chest pain, shortness of breath or dizziness. At our dedicated electrophysiology
lab, those with arrhythmia can get top quality care from highly trained
cardiovascular specialists while remaining close to home.
Heart Failure Clinic
If you've been diagnosed with
heart failure, even the term may sound shocking. It doesn't mean, however, that your
heart "failed" or stopped. It means that the heart can't pump
properly to meet your body's needs. At the Heart, Lung and Vascular institute
our cardiology specialists provide the absolute best care through a comprehensive
approach and expertise in treating heart failure.
Interventional Cardiology
Interventional cardiology specializes in imaging and diagnostic techniques that are used to evaluate
the pressure and blood flow within the coronary arteries and heart. This
field also encompasses the treatment and diagnosis of acquired structural
heart disease, vascular disease, and coronary artery disease. To restore
and renew your heart’s health, our team of caring experts perform
a range of treatments and procedures close to home at the Heart and Vascular
Center’s interventional suites located on the Westmoreland Hospital campus.
Open-Heart Surgery
An
open-heart surgery procedure is an operation done to repair a fault or damage in the heart.
The most common procedure is a coronary artery bypass, where the arteries
are blocked or narrowed, putting them at risk of a heart attack. If you
need surgery, it’s good to know your heart is in the right place
at the Heart and Vascular Center. Our cardiothoracic surgeons have the
reputation for excellence in patient care and quality outcomes.
Thoracic Surgery
Thoracic surgery refers to the procedures and operations on organs within the chest. This
includes the lungs, esophagus, and heart. Our thoracic surgeons, those
who perform surgery or procedures on the heart, lungs, esophagus, and
other organs in the chest, are skilled in all aspects of thoracic surgery,
using minimally invasive techniques when possible.
Vascular Surgery
Vascular surgery is a medical procedure done to treat the arteries, veins and lymphatic
circulation of a patient. A vascular specialist helps manage the therapy,
performs minimally invasive catheter procedures, and surgical reconstruction.
If a problem arises from the veins and arteries rather than the heart,
vascular surgeons from the Heart and Vascular Center work to correct circulation.
Watchman Procedure
The left atrial appendage is a small sac-like extension of the upper part
of the heart. Blood can pool in this appendage, leading to an increased
chance of having a stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. The surgeons
at IHS are performing a minimally invasive procedure called
WATCHMAN ™ in selected patients. The surgeon makes a small incision in the patient’s
leg and inserts a narrow tube to deliver the WATCHMAN™ implant to
the left atrial appendage which will close the appendage.
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