Heart Surgery

Also called: Cardiac surgery

On this page

Summary

Heart surgery can correct problems with the heart if other treatments haven't worked or can't be used. The most common type of heart surgery for adults is coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). During CABG, a healthy artery or vein from the body is connected, or grafted, to a blocked coronary (heart) artery.

Doctors also use heart surgery to

Repair or replace heart valves, which control blood flow through the heart
Repair abnormal or damaged structures in the heart
Implant medical devices that help control the heartbeat or support heart function and blood flow
Replace a damaged heart with a healthy heart from a donor
Treat heart failure and coronary heart disease
Control abnormal heart rhythms

Heart surgery has risks, even though its results often are excellent. Risks include bleeding, infection, irregular heartbeats, and stroke. The risk is higher if you are older or a woman. The risk is also higher if you have other diseases or conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, lung disease, or peripheral arterial disease.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Start Here

Cardiac Procedures and Surgeries (American Heart Association)
What Is Heart Surgery? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Latest News

Busiest Docs Get Best Results with Heart Valve Surgery (05/02/2017, HealthDay)

Diagnosis and Tests

Who Needs Heart Surgery? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Living With

Cardiac Rehabilitation: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
How Will I Be Monitored After Heart Surgery? (American Heart Association) - PDF Also in Spanish
What Happens After Heart Surgery? (American Heart Association) - PDF Also in Spanish
What to Expect After Heart Surgery (Society of Thoracic Surgeons) - PDF
What to Expect After Heart Surgery (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
What to Expect After Total Artificial Heart Surgery (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Related Issues

Dressler's Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Heart Tests Before Surgery: When You Need an Imaging Test - and When You Don't (ABIM Foundation)
How Can I Prepare for Heart Surgery? (American Heart Association) - PDF
What Is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon? (Society of Thoracic Surgeons) Also in Spanish
What Is a Ventricular Assist Device? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Specifics

Limited-Access Heart Surgery (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
Maze Surgery (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
Types of Heart Surgery (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Valve Repair or Replacement (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
What Is a Total Artificial Heart? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
What Is Heart Valve Surgery? (American Heart Association) - PDF Also in Spanish
What to Expect during Heart Surgery (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Videos and Tutorials

MedlinePlus: Surgery Videos - Webcasts of surgical procedures Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Cardiac Surgical Procedures (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Heart Surgery (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Reference Desk

Heart and Stroke Encyclopedia (American Heart Association)
Heart Surgery Terms (Society of Thoracic Surgeons)

Find an Expert

Children

What Is a Pediatric Heart Surgeon? (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Aortic valve surgery - open (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Heart valve surgery (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Mitral valve surgery - minimally invasive (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Mitral valve surgery - open (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Open heart surgery (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish