Heart Surgery News and Research

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Heart surgery is done to correct problems with the heart. More than half a million heart surgeries are done each year in the United States for a variety of heart problems. Heart surgery is used to correct heart problems in children and adults. This article discusses heart surgeries for adults. For more information about heart surgeries for children, see the Diseases and Conditions Index articles on congenital heart defects, holes in the heart, and tetralogy of Fallot.

The most common type of heart surgery for adults is coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). During CABG, surgeons use healthy arteries or veins taken from another part of the body to bypass (that is, go around) blocked arteries. CABG relieves chest pain and reduces the risk of heart attack.

Investigational heart valve implanted in patient through small puncture hole in leg

Physicians at the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center in Houston implanted a new investigational heart valve in a patient through a small puncture hole in the leg.

21 Feb 2011

Artificial blood vessel could be available ‘off the shelf’ soon

Soon artificial blood vessels could be available ‘off the shelf’. This would mean that heart bypass patients would not have to be subjected to a minor operation to graft veins from other parts of their body. This would also make life easier for surgeons as well.

20 Feb 2011

Positive results from Medtronic CoreValve System study for treatment of aortic valve disease

Medtronic, Inc. today issued a statement on results from an independent study published online in the journal Circulation, which confirmed both early and sustained clinical benefits for patients receiving the Medtronic CoreValve® System for the treatment of aortic valve disease.

19 Feb 2011

Texas Children's scientist receives CAREER Award for congenital heart research

Texas Children's Hospital in Houston announces that a researcher in its Pediatric Cardiac Bioengineering Laboratory has earned a National Science Foundation Early Career Development Award for his work in studying the causes of congenital heart disease, heart defects, and the development of tissue engineering therapies using stem cells derived from human amniotic fluid.

19 Feb 2011

Researchers identify cell of origin for sarcoma

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children's Hospital have defined the cell of origin for a kind of cancer called sarcoma. In a study published today as the Featured Article in the journal Cancer Cell, they report that childhood and adult sarcomas are linked in their biology, mutations and the cells from which these tumors first start.

16 Feb 2011

Healthcare practitioners can increase referrals to cardiac rehabilitation programs by 40%

Healthcare practitioners can increase the number of patients with heart disease referred to a cardiac rehabilitation program by 40 per cent, helping them to reduce their risk of dying and improve their quality of life, say researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre.

15 Feb 2011

Studies reveal markers for measuring ability of children with ADHD to control impulsive movements

Two research studies published today in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found markers for measuring the ability of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to control impulsive movements, which may reveal insights into the neurobiology of ADHD, inform prognosis and guide treatments.

15 Feb 2011

Kyocera and JMM open new Orthopedic Design Center in the U.S.

Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corp., Orthopedic Division, today unveiled its new Orthopedic Design Center in Somerset, N.J., formed in collaboration with Japan Medical Materials Corporation (JMM) - a Kyocera Group company.

14 Feb 2011

Georgia Tech, Emory University startup receives $5.1M investment to develop novel cardiac surgery system

A Georgia Tech and Emory University medical device startup that has developed a system to simplify and standardize the technique for opening and closing the beating heart during cardiac surgery has received a $5.1 million investment.

10 Feb 2011

Survey finds most hospitals, birthing centers do not routinely screen for congenital heart defects

Only about two out of every 100 babies (1.8 percent) were screened at birth for congenital heart defects (CHDs) because the hospital or birthing center where the baby was born routinely screens all newborns for CHDs -- the number-one birth defect and leading killer of infants and newborns. This is according to a survey just released by Little Hearts, Inc., a national organization that provides support, education, resources, networking and hope to families affected by congenital heart defects.

8 Feb 2011

Pediatric physicians present 12 research abstracts, posters at Cardiology 2011

Pediatric cardiology researchers and clinicians gather this week in Scottsdale, Ariz. for Cardiology 2011, the 15th Annual Update on Pediatric and Congenital Cardiovascular Disease, sponsored by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Original research from more than 30 cardiac programs in the U.S. and abroad is being presented throughout the meeting.

7 Feb 2011

Blood vessels for heart bypass could be available ‘off-the-shelf’ soon: Study

Scientists from USA have developed a method to produce a ready made supply of blood vessels for use in heart bypass surgery. A study on baboons and dogs reported in journal Science Translational Medicine suggests vessels could be stored for up to a year and used by any patient. These vessels have been grown earlier from a patient’s own cells, but this takes several months.

6 Feb 2011

BCBSIL, IHA partner to reduce Illinois hospital readmissions through PREP initiative

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and the Illinois Hospital Association are joining forces to reduce Illinois hospital readmissions through a new quality initiative—Preventing Readmissions through Effective Partnerships.

5 Feb 2011

Cardiac team implants pulmonary valve in children without open-heart surgery

The pediatric cardiac team at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children's Hospital is the first in the region and one of a handful in the nation to implant a pulmonary heart valve without open-heart surgery.

4 Feb 2011

New replacement valve can help patients to avoid multiple open-heart surgeries

Congenital heart defects are the most common type of major birth defects in the U.S., affecting about 34,000 babies each year. Twenty percent of these patients are born with a malformation of the pulmonary valve, which is a flap-like opening on the right side of the heart that is responsible for regulating the blood flow to the lungs. Now, a new replacement valve being used at Rush University Medical Center can help patients with damaged heart valves delay or avoid multiple open-heart surgeries.

3 Feb 2011

Mount Sinai's Cardiac Catheterization Lab wins New York State's highest 'two-star' safety rating

Mount Sinai's Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory has been awarded New York State's highest "two-star" safety rating in every category of case the state tracks for percutaneous coronary intervention, according to new data released this month that examine patient discharges from 2006 - 2008.

27 Jan 2011

American Red Cross urges all eligible donors to donate blood

Severe winter weather throughout much of the eastern half of the United States in recent weeks has already caused the cancellation of more than 14,000 blood and platelet donations through the American Red Cross. With more winter weather and a possible coastal storm predicted, the Red Cross is urging all eligible blood donors to help boost its blood supply back up to sufficient levels.

25 Jan 2011

Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center chosen for critical percutaneous heart valve study

The Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center was chosen today as a site for a critical percutaneous heart valve study. As part of the research study, Methodist physicians will replace diseased cardiac valves through a single, tiny puncture hole in the research subject's groin.

24 Jan 2011

Medtronic recieves conditional approval from FDA to modify CoreValve U.S. Pivotal Clinical Trial

Medtronic, today announced it has received conditional approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to modify its CoreValve U.S. Pivotal Clinical Trial.

19 Jan 2011

Cincinnati Children's provides tips on how to stop the spread of flu germs

Doctors at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center want to make sure children are protected from influenza this flu season. The flu is an infection of the nose, throat and lungs caused by a variety of strains of influenza viruses.

18 Jan 2011