Other Surgical Services at Wheaton Franciscan - Wisconsin Heart Hospital Campus

Cardiac Surgeries

Beating/off-pump heart surgery
In many cases, coronary artery bypass grafting can be performed without the use of a heart-lung machine. In this "beating heart" (also called off-pump) surgery, a small vertical incision is made in the chest, and a mechanical stabilizing device is used to restrict movement of the heart so that the surgeon can perform surgery while the heart is beating.

Patients may be given a drug to slow the heart rate, but the heart maintains its own rhythm without the assistance of the heart-lung machine. The potential benefits of off-pump surgery include a shorter hospital stay and recovery time, less bleeding, less potential for infection, and less trauma.

Valve repair/replacement
Heart valve repair or replacement surgery is a treatment option for valvular heart disease. When heart valves become damaged or diseased, they may not function properly. Conditions which may cause heart valve dysfunction are valvular stenosis and valvular insufficiency.

Traditionally, repair or replacement of heart valves has involved open-heart surgery, which means that the chest is opened in the operating room and the heart stopped for a time so that the surgeon may repair or replace the valve(s). In order to open the chest, the breastbone, or sternum, is cut in half and spread apart.

Newer, less invasive techniques have been developed to replace or repair heart valves. Minimally-invasive procedures in which the incision is much smaller often mean less pain after surgery and shorter hospital stays. Valvuloplasty is another method that may be used to treat valve stenosis in some cases.

Vascular Procedures

AAA stent grafting
Abdominal Aorta Aneurysm stent grafting is performed to fix a bulge in the larger artery that supplies blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs. Your surgeon will then replace the part of the aorta that has the aneurysm with a long tube graft. This tube graft is made from man-made (synthetic) cloth and is sewn in with sutures. In some cases, the ends of the tube graft will be tunneled through each groin and attached to the leg vessels.

Peripheral vascular surgery
Peripheral vascular bypass surgery is performed to restore blood flow in the veins and arteries of people who have peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a form of peripheral vascular disease (PVD). A peripheral vascular bypass, also called a lower extremity bypass, is the surgical rerouting of blood flow around an obstructed artery that supplies blood to the legs and feet.

Carotid surgery
Carotid surgery is performed to restore blood flow to the brain due to blockages in or a narrowing of the carotid artery. The procedure may be an endarterectomy – in which the surgeon will open up and remove the plaque from the impacted artery. Or, an angioplasty with stent insertion may be used to open up the narrowed passageway.

Thoracic aneurysm repair
When an abnormal widening of the aorta occurs in the chest, surgery or stenting may be options – depending on where the aorta is located.

For patients with aneurysms of the ascending aorta or aortic arch, surgery to replace the aorta is recommended if an aneurysm is larger than 5 - 6 centimeters. The aorta is replaced with a plastic or fabric graft. This is major surgery that requires a heart-lung machine.

For patients with aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta, major surgery is done to replace the aorta with a fabric graft if the aneurysm is larger than 6 centimeters. Endovascular stenting is a less invasive option. A stent is a tiny metal or plastic tube that is used to hold an artery open. Stents can be placed into the body without cutting the chest. Not all patients with descending thoracic aneurysms are candidates for stenting, however.

Endovascular laser surgery
Used to address varicose veins.