The Heart

Heart Surgery

Approximately half of my surgical practice involves heart surgery. The other half is lung surgery. Remember, "cardiothoracic surgery" refers to "cardiac" (heart) and "thoracic" (chest) surgery.

Cardiothoracic surgery is obviously considered a "specialty." However, within the field of cardiothoracic surgery, many surgeons specialize further.

For example, the following are common sub-specialties within the field of cardiothoracic surgery:

1. Pediatric Cardiac Surgery (also known as "Congenital Heart Surgery")

2. Heart and Lung Transplant Surgery

3. Adult Cardiac Surgery

4. Thoracic Oncology (Lung Cancer, Tumors of the Chest)

In fact, it is rare these days for cardiothoracic surgeons to combine more than one of these sub-specialties into their practice.

I perform both Adult Cardiac Surgery & Thoracic Oncology.

Many cardiothoracic surgeons will do "a few" lung cases per year. Very few combine a high volume heart practice (over 150 cases per year) with a high volume lung practice (in my case, over 200 cases per year!).

Many surgeons at universities will combine Adult Cardiac Surgery with Heart and Lung Transplant Surgery. I know of a few who perform both Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. My colleague and friend, Christian Gilbert at the Geisinger Clinic in Danville, Pennsylvania is such a surgeon.

Common Heart Operations Performed in My Practice
(click on each to learn more!)

Links to Information About the Heart

Heart Facts

Online Exploration of the Heart

Heart and Lung Factoids:

Click to View List Entries.

Last Modified Monday, June 18, 2007