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Department of Surgery Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery The first open heart operation in West Virginia was performed at WVU in 1962 by Dr. Herbert Warden, and was one of the first performed east of the Mississippi. The Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Division continues to make advances in the treatment of patients with cardiothoracic diseases, performing more than 750 open-heart procedures and 300 thoracic surgical procedures annually. The Adult Cardiac Surgery Program performs more than 600 open-heart surgeries a year. Our surgeons are leaders in minimally invasive techniques, and have pioneered the use of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting procedures that can often eliminate the need for cardiopulmonary bypass. A multidisciplinary approach with the WVU Division of Cardiology, a regional leader in heart care, contributes to the successes of the program and the improved outcomes of our patients. WVU also is the only institution in the region that performs minimally invasive mitral valve repair. Surgeons also perform the modified Maze procedure, and are evaluating the minimally invasive Maze procedure as a sole therapy for atrial fibrillation. The department performs 25 to 30 surgeries of the ascending, descending, and thoraco-abdominal aorta per year, performing the replacement of ascending aortic aneurysms while sparing the normal aortic valve when appropriate. Our surgeons, residents, and support staff communicate regularly with each patient’s cardiologist and primary care physician, and help patients achieve the best possible outcome and smoothest transition back into the community. Our pediatric cardiac surgery program, under the direction of Robert A. Gustafson, performs more than 350 procedures a year and is the only program offering cardiac surgery for children in the state. Patients come from all 55 counties in the state and surrounding counties in Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. A multi-disciplinary team of pediatric cardiologists, intensivists, cardiac anesthesiologists, residents, fellows, nurses, perfusionists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants work in a coordinated fashion to care for children with complex congenital birth defects of the heart, lung, trachea, diaphragm, and esophagus. The pediatric cardiothoracic service also performs many general thoracic procedures on children, including repair of complex chest wall deformities, esophageal fistula, reflux esophagitis and congenital tracheal stenosis. Early repair of complex defects like Tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of great vessels, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, truncus arteriosus, total anomalous pulmonary venous connection are routinely performed with low operative mortality and morbidity. The program enjoys continued support from referring physicians and pediatric cardiologists in the region. With the addition of Larry Rhodes, MD, the new division chief of pediatric cardiology, we are developing a comprehensive adult congenital heart surgery program to serve a regional area of about two million people. A multi-disciplinary approach to adults with a new diagnosis of congenital heart disease or adults who have previously had congenital heart surgery will provide an improved quality of life for this group of patients. The cardiothoracic surgical residency is a fully accredited two-year fellowship offering a superior educational experience in cardiac and thoracic surgery. Residents participate in the comprehensive care of the surgical patient at both West Virginia Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery |
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