Do I need heart surgery?
Whether you need heart surgery depends on your specific diagnosis, severity of disease, symptoms, and response to medical therapy. Common indications include: severe aortic stenosis with symptoms, severe mitral regurgitation with declining heart function, three-vessel or left main coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysm above 5.5 cm, and acute aortic dissection. A second opinion is recommended for any elective cardiac surgery to confirm both the indication and the optimal approach.
The complete answer.
In the largest published study of expert second opinions — 6,791 cases in The American Journal of Medicine (Meyer et al., 2015) — 37% resulted in a change in treatment recommendation — either a different procedure, a different timing, or a recommendation against surgery altogether. The decision to proceed with surgery should be based on established guidelines (ACC/AHA, ESC), quantified risk assessment (STS score), and patient-specific factors. A Heart Team review provides the most comprehensive evaluation of surgical necessity. WhiteGloveMD offers this evaluation with a 24-hour turnaround.
Have more questions? Our Heart Team has answers.
Get a personalized, expert second opinion for your specific situation. 24-hour turnaround.
Apply this evidence to your actual case.
Get an independent review from a cardiac surgeon and cardiologist in 24 hours after records are received. No referral needed — pricing is shared on your complimentary discovery call.
Or read how we review cases like this one.