What is the survival rate for heart surgery?
Modern cardiac surgery has excellent survival rates. Isolated CABG has a 97-99% survival rate (1-3% mortality). Isolated aortic valve replacement has a 97-98% survival rate. Mitral valve repair has a 99%+ survival rate at experienced centers. Combined CABG-valve surgery has a 94-97% survival rate. Emergency heart surgery carries higher risk, with mortality rates of 5-15% depending on the procedure and patient factors.
Numbers like these are averages — your risk is personal. An independent heart surgery second opinion from specialist physicians puts your specific case in context within 24 hours.
The complete answer.
Survival rates depend heavily on patient-specific factors including age, comorbidities (diabetes, kidney disease, lung disease), urgency (elective vs emergency), and surgeon/hospital volume. The STS National Database — covering 95%+ of US cardiac surgery programs — provides risk-adjusted outcomes data. High-volume hospitals (those performing 200+ cardiac surgeries per year) consistently demonstrate better outcomes. Surgeon experience matters significantly: studies show that surgeon-specific mortality rates can vary 3-5 fold even within the same hospital.
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