Heart surgery learning center
Patient-facing guides to bypass surgery, heart valves, aortic disease, risk, recovery, and when an independent review may help.
General education—not diagnosis, treatment advice, or a replacement for your treating team.
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LATEST ARTICLEA coronary calcium score is one of the most powerful tools we have to detect silent heart disease before it becomes an emergency. Here is what the number means, who should get scanned, and how to act on your results.
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Not all cardiac surgery programs are created equal. A cardiac surgeon explains what heart surgery hospital rankings actually mean, how to read STS star ratings, and the questions that separate the best cardiac surgery centers from the rest.
EuroSCORE II is one of the most widely used tools for estimating the risk of dying from heart surgery. Here is what the numbers mean, how they are calculated, and how to interpret your score without panic or false reassurance.
Deciding between a catheter-based (TAVR) and surgical (SAVR) aortic valve replacement is one of the most consequential choices a heart patient can face. An aortic surgeon explains how the decision is actually made, and what your care team may not be telling you.
An echocardiogram is often the first test that reveals a heart problem serious enough to require surgery. Here is how to read your report, understand the difference between TTE and TEE, and know which numbers actually drive treatment decisions.
Most people with atrial fibrillation are managed with medications long before any procedure is considered. Here is a clear, honest look at how AFib medications work, what to expect, and when medical management may not be enough.
A cardiac surgeon walks you through what genuinely happens after valve replacement or repair — from the ICU to the day you feel like yourself again. Practical, honest, and free of false promises.
Before any major surgery, your heart needs to be evaluated. A cardiac surgeon explains what a preoperative cardiac assessment involves, why it matters, and how to prepare so you and your team can make safe, informed decisions.
Cardiac rehab is one of the most powerful tools for recovery after heart surgery, yet many patients never enroll. A cardiovascular surgeon explains what to expect, why it matters, and how supervised exercise can lower your risk of future events.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a lifelong condition, but with the right management strategy most patients live full, active lives. A structural and interventional cardiologist explains what ongoing HCM care really looks like.
Cardiac MRI has become one of the most powerful tools for diagnosing cardiomyopathy and structural heart disease. Here is what CMR imaging shows, why it matters for your treatment decisions, and how to know if you need one.
An aortic surgeon walks patients through what aortic root replacement actually involves, how the classic Bentall procedure compares to valve-sparing surgery, and how to think clearly about the choice ahead.
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