Cardiothoracic surgery

Iowa Heart Center’s cardiothoracic surgeons are leaders, nationally, in providing advanced surgical techniques for Iowa patients and their families. The center’s surgeons performed Iowa’s first heart transplant in 1980 and hold two patents on innovative devices developed here. The Center’s surgeons are also available for phone consultation.

Coronary artery bypass grafting

Iowa Heart surgeons perform 1,200 heart operations annually – more than two thirds are coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG). This is more than any other group in Iowa, and gives patients the highest level of both experience and expertise. Minimally invasive techniques are used whenever appropriate, including off-pump bypass procedures on a beating heart, and endosaphenous vein harvesting.

Valve replacement

The surgery program offers a variety of valve replacement options, including porcine and homograft tissue valves. In addition, surgeons are trained to perform the Ross procedure, which replaces the aortic valve with the patient’s own pulmonary valve, and replaces the pulmonary valve with a homograft valve. This allows younger patients to be treated successfully without using mechanical valves, and prevents a lifelong need for Coumadin therapy.

Pediatric surgery

Iowa Heart Center is also a leader in the treatment of pediatric heart disease. Surgeons use the latest technology to accurately diagnose and repair the diverse range of congenital heart abnormalities occurring in children.

Aneurysm

Surgeons can repair both thoracic and ascending aortic aneurysms, including aortic root replacement and elephant trunk procedures.

Thoracic surgery

A full range of pulmonary surgery is available, from minimally invasive biopsy to radical lung resections.