Cardiovascular Surgery

Cardiovascular Surgery Department (KVC)

What Is Cardiovascular Surgery (KVC)? Treatments and Surgeries

Cardiovascular surgery, referred to as Cardiovascular Surgery (KVC), describes any surgical procedure involving the heart or the blood vessels of the heart. Some heart and vascular conditions can be treated with medication. However, Cardiovascular Surgery may be recommended for various reasons, such as treating a heart attack, correcting irregular heartbeats, opening blocked or narrowed arteries, repairing congenital heart problems, or fixing damaged heart valves.

What is cardiovascular surgery, and which diseases does it cover? Detailed information about bypass surgery, valve surgery, aortic diseases, and all treatment methods is provided in this article.

Daviva Health Group Cardiovascular Surgery Department provides services with specialist doctors and a healthcare team in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment process of all heart and vascular diseases.

What Is Cardiovascular Surgery (KVC)?

The heart consists of four separate chambers. There are two upper chambers (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles), one on each side of your heart. Heart valves are like doors between the heart chambers. They open and close to allow blood to flow. They also prevent blood from going the wrong way. Arteries that carry oxygen-rich blood to the body, veins that carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart, and capillaries complete the system. The surgical treatment of all disorders in this system is the focus of cardiovascular surgery.

What Are Heart and Vascular Diseases?

There are many diseases that fall within the scope of cardiovascular surgery. The most common heart and vascular diseases are as follows:

Coronary Heart Disease

This is a condition in which blood flow is interrupted as a result of the coronary vessels supplying the heart becoming blocked or narrowed for various reasons. This blockage in the blood vessels is also defined as atherosclerosis. In addition to smoking and alcohol use, conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes can also cause atherosclerosis, that is, vascular blockage. In people whose lifestyle changes do not help or who have severe blockage, stent, balloon angioplasty, or cardiovascular surgery are among the treatment options.

Arrhythmia

This refers to any problem in heart rate or rhythm. During arrhythmia, electrical impulses may be too fast, too slow, or irregular. This causes an irregular heartbeat. Medications, vagal maneuvers (a medical treatment method used to slow the heartbeat and correct heart rhythm disorders), and therapies called cardioversion may be used in treatment. Surgical methods such as pacemakers, catheter ablation, maze procedure, and coronary bypass surgery may be used in the treatment of arrhythmia.

Heart Valve Disease

This is a condition in which one or more heart valves do not work properly. It may appear as valve stenosis or heart valve insufficiency. Heart valve diseases can place extra strain on the heart and cause it to work harder. Over time, they can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. Other heart conditions such as arrhythmia may also develop. Heart valve diseases may present with symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, weakness, or dizziness. Medication and heart valve surgery are the main treatment options for heart valve disease. Heart valve surgery can be performed in two different ways: repair or replacement.

Heart Failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to support the other organs in your body. Shortness of breath during activity or while lying down, weight gain, and swelling in the ankles or abdomen may be signs of heart failure. In addition to lifestyle-related causes such as a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and alcohol use, conditions such as coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and heart valve disease increase the risk of heart failure. Medications are at the forefront of heart failure treatment. However, if there is an underlying heart condition causing heart failure, heart surgery for that condition is an important part of treatment.

Peripheral Artery Disease

These are problems such as narrowing or blockage in the blood vessels of your arms, legs, or abdominal organs. Peripheral artery disease is usually seen in the hips, legs, and feet, though it can rarely occur in the arms as well. Symptoms of peripheral artery disease include pain in the calf, thigh, or hip, leg discomfort at rest, and ulcers on the feet and toes. In addition to lifestyle changes, blood-thinning and vasodilator medications, treatment options such as angioplasty, atherectomy, endarterectomy, and peripheral artery bypass surgery are also available.

Aortic Disease

The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Disorders and conditions affecting the aorta are called aortic diseases. Aortic diseases include aortic aneurysm and rupture, aortic dissection (a tear in the inner layer of the aortic wall), aortic valve stenosis, and aortic obstruction. Age, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity are conditions that increase the risk of aortic disease. Cardiovascular surgical procedures are at the forefront of treatment for aortic diseases.

Congenital Heart Disease

This is a congenital heart condition that can affect different parts of the heart. Congenital heart diseases can, though rarely, appear not only in childhood but also at later ages.

Congenital heart diseases can vary widely. The most common congenital heart diseases are as follows:

• Atrial septal defect (ASD)
• Kawasaki disease
• Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
• Pulmonary valve stenosis
• Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
• Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome

Surgical and interventional methods are at the forefront in the treatment of congenital heart diseases.

Pericardial Disease

The pericardium helps prevent the heart from filling with too much blood and protects the heart from damage caused by chest infections. Normally, there is enough lubricating fluid between the two layers of the pericardium to allow them to slide easily over each other. There is very little space between the two layers. However, in some conditions, extra fluid accumulates in this space, called the pericardial space, causing it to expand. The most common disorder of the pericardium is inflammation. There are also different types of pericardial disease. Heart surgery and medications are used in the treatment of pericardial disease.

Cerebrovascular Disease

Problems such as narrowing or blockage in the blood vessels that carry blood to the brain. It may occur with conditions such as stroke, brain aneurysm, and brain hemorrhage. Cerebrovascular diseases require urgent intervention such as medication and surgery.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

This is a blockage in the veins that return blood from your body to your heart. Deep vein thrombosis is seen more often in the legs. Sitting still for a long time can increase the likelihood of developing deep vein thrombosis. Some medications and conditions that increase the risk of blood clotting can also lead to deep vein thrombosis. Warmth and tenderness over the vein, pain in the affected part of the body, and skin redness may be signs of deep vein thrombosis. In addition to clot-dissolving medications, compression stockings, and lifestyle changes, interventional radiology treatments are also used.

Varicose Veins

These are swollen veins that appear just under the skin in the legs, feet, or ankles. When vein walls weaken and the valves do not work properly, blood pools in the vein. This causes blue and purple swelling. Swollen veins, a feeling of heaviness in the legs, itching, pain, and skin discoloration are among the symptoms of varicose veins. Methods such as compression stockings, injection treatment (sclerotherapy), laser treatment, and vein surgery are used in the treatment of varicose veins.

What Are the Causes of Heart and Vascular Diseases?

The causes of heart and vascular diseases may vary depending on the type of disease. The risk factors for heart and vascular diseases can be listed as follows;

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia)
• Sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating
• Overweight or obesity
• Smoking
• Type 2 diabetes
• Family history of heart disease
• Gestational diabetes
• Chronic inflammatory or autoimmune diseases.
• Chronic kidney disease

What Are the Symptoms of Heart and Vascular Diseases?

The symptoms of heart and vascular diseases may vary depending on the condition experienced. The most common symptoms of heart and vascular diseases are as follows:

Chest pain: Chest pain may be a sign of a heart attack. This pain may feel like heaviness, tightness, or pressure in the chest. Chest pain or tightness may go away after resting for a few minutes. In any case, it is necessary to consult a cardiovascular specialist without delay.

Indigestion or stomach pain: Pain or a burning sensation in the stomach may be caused by a heart attack or another heart condition. However, it can be difficult to tell the difference between heart pain and indigestion.

Arm, jaw, or back pain: In cardiovascular diseases, pain may also spread to other parts of the body. Pain may be felt in the arm, jaw, neck, or back.

Sweating: Fever and sweating along with chest pain may be a warning sign of a heart attack.

Swollen ankles: Swelling in the ankles can develop for many reasons. However, persistent ankle swelling may be a sign of heart failure.

Leg pain: A severe cramping sensation in the calves while walking is a sign of peripheral artery disease. This pain results from insufficient blood flow to the legs.

In addition to these symptoms, in heart and vascular diseases;

• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Dizziness or fainting
• Fatigue
• Leg wounds that do not heal.
• Numbness in the face or limbs
• Difficulty speaking, seeing, or walking may also be seen.

What Tests Are Performed in Cardiovascular Surgery?

In Cardiovascular Surgery (KVC), many different examinations may be performed. The examinations are done to determine whether the person needs surgery or to determine what type of surgery you need.

The tests that can be performed in cardiovascular surgery are as follows:

Cardiac Catheterization: Also called cardiac catheterization, this procedure can be used to diagnose and treat some heart conditions. A thin, long, and flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel and advanced toward the heart. Ultrasound or contrast dye may also be used during the procedure.

Coronary Angiography: This is a procedure that usually uses iodine-containing contrast dye and X-ray images to detect blockages in the coronary arteries caused by plaque buildup.

Echocardiography (ECHO): A painless test that uses sound waves to create moving images of the heart. The images show the size and shape of the heart and how well the heart pumps blood.

Electrocardiogram (ECG): A simple and painless test. It detects and records the electrical activity of the heart. The ECG helps determine how fast the heart is beating and whether the heart rhythm is regular or irregular.

Stress test (stress echo): Measures how healthy the heart is and how well it works under physical stress. Some heart problems are easier to detect when the heart is working hard to pump blood through the body.

Holter: Small, portable electrocardiogram devices that record the electrical activity of your heart over long periods while you carry out your normal activities. These monitors record how fast the heart beats and the rhythm of the heartbeat.

Coronary CT: A painless, noninvasive imaging test that uses X-rays to take many detailed pictures of the heart and blood vessels. Computers can combine these images to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the entire heart.

What Surgeries Are Performed in Cardiovascular Surgery?

Coronary Bypass: In coronary bypass surgery, also commonly known as bypass surgery or open-heart surgery, a new pathway is created for blood to bypass a blocked or partially blocked vessel in the heart. For this, a healthy blood vessel is taken from the chest or leg area. This healthy vessel is then attached below the blocked heart vessel to create a new pathway.

Minimally Invasive Bypass Surgery: In traditional bypass surgeries, the sternum, which is connected directly to the breastbone and ribs, and commonly known as the breastbone in colloquial use, is cut. However, in suitable patients, bypass surgery can now be performed using minimally invasive methods. In minimally invasive bypass surgery, the operation is performed through an incision made from the breast or armpit without cutting the breastbone.

Aortic Surgeries: There are different aortic surgeries such as aortic aneurysm, aortic valve and aortic root replacement, and valve-sparing aortic root repair. Aortic problems are life-threatening, and the surgeries also carry high risk.

Atrial fibrillation ablation: This is done to correct and prevent an irregular and often very rapid heartbeat. A catheter is inserted through a vein, and the areas causing the rhythm disorder are destroyed using high heat or extreme cold, called cryoablation. In this way, the rhythm disorder is corrected.

Carotid (neck artery) angioplasty and stenting: The carotid artery is commonly known as the neck artery. When one or both carotid arteries are narrowed, blood flow to the brain decreases. Carotid angioplasty and stenting can help reopen these arteries. This is a minimally invasive procedure, not surgery. A catheter placed in the groin is advanced toward the problem area of the vessel. At the tip of the catheter is a small, uninflated balloon. When the catheter reaches the narrowed part of the carotid artery, the balloon is inflated. This opens the narrowed area. This is called angioplasty. A stent may also be placed in the problem area during the procedure.

Heart Valve Surgery: Problems in the heart valves can lead to complaints such as chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, palpitations, and fatigue. Sometimes, even without any complaints, problems in the heart valve may need to be corrected surgically. Heart valve surgeries can be performed in various ways. In some cases, the valves need to be completely replaced, while in others, the heart valves can be repaired. Heart valve surgeries can be performed as open-heart surgery, or minimally invasive heart valve surgery can also be done. In risky situations where surgical methods are not suitable for the patient, heart valve repair can also be performed with the TAVI procedure carried out through the vessel.

Mitral Valve Repair and Mitral Valve Replacement: The mitral valve is one of the four heart valves that control blood flow in the heart. Mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement are types of heart surgery performed to repair or replace a leaky or narrowed mitral valve. It can be performed as open-heart surgery or minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

Pacemaker: A device that treats a slow heart rhythm. A pacemaker is usually smaller than a standard matchbox. It contains an electrical circuit and a battery. The pacemaker is usually placed under the skin just below the collarbone and sends electrical impulses to your heart through one or more electrodes via a vein.

Heart Tumor Treatments: Heart and heart valve tumors are rare. Although they are usually benign, malignant heart tumors also exist. They can be treated with open-heart surgery or minimally invasive heart surgery. The surgical option chosen is determined according to the patient and the condition of the disease.