Cardiovascular Surgery

We explain what cardiovascular surgery is, the main diseases it treats, and the procedures commonly used. Discover the different types of cardiovascular surgery performed and how to prepare for your consultation. Schedule an appointment at one of our hospitals.

Cirugía Cardiovascular

What is cardiovascular surgery?

Cardiovascular surgery focuses on the surgical treatment of conditions affecting the circulatory system, including diseases of the heart, veins, arteries, and lymphatic vessels throughout the body.

Specialists in this field work closely with cardiologists. The main difference between cardiovascular surgeons and vascular surgeons is that the latter do not treat diseases affecting the heart or the arteries and veins in the brain.

What does cardiovascular surgery study?

The field of cardiovascular surgery is extensive, addressing a wide range of complex conditions. For this reason, Quirónsalud specialists are divided into different units to provide the best possible treatment for patients. These units include:

Arrhythmia Unit: Treats heart rhythm disorders using pacemakers, defibrillators, cardiac resynchronization devices, Holter monitors, or ablation procedures.
Heart Failure Unit: Focuses on patients whose hearts do not pump effectively. Treatment involves medication and lifestyle modifications.
Pulmonary Hypertension Unit: Manages patients with high blood pressure in the right side of the heart and the lungs. Treatment includes medication or surgery.
Ergometry Unit: Conducts tests to evaluate the heart’s response to physical exertion.
Hemodynamics Unit: Specializes in cardiac catheterizations to diagnose and often simultaneously treat diseases. These procedures do not require general anesthesia.

Who are the patients for cardiovascular surgery?

Cardiovascular surgery treats patients with conditions affecting the heart, pericardium, and major thoracic vessels who do not respond to medical treatment and therefore require surgical intervention to recover.

Techniques, procedures, and diagnostic methods

Cardiovascular surgeons perform highly precise procedures requiring expertise in advanced technology. The most commonly used treatments in this specialty include:

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG): Also known as coronary bypass surgery, this procedure redirects blood flow to bypass a blocked area. This is achieved by connecting two healthy sections of an artery or vein, thereby eliminating the obstruction.
Defibrillator implantation: Involves placing an electrode in the heart and a generator in the chest to deliver controlled shocks to treat ventricular arrhythmias.
Subcutaneous Holter monitor implantation: A diagnostic procedure that provides continuous heart activity monitoring.
Pacemaker implantation: Electrodes are placed in the heart and a generator is implanted under the chest skin to maintain an appropriate heart rate and treat bradyarrhythmias.
Cardiac catheterization: A thin tube with a camera at its tip is inserted through a vein or artery to detect narrowings or blockages, which in some cases can be treated during the same procedure.

Diseases and symptoms

Major conditions and diseases

Some of the most frequently treated conditions in cardiovascular surgery include:

Related symptoms

Some of the symptoms leading patients to seek consultation include:

Tachycardia
Vomiting
Chest pain
Nausea
Dizziness
Fatigue
Seizures
Sweating
Shortness of breath
Neck stiffness

About the cardiovascular surgery consultation

We solve any doubts you may have before you see the specialist

Patients are usually referred to a cardiovascular surgery consultation by a cardiologist who has diagnosed a condition requiring surgical intervention. As a result, the diagnostic process is typically brief.

What should you consider?

During the first appointment, the surgeon will take the patient’s medical history and review the cardiologist’s report. A physical examination is then conducted, and additional tests may be requested. During the consultation, the surgeon explains the available treatment options and recommends the most appropriate one for each specific case.

What should I bring to the consultation?

It is advisable to bring all medical reports related to the condition requiring treatment, along with a list of current medications and any relevant cardiac or vascular history.

Consulta

If you have any further questions, please contact us through the Patient Services telephone number: 900 301 013

Do you want an appointment in Cardiovascular Surgery?

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Aceleración diagnóstico

Faster diagnosis

At Quirónsalud, we have recently activated protocols that allow us to reduce the number of unnecessary appointments. We achieve this by bringing forward diagnostic tests and taking into account the symptoms and other variables, so that when the patient visits the specialist, the results are already there and available.

With these protocols, the main objective of enhancing the efficiency of healthcare quality is achieved by saving patients unnecessary visits, expediting diagnosis, and consequently, treatment.