Heart and Vascular Care – Cardiothoracic Surgery – What We Offer

Conditions We Treat

The Cardiac Surgeons in the ECU Division of Cardiac Surgery specialize in the diagnosis and management of multiple cardiac conditions of the heart and the aorta that affect the aorta, heart arteries, heart valves, heart function, heart rhythms and complex pacemaker and implantable cardioverter defibrillator generator and lead upgrades of the heart. This includes atherosclerosis of the major heart arteries. Some examples include coronary artery blockage leading to poor circulation of blood to the heart muscle, (Coronary artery Disease), repair of an Aortic Aneurysm, (dangerous abnormal dilation of the major artery that leaves from the heart to supply blood to the upper and lower body arteries), Valve repair and or replacement of both leaking (insufficient) and calcified (stenotic) valves, placement of ventricular assistive devices for a failing heart muscle, ablation procedures for irregular heart rhythms (Atrial fibrillation) and complex upgrades to pacemaker and ICD (internal cardioverter defibrillator) devices to assist with advanced health failure.

ECU Cardiac surgery provides comprehensive management of ischemic, structural, and electrical heart disease. We provide comprehensive services including the latest minimally invasive and robotic approaches as well as traditional open surgical operations. When a procedure is required, patients can be certain that our facilities at the East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU and ECU Health Medical Center include the latest cutting-edge technology and a comfortable environment conducive to your treatment and recovery.

The diseases that we commonly treat are summarized below.

  • Aneurysms of the Aorta
    • Ascending Aortic Aneurysm with and without aortic valve replacement or resuspension of the Aortic Valve
  • Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
    • Robotically assisted Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
    • Traditional Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
  • Valvular Heart Surgery
    • Robotically assisted Mitral valve repair and or replacement
    • Mitral Valve Clip Deployment
    • Aortic Valve Replacement
    • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Deployment
    • Tricuspid Valve Repair and or replacement
  • Heart Rhythm Surgery
    • Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Surgery
  • Implantation of Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)
  • Complex Pacemaker and ICD Lead Extraction and Placement

We have a proud tradition as a leading referral center for high-risk adult cardiac surgery patients. Our team of surgeons have extensive experience and skill. They have access to the most advanced technologies and preform procedures to completely evaluate, operate and care for the most complex diseases of the heart and aorta.

We hold a distinguished 3 star ranking from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for Patient care in coronary artery bypass procedures. This is the highest category of quality and outcomes that is awarded. This places ECU Cardiac Surgery in the 90th percentile among elite cardiac surgery centers in the US and Canada.