Cardiac Surgery
The Cardiac Surgery Department at Wheeling Hospital was established in 1994 and performs approximately 375 open heart surgeries annually. The multidisciplined team of specially trained health care professionals and cardiovascular surgeons is committed to providing personalized medical care through a balance of technology, education and spiritual support. Two cardiovascular operating suites offer the surgeons the highest degree of technology to perform coronary bypass surgery, and valve replacements, MAZE ablation therapy and TRM (transmyocardial laser revascularization), a procedure that creates channels through the wall of the ventricle to allow oxygen-rich blood to flow to an ischemic area of the myocardium.
The cardiovascular surgery team at Wheeling Hospital performs traditional and minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting. It enables cardiac surgery to be performed without having to put the patient on a heart-lung machine. The advantages can include a quicker recovery, less chance of bleeding complications and a shorter hospital stay. In addition, the team offers endovascular stenting for high-risk patients with aneurysms.
The cardiovascular intensive care unit currently has eight beds and the cardiovascular step-down has 12 beds. The average length of stay following heart surgery is three days.
Service area includes Southeastern Ohio to Zanesville/Cambridge/ Marietta/ Steubenville, and the West Virginia Northern Panhandle south to Tyler County. Patient volume is split between Ohio and West Virginia, however, the unit has performed surgery on patients from Pennsylvania, Illinois, Tennessee and Alabama, as well as from the Philippines.
Advancements
Advanced therapies in the unit include intra-aortic balloon pump therapy, and ventricular help for the failing heart with the ABIOMED ventricular assist device. In addition, dialysis in the CVICU are offered for patients with renal failure.
Careers
Those interested in cardiac surgery nursing or surgical technologies as a career may contact the Nursing Education Department by calling Kathy Stahl at 304-243-3946.
Information
For more information on the cardiac surgery program at Wheeling Hospital, please call 304-243-2985.