Just weeks after opening its doors, the St. Luke's Heart Hospital has reached another major milestone: the completion of its first cardiac surgery. The complex open-heart procedure marks another important first for the region's dedicated destination for heart and vascular care.
The procedure was performed in one of the Heart Hospital's new cardiac operating rooms by a multidisciplinary team of cardiac surgeons, anesthesia professionals, nurses, perfusionists, technologists and support staff. The cardiac surgery team replaced the patient's aortic valve and repaired an aneurysm in the ascending aorta, a major artery that carries blood from the heart.
By addressing two serious heart conditions during one operation, the procedure provided the patient with comprehensive treatment from a highly specialized cardiac surgery team. It also demonstrated the level of complex cardiac care now available close to home at the St. Luke's Heart Hospital at the Anderson Campus.
"This was a meaningful milestone for our entire team," said Jose D. Amortegui, MD, Chief of Cardiac Surgery at St. Luke's University Health Network, who performed the procedure. "Completing our first cardiac surgery reflects years of planning, preparation and investment in the future of cardiovascular care. It demonstrates what is possible when highly skilled specialists work together in an environment designed specifically for heart patients. This Heart Hospital was built for moments like this."
The milestone follows a growing series of firsts since the Heart Hospital opened, including its first patients and first procedures in the cardiac catheterization and interventional radiology labs. Each represents another step toward expanding access to advanced heart and vascular care for patients across the region.
"When we envisioned the Heart Hospital, our goal was to bring advanced expertise, innovative technology and comprehensive cardiovascular care together under one roof," Dr. Amortegui added. "Every milestone reinforces the value this hospital brings to our patients, their families and the communities we serve. And this is just the beginning."
St. Luke's Heart Hospital brings leading physicians, advanced technology and dedicated clinical teams together in one location to provide exceptional heart and vascular care close to home.
For more information about St. Luke's Heart & Vascular, visit sluhn.org/heart.
