Heart and vascular surgery
If your heart or blood vessels have been damaged — by conditions such as heart failure or congenital heart abnormalities — cardiovascular surgeons work to repair them. They may use traditional surgery or minimally invasive approaches, which can enable a faster recovery for you.
Cardiovascular surgeons in Manchester, New Hampshire
If you need surgery, we strive to build confidence for both you and your family.
At the New England Heart & Vascular Institute associated with Catholic Medical Center, we are a leader in cardiac surgery. Our board-certified surgeons have performed more than 25,000 traditional heart procedures.
Types of cardiovascular conditions we treat
As a nationally recognized destination for heart and vascular surgery, we are proud to deliver personalized treatment plans for various conditions.
Advanced heart failure
Heart failure is when the heart isn't pumping blood as well as it should, which can lead to oxygen deficiency. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), of the more than six million Americans living with heart failure, about 10% have developed advanced heart failure.
Symptoms of advanced heart failure
If you experience advanced heart failure, your symptoms may include:
- Confusion
- Excess fluid in body tissues
- Fatigue
- Increased heart rate
- Lack of appetite and nausea
- Persistent coughing or wheezing
- Shortness of breath
Treatment for advanced heart failure
In its early stages, medication and a healthy lifestyle can help manage heart failure. However, as it progresses and the heart becomes weaker, treatment can become more complex. At this time, you should have conversations with your family and medical providers about treatment.
One treatment option we offer is a ventricular assist device (VAD), which is an implantable mechanical pump that helps pump blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Our heart surgeons can place a VAD in either heart chamber, but it's frequently implanted in the left ventricle.
Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
With AFib, the upper chambers of the heart beat out of sync. It happens when the electrical impulses that control contraction are faulty. This fast, irregular heart rhythm can reduce your heart’s ability to effectively pump blood, which may lead to the formation of blood clots. These clots can travel to other places in the body, causing a stroke or other issues.
Treatment for AFib
In some situations, AFib can be solely treated with medication. However, more severe instances might require minimally invasive treatment.
If traditional heart surgery is required, we can perform the Maze procedure. For this, we will use special instruments on the outside and inside of your heart to disrupt abnormal electrical pathways and help your heart beat in a standard rhythm.
Coronary artery disease (CAD)
CAD can be caused by plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. It can be chronic, with a gradual narrowing of the arteries over time. Alternatively, CAD can also be acute, resulting from a sudden rupture of plaque and the formation of a blood clot.
CAD risk factors
Some of the traditional risk factors for CAD include:
- Diabetes
- Family history
- High blood pressure
- High low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
- Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
- Men over 45 years old
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Women who are postmenopausal
If you develop CAD, a healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition, weight management and physical activity may help you manage it.
Symptoms of CAD
The typical warning signs of CAD are:
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Heart palpitations
- Shortness of breath
If you notice any of these symptoms, please immediately call 911.
Treatment for CAD
To treat CAD, we may use cardiac catheterization or a coronary intravascular ultrasound and flow measurement procedure. For most, CAD can be helped by one or a combination of treatments, such as:
- Heart surgery, including a beating heart, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or off-pump coronary artery bypass procedure
- Medication
- Minimally invasive procedures, including a coronary stent or shockwave intravascular lithotripsy (IVL)
In 1996, we were the site of the first beating heart surgery in Northern New England. Today, we are one of the region's busiest centers for this type of surgery. Our heart and vascular surgeons perform over 90% of procedures on a beating heart without a heart-lung machine, which can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Heart valve disease
Heart valve disease refers to various conditions, such as valve stenosis or valve insufficiency, that can prevent one or more of the heart valves from functioning properly. It usually occurs in the mitral or aortic valves, which are both located on the left side of the heart. If heart valve disease is left untreated, it can become life-threatening.
Treatment for heart valve disease
At our facility, we lead the way in innovative treatments for heart valve disease. Our dedicated structural heart team consists of cardiac surgeons and cardiologists who work together to determine the optimal approach to evaluating and treating valvular disease. This approach enables us to deliver the best possible treatment, which may include:
- Minimally invasive treatments, such as a percutaneous mitral valve replacement, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or implantable device procedure
- Surgical treatment
- Testing and imaging studies
Medication or lifestyle modifications may also help. However, you might need to have the damaged valve repaired or replaced to restore function.
To learn more about our heart and vascular surgery services, please call (603) 663-6340.
Our heart surgery program
Through our top-rated program, we can help you by performing bypass surgery for a serious blockage.