Heart & Vascular Institute

Heart Surgical Procedures

Open Heart Surgery

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Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery

Today, Sarasota Memorial is a leader in robotic-assisted cardiac procedures. With a dedicated robotic cardiovascular surgery suite, our cardiac surgeons are employing minimally invasive robotic surgical techniques in a range of cardiac and thoracic procedures, including: mitral valve repair, coronary artery bypass, repair of atrial septal defects, tricuspid valve repairs, thymectomy, lobectomy and VATS lung resection. Patients can return home from robotic-assisted cardiac surgery in just a few days and quickly resume normal activities. Learn More >>

Vascular Surgical Procedures

Peripheral Vascular Bypass

Used to address blockages in the peripheral vascular system, the bypass surgical technique reroutes blood flow around an obstruction utilizing the patient’s own veins or an artificial graft as an alternative. An example of this would be a femoral-popliteal bypass. The femoral arteries carry blood supply from the aorta to the lower extremities. Beginning in the groin area, the femoral arteries traverse the thighs and pass behind the knees where they are known as the popliteal arteries.

The femoral and popliteal arteries are common sites of plaque accumulation. This obstruction will often result in claudication or a cramping discomfort in the legs experienced during activity. This is due to a decreased amount of oxygen-enriched blood reaching the leg muscles. When medical management does not result in successful improvement of this condition, then a femoral-popliteal bypass may be a treatment approach. In this technique, a bypass is created by utilizing the patient’s own veins to reroute the circulatory flow around blockages in the femoral artery directly to the popliteal artery located behind the knee. If necessary, a plastic tube may be used instead to create a route for alternative blood flow.

This procedure is a major surgery and will require a three-to-five day hospital stay and approximately four to six weeks as a recovery period. A lifestyle management plan to minimize the reoccurrence and further development of peripheral vascular disease will be of primary importance.

Carotid endarterectomy is the most common surgical procedure performed for the prevention of stroke. The carotid arteries located on either side of the neck are the principal supplier of blood flow to the brain. Plaque accumulation in the carotid arteries can significantly increase the risk for stroke occurrence.

Carotid endarterectomy is the general surgical procedure performed to remove the plaque obstructing blood circulation in the carotid arteries. The surgeon will perform an open incision in the neck area at the site of the plaque. A shunt may be used temporarily to reestablish blood flow through the vessel. The plaque is then removed from the site of the blockage.

Not all carotid artery blockages are candidates for carotid endarterectomy. Each patient’s presentation is considered on an individualized basis including the estimated percentage of the existing blockage, the symptoms experienced by the patient, and the health status of the patient. Carotid endarterectomy is considered a major surgical procedure. Patients are observed closely in the immediate postoperative period.

A surgical treatment approach for abdominal aortic aneurysm will be decided based on the size of the aneurysm and the patient’s overall health condition. Generally, an abdominal aneurysm greater than 5 cm in diameter is recommended for surgical intervention. A long incision allows access and resection of the aneurysm. A synthetic graft is then placed at the site of the removal.

Open surgical removal of AAA is a major surgery and can result in significant complications related to the organ systems. Uncomplicated postoperative recovery generally involves a hospital stay of from five-to-seven days and six-to-eight week recuperative period.