Introduction

 

The primary mission of this Department is to deliver high quality cardio vascular care.  The department was started way back in 1993, when this super-specialty hospital came into existence, under the banner of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. Our mission has been to provide the most advanced technology to the poor and needy, extending as a life line to every patient through innovative ways of management including the surgical procedures with positive results.  This is flanged by a continued dedicated follow-up in a patients friendly approach.

 The last few decades have seen medical science, including cardiac science advance like never before in the history of mankind. On the other hand, modern life has brought about an increase in the life style diseases. At present, patients would be presenting with multi-system involvement and co-morbid conditions like chronic obstructive airway diseases, Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and many more which may make this group of patients unfit to undertake major surgeries. Here we use the concept of minimally invasive procedures or hybrid procedures to decrease the mortality, this involves a combination of medical /surgical skills and technology.

 The staff in the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery have a patient centric approach to clinical practice and aim to bring advance form of medical health care to our patients, through high quality facilities ensuring the best outcome to patient care. We value all our staff and team work is what determines our future. There is an open communication between the patients and relatives and this results in effective and timely action which benefits our patient.

The Department of  Cardiovascular  and  Thoracic  Surgery (CVTS)  has an independent bed strength of      beds which are dedicated to preoperative  ward,  a well  equipped  postoperative intensive care unit and intermediate care facility. It runs  an  active  cardiovascular  and  thoracic vascular  surgical  program  which  entertains both routine and emergency procedures. Cardiac work comprises of both congenital and acquired areas including  valvular, coronary and congenital work except transplantations. Approximately 500 OHS  procedures are  performed  each  year, in addition to these a good number of closed cardiac surgical procedures, thoracic and  vascular  cases (including  aortic  aneurysm)  are  being  done.  There is a good cardiological back-up with facilities available round  the  clock for    invasive    hemodynamic    monitoring,   echocardiography. Cardiology department is well equipped with  an  echocardiography machine   having   biplane  transoesophageal  probe,  along  with facilities for color  flow  mapping,  several  computerized  ECG machines, a computerized tread mill machine and two siemens cath lab, CT Spiral, 28 slice CT and MRI are other facilities available in the department of Radiology  of  this Institute.   Department   of   Nuclear  medicine  is  armed  with sophisticated Gamma Camera with  spect  system  and  radioisotope dose calibrator. Besides the Institute is backed up with the Biotechnolog and Bioinformatics department which are involved with the basic research on stem cells. This institute has several research projects which are being conducted in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research and the University Grants Commission

The Department runs a three years M.Ch. course in Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery which is recognized by the Medical Council of India, a two years diploma course of cardiopulmonary perfusion technology and a two years course in post basic specialized CVT nursing. Besides the department Faculty are also involved with the teaching and training of the students of the seventh semester of the Bachelors of Physiotherapy and Bachelors of Nursing course.  

The Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery provides surgical solution to a wide spectrum of heart, vascular and lung ailments. The cardiac procedure involves the following:

·         Palliative and intra-cardiac surgeries for congenital heart diseases.

·         Valve reconstruction as well as replacement for valvular heart diseases.

·         Coronary artery bypass grafting /revascularization surgery through the beating heart technique as well as on cardiopulmonary bypass.  

·         Repair of aortic aneurysms arising from the ascending aorta till bifurcation of the aorta.

·         Repair of all forms of peripheral arterial aneurysms including the A-V fistula aneurysms in the chronic renal failure patients.

·         Surgery for aorto- iliac diseases, femoro-popliteal diseases  and the other peripheral arterial occlusive diseases.

With the increasing incidence of the pleural and the pulmonary diseases, there has been an increase in their interventions. Thoracic surgery involves the surgery which are done through the open technique as well as with the use of the video assisted thoracoscope where ever indicated.

·         Chest wall tumors with chest wall reconstructions

·         Decortication for Empyema thoracis irrespective of the etiology

·         Lobectomy / pneumonectomy for all forms of lung diseases whether infective or malignant.

·         Extended thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis

·         Surgery for mediastinal tumors both benign and malignant.

·         Tracheal reconstruction

Ever since the inception of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic department the major achievements have been the versatility of the operative procedures being done here. Most of the cases which visit our outpatient department are very sick and have either had a surgery done earlier or the ones which have been denied surgery at the peer institutions.