HEART SURGERY 101
Ask the Expert : Takuya Ogami , MD
HEART SURGERY 101
If you , or someone you love , needs heart surgery , you want a skilled and caring surgical team that guides you each step of the way — from preparing for surgery all the way through recovery .
We sat down with UPMC Hamot ’ s newest heart surgeon , Takuya Ogami , MD , to learn more about the different types of heart surgery and UPMC ’ s advanced team of heart surgery experts .
Q A
Q A
What is unique about cardiac surgery at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute ?
We run a high-quality , state-of-the-art , community-based program . We provide high levels of service for patients and their families . Our team prioritizes getting people back to their homes as quickly as possible .
Every day at UPMC Hamot , our expert team works together to achieve the best outcomes for the people we treat . We collaborate with physician colleagues from all different heart medicine specialties throughout UPMC . This approach allows our team to manage and treat the full scope of heart disease and achieve excellent outcomes that are recognized by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons ( STS ).
What is the difference between minimally invasive and open heart surgery ?
Depending on your heart condition , we might recommend minimally invasive surgery . With this technique , we do not need to open your chest completely . Instead , we make tiny incisions between your ribs to get to your heart . The benefits of minimally invasive heart surgery include :
• Faster recovery times , with many people fully healed within six weeks .
• Fewer complications .
• Less pain and blood loss .
• Shorter hospital stays — often five days or less .
• Smaller incisions and little scarring .
Open heart surgery may be a better choice for you . During open heart surgery , we make an incision through your sternum ( breastbone ) to access your heart . Open heart surgery is often a more effective option for :
• Complex heart operations .
• Heart bypasses .
• Multiple heart valve or aneurysm repair or replacement .
• Tumor , mass , or tissue removal .