CARDIAC SURGERY
Valve Surgery
Baylor University Medical Center , along with three other Baylor Scott & White medical centers , has been established as a Baylor Scott & White Health Center of Excellence for mitral valve procedures . Moving high-risk procedures to facilities that meet the rigorous criteria established based on national benchmarks for each procedure allows for application of best practices from the American Heart Association , American College of Cardiology and American Society of Echocardiography guidelines . This supports that essential resources are available , and as important , institutional volumes are at a level to provide the expertise resulting in fewer complications and improved outcomes .
INDICATIONS FOR MITRAL VALVE REPAIR
ACC / AHA indications for mitral valve surgery :
• Repair of mitral valve is recommended over replacement in most patients with moderateto-severe ( 3 +) or severe ( 4 +) chronic MR who require surgery , and patients should be referred to experienced surgical centers ( Class I ).
30-Day Readmission Rate *
STS Mean BUMC † Iso AVR 9.6 % 2.2 % Better Iso MV Replacement 15.6 % 9.5 % Better Iso MV Repair 8.8 % 0.0 % Better
* Source : STS Adult Cardiac Harvest 1 2018 Outcomes Report † BUMC : Baylor University Medical Center
Specialized Care Team
Care provided by the entire surgical team is critical to the patient ’ s outcomes , including continuous coverage by a specialized care team . The cardiovascular anesthesia department is staffed by board-certified and transesophageal echocardiography ( TEE ) certified physicians credentialed in adult cardiovascular anesthesiology . The specialized team covers cases ranging from routine CABG and valve replacement to complex heart and lung transplantation .
While in the intensive care unit , patients will receive 24 / 7 critical care in-house physician coverage to provide attention to the patient ’ s needs , working in conjunction with cardiology and cardiothoracic surgical teams . This dedicated approach and volume of critical cases allows each patient to receive quality care from an experienced , specialized team regardless of the complexity of the individual ’ s case .
HIGH-RISK MEETINGS
Every surgical patient presents a unique set of heart challenges and the cardiac surgical team is committed to providing personalized treatment . The implementation of weekly high-risk meetings has allowed specialists , from all levels of patient care , to weigh in on a specialized treatment plan to help each patient reach his or her advanced levels of heart health . From cardiothoracic anesthesiologists to perfusionists and ECMO specialists , the diverse team of experts is specifically equipped for the most complex heart cases .
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