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 surgery in Englewood, Colorado
You're serious about your heart health, so are we.
At HCA HealthONE Swedish, the physicians in our cardiovascular surgery program are committed to healing your heart condition with the least invasive procedure possible. Along with the support of highly trained nurses and heart specialists, our goal is to get you back to fully living your life.
Learn about your heart health
It's never a bad time to take care of your heart. Get started with our heart health assessment. This can give you insights into your overall wellness and help you decide if you should consider talking to a cardiologist.
It's never a bad time to take care of your heart. Get started with our heart health assessment. This can give you insights into your overall wellness and help you decide if you should consider talking to a cardiologist.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Our heart and vascular surgery program
Our cardiovascular surgeons perform complex heart procedures in our dedicated operating room for heart surgery. You'll recover in our progressive care unit (PCU), a 40-bed unit specializing in cardiac care and heart monitoring.
Cardiovascular surgeries we offer
Common procedures our cardiac surgeons and vascular surgeons perform include:
- Aneurysm repair
- Maze surgery for atrial fibrillation
- Carotid endarterectomy
- Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
- Endovascular therapies, including stenting and balloon angioplasty
- Peripheral stenting
- High-risk cardiac surgery with advanced therapies, including tandem heart and left ventricular assist device (LVAD)
- Endovascular repair
- Valve repair and replacement
- Vascular surgery
Aortic stenosis treatment
If you are diagnosed with aortic stenosis, our doctors might prescribe medications — such as diuretics, nitrates and beta-blockers — to help relieve your symptoms. We also might recommend lifestyle changes as an effective treatment.
If you have severe aortic stenosis, you may need valve replacement surgery. We perform two primary approaches to this surgery:
- Aortic valve replacement (AVR)
- Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
For more information on aortic stenosis, the AVR or TAVR procedures or to learn more about our services, feel free to call our team at (303) 788-4759.
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Our program has received a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its patient care and outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures. The three-star rating denotes the highest quality category for elite heart bypass surgery in the U.S. and Canada. HCA HealthONE Swedish also has received a Joint Commission certification in coronary artery disease, open-heart surgeries, such as CABG and heart failure.
Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement and removal
During the IVC filter placement procedure, a filtering device is put within the IVC, a large vein in the abdomen responsible for returning blood from the lower half of the body to the heart. IVC filters help trap large clots to prevent them from reaching the heart and lungs. This can reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism. This procedure is used for patients who don’t respond to or cannot be given conventional medical therapy, like blood thinners.
To remove the IVC filter, a catheter is inserted and advanced to the site of the filter. The filter has a small hook or knob at the end that allows the catheter to capture the filter, close it and withdraw it from the body.
Our surgical approaches and methods
Our surgeons provide exemplary care by offering a wide range of traditional and minimally invasive surgical procedures.
Open-heart surgery program
Our open-heart program may be right for you if you've already been treated extensively before and after bypass or valve replacement surgery. You undergo comprehensive education and assessments in our PCU before surgery and throughout your stay. This leads to fewer days in the hospital and a better recovery overall.
Our structural heart program
We offer the most advanced surgical treatment options for repairing the structure of the heart.
Structural heart procedures we offer
Our cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons work collaboratively to ensure the most minimally invasive option possible is used. Procedures we perform in our structural heart program include:
- Atrial septal defect (ASD) closure
- Mitral valve replacement
- Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure
- Transcatheter mitral valve repair
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
At our hospital, our vascular surgeons are proud to offer TAVR, a procedure that provides relief to patients with aortic stenosis considered too high risk for open-heart surgery. Our approach to the TAVR procedure is centered on our multidisciplinary team approach, with our cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons actively involved in every case and specially trained to perform aortic valve replacement.
For more information on the TAVR procedure or to learn about our TAVR capabilities, call our team at (303) 788-4759.
How the TAVR procedure works
During a TAVR procedure, a balloon is inserted and inflated to open the narrowed valve, expanding the new valve into place. The new valve will push the leaflets of the diseased valve aside. The balloon is then deflated and removed, and echocardiograms test the valve for proper placement. Everyone is unique, and every replacement valve is perfectly sized to your exact dimensions prior to surgery.
If you come to our hospital for TAVR are admitted the same day as your procedure. Blood flow and velocity often improve immediately after surgery, and you will probably notice improved circulation within 24-48 hours.
TAVR vs. open-heart surgery
In surgical aortic valve replacement, the damaged aortic valve is removed through open-heart surgery and replaced by a mechanical or biological valve. Unlike open-heart surgery, TAVR does not remove the existing valve, opting instead to insert a new aortic valve with the assistance of a catheter, offering a less invasive method of treatment.
Open-heart surgery requires general anesthesia and manipulation of the chest bones. TAVR procedures use conscious sedation and do not move the chest bones, making the length of your hospital stay significantly shorter — approximately two to three days versus four to eight days with open surgery.
Who needs TAVR surgery?
If you can tolerate open-heart surgery, this is the preferred method of treatment. However, TAVR is an excellent option if you are considered too high-risk.
Not everyone with advanced aortic stenosis are candidates for TAVR. Our cardiac professionals can assess whether you meet the criteria with a series of tests performed over the course of several days, including: CT scans, an echocardiogram and a diagnostic heart catheter to examine your arteries.
Talk with your doctor to determine if you are a candidate for this minimally invasive procedure.
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Our Heart and vascular surgery Locations
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