Heart and vascular surgery

Our heart and vascular specialists work together to identify the most effective treatment plan for your unique needs. Our multidisciplinary teams at our hospitals include cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, electrophysiologists, interventional cardiologists and vascular surgeons.

Parkridge Medical Center is ranked as of one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for vascular surgery and surgical care by Healthgrades. In addition, it has earned a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for patient care and outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, placing us among the elite for heart bypass surgery in the U.S.

Our cardiothoracic surgeons provide a broad spectrum of surgical treatment for heart valve disease, including care for high-risk patients. Using leading-edge technology and minimally invasive techniques, our team of structural heart specialists have extensive experience in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter mitral valve repair (TVMR), and transcatheter pulmonic valve replacement.

Whenever possible, we use minimally invasive techniques to treat heart conditions. This includes catheter-based procedures performed in our cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology labs. These advanced techniques can offer many advantages such as fewer complications, reduced hospital stays and a faster recovery. Some of our minimally invasive heart procedures include:

• AFib ablation with radiofrequency or cryotherapy — Requires no surgical incisions. Special catheters that harness extreme cold or heat are used to create scar tissue on the surface of the heart, disrupting abnormal electrical signals, and restoring sinus rhythm.
• Convergent procedure — Our team was the first in Chattanooga to offer the convergent procedure as a treatment for persistent AFib. The two-stage procedure combines surgical and cardiac ablation techniques to create a maze of scar tissue on the heart to help restore electrical signals.
• Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) — As the first Chattanooga hospital to offer this procedure in 2017, we have proudly performed more than 500 LAAC implant device procedures since. This procedure reduces the risk of stroke by sealing the left atrial appendage of the heart and preventing clots from migrating to the brain.
• Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) — As an alternative to traditional open-heart bypass surgery, PCI is a minimally invasive technique for unblocking the coronary artery, relieving your symptoms and the strain on your heart.

From serious medical emergencies such as abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) to peripheral artery disease (PAD), our highly skilled vascular surgeons specialize in treating even the most complex vascular diseases using both traditional and minimally invasive endovascular techniques.