By: Marc Sakwa, M.D., Medical Director, Adult Cardiovascular Surgery, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, Long Beach Medical Center

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. With advanced technologies, nationally recognized physicians and innovative treatments, the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center provides the most complete continuum of cardiovascular care in Los Angeles and North Orange Counties.

Minimally invasive treatments offer patients an alternative to traditional open-heart surgery, which involves dividing the breast bone. Through small incisions or catheter-based approaches, the physicians can perform the same work on the heart as traditional surgery without the need for an 8-inch opening in the chest. Minimally invasive treatments reduce scarring and bleeding, lower infection risk, decrease length of hospital stay, and accelerate recovery time with less pain allowing patients to get back to work and normal activities.

Least Invasive Approach to Surgery

Long Beach Medical Center has extensive experience in offering some of the least invasive approaches for complex cardiovascular issues through minimally invasive procedures provided by world-renowned surgeons. Examples of these procedures, include:

  • Valve Repair and Replacement Through a right mini-thoracotomy, the surgeon makes a small incision in between the ribs to approach the heart from the right side of the chest. This approach allows the surgeon to have direct access to the heart valves and the ability to perform the same procedures that other surgeons can only do through a large full sternotomy incision. With this smaller incision, patients can recover quicker, return to their activities sooner, and have better cosmetic results.
  • Robotic-Assisted Cardiothoracic Surgery Cardiothoracic surgeons use the da Vinci® Xi™ – the latest robotic-assisted surgical system on the market. The robot gives surgeons a 3D visualization of the operating field with more precision and better optics. It allows surgeons the ability to perform complex lung and cardiac revascularization procedures with less invasive surgical approaches.
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) TAVR is another minimally invasive approach to replace a diseased or damaged aortic valve. A biological valve is placed onto a catheter which can then be inserted through the femoral artery, and across the diseased valve. Once implanted, the new aortic valve begins to work immediately, avoiding open-heart surgery.
  • WATCHMAN™ Device for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) The WATCHMAN device closes off an area of the heart called the left atrial appendage. In patients with AFib, harmful blood clots can form in the left atrial appendage potentially entering the blood stream and causing a stroke. By closing off this area, the risk of stroke may be reduced, and the patient’s need for anticoagulation may be alleviated.

Your Heart Partner for Life

The MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute has a comprehensive team of cardiologists and world-renowned surgeons that take a multi-disciplinary, patient-centric and integrated approach in treating a wide variety of cardiovascular conditions. Learn more at memorialcare.org/ComplexHeart.

Your health won’t wait. Seek care when you need it.