Cardiovascular Surgery

In some cases, surgery may be required to repair or correct your heart or the vessels leading to your heart. Baptist Health has the fastest growing cardiovascular surgery program in Northeast Florida and has some of the best clinical outcomes and lowest post-surgical complication rates in the state.

Our team includes surgeons, technicians and nurses who are specially trained for cardiovascular procedures.

Cardiovascular surgeons at Baptist are also on the leading edge with new techniques and procedures to treat heart disease. The first ventricular restoration or heart remodeling procedure in Jacksonville was performed at Baptist Medical Center in late 2002.

Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR)
Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR) offers a new method for surgically repairing hearts. The cardiovascular surgeons at Baptist Medical Center perform this procedure to help relieve chest pain (severe angina) in portions of the heart where heart bypass or angioplasty cannot be performed. The procedure can be performed independently or in conjunction with bypass surgery performed on other parts of the heart. TMR uses a laser to create channels in the heart muscle to complement the work performed by diseased coronary arteries.

Maze Procedure
The cardiovascular surgeons at Baptist Medical Center use a surgical approach to treat atrial fibrillation. This operation is called "the maze procedure" because of the nature of the incisions made in the atrium. The result looks like a child's maze in which there is only one path that the electrical impulse can take from the Sinoatrial node (home of the body's pacemaker) to the Atrioventicular Node. The normal rhythm of the heart is restored by the Maze procedure.

Nurse Hospitalist
Patients recovering from cardiovascular surgery may have the opportunity to meet with a Nurse Hospitalist. This specially trained nurse serves many roles assisting the healthcare team in providing each patient with the highest quality care. The Nurse Hospitalist's purpose is to ensure continuity of care, patient satisfaction, and positive patient outcomes.

All of the Nurse Hospitalists are either Clinical Nurse Specialists or Clinical Resource Nurses. They participate in ongoing education including:

• Basic Live support (BLS)
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
• Extensive training in Critical Care
• Advanced Pharmacy
• Advanced EKG Reading

The doctor may ask the Nurse Hospitalist to speak with a patient and loved ones about the patient's particular condition including testing and procedures, medications, and/or changes to lifestyle. He/She works with the nursing staff to provide patients with the information and education needed to best manage ones health during and after hospitalization. Planning for discharge begins on admission, the Nurse Hospitalist and Medical Social Services will assist with any special discharge needs including equipment and/or outpatient services such as home health care, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. It is our goal to assist patients in any way possible to optimize the care and transition back home or to the previous living arrangement. Patients may request a visit from a Nurse Hospitalist by asking their primary nurse to contact the Nurse Hospitalist assigned to their area.