Cardiovascular surgeons, also known as cardiac or cardiothoracic surgeons, perform operations on the heart and blood vessels. They require extensive training, including an undergraduate degree, medical school, and residency. Disorders they treat include heart disease and heart failure. Minimally invasive techniques are becoming more common. The field offers opportunities for growth and specialization.
A cardiovascular surgeon is a specially trained medical professional who performs operations on the heart and blood vessels. These surgeons are commonly referred to as cardiac surgeons. In the United States (USA), they may also be called cardiothoracic surgeons, as they are often trained to operate on other organs in the thoracic cavity, such as the lungs and esophagus.
To become a cardiovascular surgeon, a person must undergo many years of training. Generally, the process begins with obtaining an undergraduate degree. Then, the person usually moves on to medical school, followed by several years in a general surgery residency, plus additional training specifically in cardiovascular surgery. Some residency programs allow the physician to train directly as a cardiovascular surgeon, skipping training in general surgery. Once cardiovascular training is completed, surgeons often need certification in the region they plan to practice in before starting to perform surgery on their own.
Disorders that may require the skills of a cardiovascular surgeon include coronary artery disease, congenital heart defects, abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure. The most common type of cardiovascular surgery is a coronary bypass, which involves redirecting blood flow to the heart bypassing a blocked coronary artery. A much less common but more publicized surgery is heart transplantation, which involves removing a diseased heart and replacing it with a healthy donor heart.
Traditionally, most cardiovascular surgery is performed by opening the entire chest cavity to expose the heart and allow the cardiovascular surgeon to reach inside. In recent years, minimally invasive techniques are becoming more common. These procedures usually involve the use of robot-assisted technology that allows the surgeon to make smaller incisions in the chest and complete the operation with the robot acting as his hands.
As a medical specialty, cardiovascular surgery offers room for growth and the discovery of new techniques. The field of cardiovascular surgery is still relatively young, having started in earnest in the 1950s. Many life-saving surgical techniques have been created since then, but there are still opportunities in the field to advance new technologies and improve patient outcomes.
Cardiovascular surgery also offers the chance to specialize. For example, some surgeons may choose to work in an academic setting, providing training and mentoring for future cardiovascular surgeons. Others may choose to become pediatric cardiovascular surgeons. These surgeons focus exclusively on treating children and their unique heart problems, which are often congenital. Still, others may focus only on adults, treating the disorders and illnesses that most commonly develop with age.
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