Hello Bob4321,
?The more heart valve replacement operations performed at a
hospital, the more likely the surgeons there will insert the type of
aortic valve deemed safest for most older patients, new research
finds.
So, where a patient receives the valve replacement is of utmost
importance, said Dr. Erik B. Schelbert, a fellow in the division of
cardiovascular diseases at the University of Iowa and lead author of
the study, which appears in the April 26 online issue of Circulation.
For older patients in need of aortic valve replacement, the message is
clear, he said: "Go to an experienced center. Those centers in our
study performed most in accordance with the guidelines."
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46862
Even though you are willing to go anywhere, take into account your
family members. Would it be possible for them to accompany you to a
location far from home? What about visitors? Traveling expenses? What
about follow-up appointments? Will you be willing to travel again?
Consider too, your doctor?s recommendations. Your doctor may have
reasons of her/his own in selecting a hospital for you, based on your
own medical history and needs.
Here are the top 3 rated cardiac hospitals in the US. You will have
to look at the data and decide where you would like to go. For
example, top rated Cleveland Clinic has a lower mortality ratio , but
a lower nurse to patient index than the Mayo Clinic. Johns Hopkins has
a lower mortality ratio then the Mayo Clinic, but also has fewer
nurses per patient. I?ve also included ranking number 8, Texas Heart
Institute, because it does enjoy a good reputation. I would certainly
feel comfortable about having surgery at any of the top ten hospitals!
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
====================================
Cleveland Clinic was rated number One in heart hospitals for 2005, by
US News and World Report.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/rankings/specihqcard.htm
?The Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery is one of the
largest, most experienced cardiac surgery groups in the world. Each
year, our surgeons care for thousands of patients, young and old, who
require virtually every type of heart surgery including heart bypass
surgery; elective or emergency surgery for aortic aneurysm, coronary
artery disease, arrhythmias (such as atrial fibrillation), heart
failure, Marfan syndrome, and other less common conditions; and heart
valve surgery for heart valve disease (such as mitral regurgitation or
aortic stenosis). Our staff works with the newest surgical techniques,
equipment and devices.
One of the most frequent operations performed is heart bypass surgery.
the mortality for primary isolated CABG was 0.6%, well below the
national average reported by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Some of our patients come to us for second or even third heart bypass
surgery .We also operate on people who have been told that they are
too elderly for bypass or that their condition is inoperable. The
depth and breadth of our experience with all kinds of cases allows us
to handle these more complex operations with success rates above the
national average.?
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/heartcenter/pub/about/specialties/cvsurgery.asp
?The four valves of the heart (tricuspid, pulmonic, mitral and aortic)
ensure that blood flows forward as the heart muscle contracts and
relaxes. For cardiac patients who have a heart valve that does not
function properly, valve repair or replacement surgery may be
recommended. Repairing or replacing the faulty heart valve restores
normal function to the valve as well as to the function of the heart
muscle.
While open heart surgery is considered to be a serious operation, it
is a highly successful surgery at the Fairview Heart Center that
enables the patient to live a longer and more active life.
The American College of Surgeons recommends that a heart program
perform a minimum of 150 cases per year. The Fairview Heart Center
has consistently far exceeded these recommendations. Furthermore,
Fairview Heart Center?s mortality and complication rates consistently
compare favorably with national statistics.?
http://www.fairviewhospital.org/body.cfm?id=99
?U.S.News & World Report names The Cleveland Clinic one of the
nation's top four hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals"
survey.?
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/
?The quality of medical care at the Cleveland Clinic is often
recognized for excellence. Every year since 1990, the Cleveland Clinic
has been designated by U.S. News & World Report as one of only 10
hospitals in the United States to be considered ?The Best of the
Best.?
http://www.eclevelandclinic.org/displayContent.jsp?document=document/about_cclinic
Heart surgery statistics:
2,195 valve surgeries were performed in 2004 at the Cleveland Clinic.
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/heartcenter/pub/about/facts/default.asp?firstCat=59&secondCat=60
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
====================================
http://www.mayoclinic.org/heart-valve-surgery/
Mayo Clinic, was rated as second best heart hospital in 2005 by US
News and World Report
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/rankings/specihqcard.htm
"Cardiovascular Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.,
specializes in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of disorders
affecting the heart, aorta and other great vessels. Mayo Clinic in
Rochester is one of the largest cardiovascular care centers in the
United States, with nine cardiovascular surgeons on staff. Mayo Clinic
in Rochester has been ranked first or second in cardiovascular
practice in the U.S. News and World Report "America's Best Hospitals"
report since the report has been published.
In Rochester, Mayo Clinic cardiovascular surgeons perform more than
2,500 heart operations each year using state-of-the-art technology,
including minimally invasive techniques."
http://www.mayoclinic.org/cardiacsurgery-rst/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/aortic-valve-disease/aortic-valve-surgery.html
Aortic Valve replacement
http://www.medicaledge.org/2003feb.html
Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland
====================================
Johns Hopkins was rated number three.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/rankings/specihqcard.htm
?Our large volume, consisting of many complex and complicated
procedures in all areas, including pediatric and aortic cardiac
procedures, assures patients that they are receiving the best care
possible from some of the most experienced and expertly skilled
surgeons in the world.
These same surgeons are committed to continually studying and
evaluating new methods of surgical treatment and improving surgical
outcomes through clinical and laboratory research in such areas as
protection of the brain and neurological systems during bypass
operations. Often, patients will benefit from new therapies not
readily available at other medical centers.?
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/CardiacSurgery
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/
Texas Heart Institute
====================================
Texas Heart was rated number 8 by US News and World Report
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/rankings/specihqcard.htm
?"We're very gratified to see our ranking advance from ninth to eighth
place. We believe our reputation score, which rose more than five
percentage points, is a direct reflection of our research and
education efforts to develop new treatments and technologies which are
skillfully applied by physicians on our medical staff," said James
Willerson, M.D., medical director and president-elect of the Texas
Heart Institute at St. Luke's.?
http://www.tmc.edu/thi/vsurg.html
http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/
In addition, you can use this site to look up surgeons in your state:
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46862
I hope this answer has proved useful. If not, or you need
clarification, please request an Answer Clarification, before you rate
this answer. This will allow me to assist you further on this
question.
I wish you the best with your surgery!
Sincerely, Crabcakes
Search Terms
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Best cardiac hospitals
Hospitals performing aortic valve replacement
US News and World Report Top Hospitals + heart |
