Cardiovascular Surgeries
Cardiovascular Surgeries: An Overview of Techniques and Advances
Techniques and Advances
Cardiovascular surgery is a branch of medicine dedicated to treating diseases related to the heart, major blood vessels, and associated structures. In the past, these surgeries were highly risky and limited in scope. However, with remarkable advancements in medical science and technology, they are now performed safely and deliver significant therapeutic outcomes.
Main Types of Heart Surgery
Heart surgeries are generally divided into several main categories, each designed to treat a specific condition:
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG): One of the most common types of heart surgery, performed to treat narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries (the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle). In this procedure, the surgeon uses a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body (usually the leg or chest) to create a new pathway for blood flow, bypassing the blocked area and restoring circulation to the heart.
Heart Valve Surgery: Heart valve diseases can disrupt blood flow. In these surgeries, damaged valves are either repaired or replaced with artificial valves (mechanical or biological) to restore proper heart function.
Heart Transplant: This surgery is performed on patients with severe, untreatable heart failure. The patient’s damaged heart is replaced with a healthy heart from a recently deceased donor.
Congenital Heart Surgery: These procedures correct structural defects of the heart present from birth. Such defects may include holes in the heart walls or abnormalities in the major blood vessels.
Modern Techniques in Heart Surgery
Today, surgeons use advanced techniques to enhance safety and reduce patients’ recovery time.
Minimally Invasive Surgery: Unlike traditional surgeries that require large chest incisions, these methods use smaller cuts. This technique results in less pain, reduced bleeding, lower risk of infection, and faster recovery.
Robotic Surgery: In this approach, the surgeon operates using a control console and robotic arms, allowing for greater precision and delicacy. Robotic surgery is especially useful in valve repair and bypass procedures.
Hybrid Procedures: These methods combine traditional open-heart surgery with minimally invasive techniques. For example, in some cases, part of a bypass may be performed through open surgery while another part is completed using a catheter and stent.
Considerations and Future
Despite significant advancements, cardiovascular surgery still requires the high expertise and experience of a medical team including surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses. Post-operative recovery is also crucial, involving specialized care, rehabilitation, and lifestyle changes.
The future of heart surgery is moving toward less invasive methods, the use of artificial intelligence for more accurate diagnosis and surgical planning, and the development of innovative techniques such as cell therapy to repair damaged heart tissue. These advancements bring greater hope for healthier and longer lives for cardiac patients.
Iran’s Position in Cardiovascular Surgery
Iran’s role in cardiovascular surgery presents both notable strengths and certain challenges. Overall, Iranian specialists and surgeons have achieved remarkable progress and, in many aspects, operate on par with advanced countries.
Key Achievements and Strengths
Scientific and Practical Capabilities: According to officials and leading surgeons, Iran is a regional leader in cardiovascular surgery, and some even rank it among the top 10 countries worldwide in this field. Complex procedures such as heart transplantation, congenital heart surgeries in children, and minimally invasive operations are successfully performed in the country.
Advances in Modern Techniques: Iran utilizes advanced technologies such as procedures without the need for full anesthesia (e.g., TAVI) and valve repair through arteries (without open-heart surgery), demonstrating alignment with the latest global medical achievements.
Potential for Medical Tourism: With high-quality services and significantly lower costs compared to Western countries, Iran has strong potential to attract patients from neighboring nations and the region for cardiovascular surgeries.
Scientific Congresses: Hosting international congresses with the participation of renowned specialists from around the world highlights Iran’s scientific standing and knowledge exchange in this field. These events contribute to enhancing the expertise and skills of domestic surgeons.
