Pioneering the Most Advanced Cardiothoracic Surgical Treatments

The Ohio State Heart and Vascular Center cardiac surgery team brings together highly skilled surgeons, the most advanced technology and world-class facilities to deliver exceptional surgical heart care. We guide our patients through a personalized journey to deliver the right surgical treatment—whether it’s a traditional heart surgery or a minimally invasive surgery—that will deliver the best outcome for you.

Expert Surgical Care for Any Heart Condition

Ohio State has a team of cardiac surgeons (sometimes referred to as cardiothoracic surgeons) who will create a personalized treatment plan for you with a goal of performing the most minimally invasive procedures to treat your condition. Our cardiothoracic surgery patients are treated at the world-class Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital, where our patients experience the benefit of 24/7 care in a facility designed specifically for the needs of heart and vascular patients. At the Ross Heart Hospital, heart surgery patients recover in private rooms with dedicated nursing staff who treat only heart surgery patients, offering the most advanced and experienced levels of care. Click the 'Request an Appointment' button above to learn more about getting an evaluation with one of our cardiothoracic surgeons. Our schedulers will call you back within 24-48 hours.

Find a Cardiothoracic Surgeon

The Academic Difference – Surgical Expertise

Our team of skilled cardiothoracic surgeons trained at some of the most highly regarded institutions around the world and continue to bring the most advanced techniques and skills to Ohio State. Each of our surgeons performs a variety of procedures and specialize in unique areas that allow us to serve the full spectrum of cardiac surgical needs for our patients. We offer treatments from the simplest procedures to the most intricate, including complex open heart surgeries, heart and lung transplantation, placement of mechanical assist devices and even total artificial heart procedures. And because we are an academic health center, our surgeons are leading or participating in research and clinical trials to develop and test new lifesaving surgical options.

Offering the Area’s Most Advanced Surgical Options

Ohio State Heart and Vascular Center is home to central Ohio’s only adult heart transplant program, which has provided more than 500 lifesaving heart transplants and counting. In addition to heart transplantation, Ohio State has a robust program specializing in the implantation and management of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) as a bridge to heart transplant. Ohio State cardiac surgeons are also skilled at using minimally invasive procedures and robotic surgery techniques for some procedures, which result in less trauma and faster recovery for our patients. 

Explore Some of Our Advanced Heart Surgery Programs

Heart Failure

Structural Heart Disease

World-Class Facilities and the Full Spectrum of Treatments

Heart surgery at Ohio State is performed at the Ross Heart Hospital, where we have dedicated heart surgery suites and an entire floor and staff dedicated to those patients recovering from heart surgery. This means our nurses and staff are very experienced in the unique recovery needs of heart surgery patients. Read more about our surgical areas of expertise:

• Adult Congenital Heart Surgery
• Atrial Fibrillation
• Cardiomyopathy
• Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)
• ECMO
• Heart Transplant
• Heart Valve Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Heart and Vascular Surgery 
• Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Replacement
• Open Heart Surgery
• Robotic Heart Surgery
• Transcathetor Aortic Valve Replacement
• Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)

What kind of surgery does a cardiothoracic surgeon do?

Cardiothoracic surgeons, also called cardiac surgeons, perform surgeries on the organs inside the chest, including the heart and lungs. Cardiothoracic surgeons perform many different types of surgeries including heart surgery, valve surgery, adult congenital heart surgery and aortic surgeries. Cardiothoracic surgeons at Ohio State are board certified and have highly skilled expertise in all forms of cardiac surgery, including advanced procedures such as heart and lung transplant. 

What is the difference between cardiothoracic and vascular surgery?

Cardiothoracic surgery involves surgical procedures within the chest cavity, including the heart and lungs. Common procedures performed by cardiothoracic surgeons include open heart surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve surgery and heart transplantation. Vascular surgery focuses on surgical procedures involving the body’s blood vessel and circulatory system outside of the heart. 

Why is cardiothoracic surgery important?

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Heart disease has many causes including risk factors such as smoking and sedentary lifestyle, as well as advancing age. Cardiothoracic surgeons perform many life-saving procedures to stop the progression of heart disease and prolong life. Cardiothoracic surgery is one of the most rapidly evolving fields, with new devices and minimally invasive procedures that help patients return to their lives faster and with easier recovery.