Cardiac Surgery

Although one of the smallest Divisions within the Department of Surgery, the three member cardiovascular service provides comprehensive cardiac surgical care for the northern two thirds of the Province. Over 2006-2007, the division performed a total of 835 cases, the majority of which were aorto-coronary bypass procedures.

Major challenges over the 2006-2007 academic year included an increasing number of cancellations due to lack of intensive care unit beds for postoperative management. Based at the Royal University Hospital, the Division is supported by an infrastructure of dedicated nurses, physiotherapists, cardiologists, internists, and four perfusionists, whose expertise extends well beyond running an extracorporeal heart-lung machine, to ventricular-assist device, cell-saver and intra-aortic balloon pump technology.

Professional areas of interest, in addition to valvular and ischaemic heart disease, include electrophysiology, cardiac tumors, ventricular aneurysm, coronary ostial patch angioplasty and aortic surgery.

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