People with heart disease almost always require medical care from a cardiologist. A cardiologist is a physician who specializes in the treatment of heart diseases. Thanks to advancement in medical knowledge and technology, heart patients and their cardiologists have many options available for treatment. For some patients with heart disease, heart surgery remains the best treatment option. When heart surgery is necessary, Vanderbilt has an entire team ready to help.

Services and treatment

Vanderbilt’s heart surgeons are among the best in the country. They also train other surgeons who want to specialize in cardiac surgery. Our surgeons treat patients of all ages including infants.

Surgery might be required for many reasons including  bypass surgery to go around blocked blood vessels, transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) to relieve severe angina (chest pain), replacement or repair of a damaged heart valve, or heart transplantation

Our cardiac surgery services fall into four (4) major categories:

• Acquired (Adult) Heart Disease
• Congenital (Pediatric and Adult)
• Treatment Programs
• Thoracic Surgery

Click on any of the above for more information about the specific services we offer or click here to view a brochure about our Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology Program.

Providers:
John Byrne, M.D., Chairman, Cardiac Surgery

Tarek Absi, MD
Rashid Ahmad, MD
Jorge Balaguer, MD
Steve Ball, MD
David Bichell, MD
Karla Christian, MD
James Greelish, MD
Steven Hoff, MD
Mary Keebler, MD
Betty Kim, MD
Marzia Leacche, MD
Michael R. Petracek, MD

M. Craig Cilimberg, PA-C
Edmund J. Donahue, PA-C
Thomas M. Stahl, PA-C

Nora Cobb, ANP-BC
Anna Fong, ACNP-BC
Jayme Gibson, ACNP-BC
April Kapu, ACNP-BC
Mary Ann Jorrisen, ACNP-BC
Shawn Lee, ANP-BC
Lauren Nevels, ACNP-BC
Megan Shifrin, ACNP-BC
Sean Smithey, ACNP-BC
Joshua Squiers, ACNP-BC
Kristie Walker, ACNP-BC
Brian Widmar, ACNP-BC