Cardiothoracic surgery involves the treatment of diseases affecting organs inside the chest (thorax), including cardiology treatment which involves conditions of the heart and lungs. The Center of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Apollo Hospitals is considered to be the best hospital in India for heart surgery. This centre of excellence provides a wide spectrum of options for heart treatment in India with superior clinical outcomes. With state of the art infrastructure, technology and clinical expertise, thousands of International patients visit Apollo Hospitals for undergoing heart surgery in India.

A form of heart surgery that redirects blood around clogged arteries to increase blood flow and oxygen to the heart. The cardiac surgeons at Apollo Hospitals, India have great expertise and experience with CABG surgeries. We are versatile and handle critically ill patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction or diffusely diseased vessels. As we avoid the heart - lung machine, we can take on patients for CABG even when there are associated morbidities such as renal disease, compromised lung function or other coexisting diseases.

Coronary Bypass Surgeries are performed using contemporary techniques including the off-pump bypass. Over 99.6% of the surgeries are "off-pump" or "beating heart" surgeries.

Conventional CABG or coronary Bypass surgery is performed by splitting or cutting through the breastbone or sternum. MICAS or MICS CABG is a safe and complete operation that has revolutionised the way coronary surgery is performed. MICS CABG or MICAS stands for Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Surgery. It is a relatively new and advanced technique of performing coronary bypass for coronary artery disease. In this technique the heart is approached through the side of the left chest via a small 4cm incision.

Extensive and challenging thoracic procedures (lung, esophagus, etc.) are undertaken by our thoracic surgeons with the best results.

In 1995, Apollo Hospitals became the first private hospital to carry out a successful heart transplant in the country. Testimony to this excellence was the trust shown by an American patient last year who underwent a Heart Transplant at our hospital and is doing well.

The Interventional Cardiology Centres at Apollo Heart Institutes has been at the forefront in the field since its inception. The Centre is manned by some of the best Interventional Cardiologists in India who are trained at the best Institutes across the world for the treatment of heart diseases. Coronary stenting is routine and performed by most of the interventional cardiologists. Patients with high risk and multi vessel involvement are also treated.

Patients with a hole in their heart, whether an Atrial Septal Defect, a small Ventricular Septal Defect or a Patent Ductus Arteriosus can be closed effectively by Button or Amplatzer's device or coils.

Doctors at Apollo Hospitals use minimally invasive techniques to perform multiple graft heart bypass surgery without cutting through a single bone. The new procedure is less painful and leads to faster healing, compared to conventional bypass. It is the first time in India that multiple grafts have been put at the back side of the heart through minimally invasive coronary surgery. Many non-operative procedures are also done to avoid skin incisions ("key-hole").

The ClearWay™ RX - Rapid Exchange Therapeutic Perfusion Catheter helps save larger area of heart muscle in heart attacks. Cardiac interventionists now know that it is not sufficient to remove the big clot that produces a heart attack; ensuring that the small vessels supply blood to the heart muscle is just as crucial.

Bifurcation lesion means there is a blockage in a site where the blood vessel divides into two and is more challenging to treat. Two branches of the blood vessel have narrowing. If a balloon angioplasty is performed in one, there are chances of the other branch closing.

The new Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold (BVS), a non metallic mesh tube that is used to treat a narrowed artery, is similar to a stent, but slowly dissolves once the blocked artery can function naturally again and stays open on its own. Similar to a small mesh tube, BVS is designed to help open up a blocked artery in the heart and restore blood flow to the heart muscle.

Pediatric Cardiology is a speciality that addresses heart conditions in babies [including unborn babies], children and teenagers. Paediatric Cardiology treatment in India has greatly evolved in the past few years and has helped thousands of children to lead normal lives today.

At Apollo Hospitals, pediatric cardiac care treatment is provided for structural, functional, and rhythm-related problems of the heart and a high degree of success is achieved. With adept Clinicians who are trained at the top centres in the world, Apollo Hospitals is considered to be the best pediatric cardiology hospital in India.

With a team comprising of the best paediatric Cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, our centre provides the following treatments:

• • Atrial Septal Defect repair - A defect between the heart's two upper chambers called the atria.
• • Ventricular Septal Defect repair - A defect between the heart's two lower chambers called the ventricles.
• • Coarctation of Aorta repair - a birth defect that results in the narrowing of part of the aorta (the major artery leading out of the heart).
• • Patent Ductus Arteriosus closure - an abnormal circulation of blood between two of the major arteries of the heart - the aorta and the pulmonary artery.
• • Tetralogy of Fallot treatment - a common cause of "blue babies".

The occurrence of irregular or abnormal heart rhythm is called Cardiac Arrhythmia. This is a serious condition that can however be treated. When the electrical impulses in the heart, that actually coordinate the heartbeats, cease to function properly, the heart starts beating too fast, too slow or irregularly. This is called a cardiac arrhythmia and one need to consult a cardiologist immediately for further diagnosis and treatment.

Types of Arrhythmias: The types of arrhythmia include Paroxysmal Supra-Ventricular Tachycardia [PSVT], Atrial flutter, Atrial Fibrillation, Ventricular Tachycardia, Ventricular Fibrillation.

Causes of Arrhythmias: Some of the common causes for Cardiac arrhythmia are: Hypertension, Ischemic heart disease, Valvular heart disease, Cardiomyopathies, Sinus node disease, Tumors, Pericarditis, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Thyroid Disease, Alcohol abuse, Vagal stimulation, Smoking, stressful modern life styles etc.

Stem Cell therapy for Heart Failure is now an increasing popular modality of treatment that is being adopted by some of the best Cardiologists in India and across the world. Stem cells from the bone marrow aspirate are utilised by to perform Transmyocardial Revascularisation.

Tranmyocardial Revascularisation [TMR], is a lesser known option for the treatment of heart diseases, among the wide range of options that are available or under development. In TMR, a laser is use to drill multiple (15-40) millimeter sized channels through the myocardium in order to increase blood flow for patients with angina who may not be good candidates for Coronary bypass surgery. TMR is indeed unique because it also uses autologous stem cells, to provide clinical benefit for these patients.