Cardiothoracic Surgery

Surgical care for conditions of the heart, lungs, and chest—focused on safe recovery and better long-term health.

AnMed and MUSC Health Partnership logo

AnMed provides the full range of cardiothoracic services, including procedures you won’t find elsewhere in the area. Our health system combines compassionate care with clinical abilities, and it’s supported by affiliation with MUSC. Your surgeon will help you understand your condition and treatment options and recommend a custom care plan based on your needs. Trust us to help you achieve your best outcome.

Conditions We Treat

Your doctor may refer you to an AnMed cardiothoracic surgeon for treatment of:

  • Weak areas in the body's largest artery (aortic aneurysm)
  • Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)
  • Clogged heart arteries (coronary artery disease)
  • Too much sweat (hyperhidrosis)
  • Uncontrolled tumor growth (lung cancer)
  • Autoimmune illness that weakens muscles (myasthenia gravis)
  • Fluid buildup in the lungs (pleural effusion)
  • Problems in the parts of your heart that control blood flow (valve disease, such as aortic stenosis)

Find a Surgeon

Need a surgeon? Ask your primary care provider for a referral or call AnMed WellnessConnect at 864-512-3748 for help.

Open Surgery vs. Minimally Invasive Procedures

The difference between having open-heart surgery and a minimally invasive procedure is your doctor's approach. Surgery requires an incision to operate on your heart muscle, valves or arteries. Some types of heart surgery may require your cardiothoracic surgeon to stop your heart. In that case, you’ll be connected to a bypass pump to keep your blood oxygenated and flowing during surgery. 

Cardiologists perform minimally invasive procedures using methods that do not require large incisions. Small incisions, along with thin, flexible tubes (catheters) and tiny surgical instruments make it possible to perform less invasive heart and vascular procedures safely and effectively. Your surgeon works through the catheters to reach the areas of your heart that need treatment. Minimally invasive procedures lead to less pain and scarring, a faster recovery and a lower risk of complications than traditional surgery.

Talk to your doctor about whether you’re a good candidate for a less invasive treatment for your condition.

Heart Procedures

Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Aortic aneurysm repair fixes a weak or bulging spot in your body's main artery, the aorta, to prevent it from bursting. Your surgeon replaces the weak part with a special tube to make sure blood flows safely through your body.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery

In CABG surgery, a surgeon creates new paths for blood to flow around blocked or narrowed heart arteries. It's like adding new pipes to your plumbing system to ensure your heart gets all the oxygen and nutrients it needs. CABG surgery can help your heart work better and reduce chest pain, allowing you to live a healthier and more active life.

Left Atrial Appendage Closure

During this procedure, a surgeon uses an AtriClip device to seal off a small part of your heart, known as the left atrial appendage (LAA). The closure prevents blood clots from leaving the appendage and traveling to your brain, where they could cause a stroke. You may benefit from this procedure if you have atrial fibrillation, which causes blood clots to form in the LAA.

Maze Procedure for Atrial Fibrillation

The Maze procedure makes a new roadmap for your heart's electrical signals when you have an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation (A-fib). A surgeon creates tiny scars in your heart to redirect the electrical signals and restore a normal heart rhythm.

AnMed surgeons perform the Maze procedure in a minimally invasive way called thoracoscopy. Instead of dividing your breastbone to reach your heart, as in open-heart surgery, your surgeon makes a small incision between your ribs. AnMed is the only area provider using this less invasive approach, which has a lower risk of side effects and a shorter recovery.

Valve Repair or Replacement

Valves control the flow of blood through your heart, keeping it moving in the right direction. As you age, these valves sometimes stiffen or allow blood to leak backward, causing chest pain and other symptoms. Your surgeon may repair a valve or replace it with a new one made of metal or natural tissue.

AnMed surgeons perform complex valve procedures that not all surgeons provide. So, you don’t have to travel far for the most advanced care available.

If you have aortic stenosis (a stiff valve), an AnMed surgeon may work with an interventional cardiologist to perform transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This less invasive option is safer than surgery and leads to a shorter recovery.

Thoracic Procedures

Whenever possible, your thoracic surgeon will treat your condition in a minimally invasive way that uses small incisions and speeds up recovery time. To perform minimally invasive procedures, your surgeon might:

  • Control a surgical robot with arms that bend and rotate further and move more precisely than human hands
  • Perform video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), which uses a scope (thin tube with a light and camera) to show the inside of your chest

Better Pain Control

You’ll feel less pain after thoracic surgery because of a technique called cryoanalgesia. Before you wake up from surgery, we use a tiny tool to numb nerves in your chest with freezing cold temperatures, so they can’t send pain signals to your brain. You’ll need less medication for postoperative pain, and your recovery will be easier.

Lung Resection (Removal)

Lung resection means taking out part or all of your lung to treat cancer or noncancerous conditions. This treatment helps prevent diseases from spreading to healthy areas of your lungs. Your surgeon carefully decides how much of your lung to remove to keep your breathing as normal as possible.

Mediastinal Tumor Removal

This surgery removes growths or tumors that develop in the middle of your chest, called the mediastinum. Your surgeon performs this procedure to relieve pressure on your heart, lungs or major blood vessels. The goal is to diagnose or treat symptoms such as trouble breathing or difficulty swallowing.

Pleural Effusion Surgery

This surgery treats fluid buildup in your lungs that makes it hard to breathe. To drain the fluid, your surgeon either creates a small opening or puts a tube in your chest. Afterward, your lungs can expand more fully to improve breathing.

Sympathectomy for Hyperhidrosis

Sympathectomy cuts or blocks the nerves that make you sweat too much in your hands, underarms or face. This procedure can help if other treatments haven't worked and excessive sweating causes problems in your daily life.

AnMed is the only local provider performing sympathectomy using a surgical robot. This technology reduces your risk of side effects and decreases your recovery time.

Thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis

This surgery removes the thymus gland behind your breastbone to treat an immune disorder that weakens your muscles. You may benefit from this procedure if you don’t get enough relief from medications that treat myasthenia gravis.

Follow-Up Care

Your surgeon will make at least one appointment with you after surgery to ensure you heal well. You’ll also receive follow-up care from the doctor who referred you to surgery and your primary care provider. Reach out whenever you have questions about your recovery or what to expect.

Rehabilitation

Ask your surgeon about cardiac rehabilitation or pulmonary (lung) rehabilitation at AnMed. These motivational programs offer guided exercise and education tailored to your needs after surgery. Along with a supportive group of your peers, you’ll safely regain strength and energy while improving your quality of life.