Dr. Michael Bauer, Cardiovascular Surgeon with CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute, talks about heart surgery. He has performed close to 15,000 surgeries in his career and has seen advancements in surgery that lead to lower risk and faster recovery times. .

Does heart surgery cure heart disease?
If for example, you have a coronary bypass operation, you have coronary artery disease. Just because you've had two bypasses doesn't mean that you don't still have the disease. So, you have to begin to aggressively manipulate the factors you can. If you're overweight or you're a smoker or you have a bad diet or you are diabetic, you need to get on the game and make improvements in your health that will make your heart and your life healthier.

What questions should a patient ask a heart surgeon?
You need to ask your surgeon directly, how many of these surgeries have they done. Don't be shy about asking what the mortality rate is. Make sure you understand the procedure and all of your options. You are interviewing the surgeon and they will have your life in their hands. You have every right to ask any question about the surgeon's experience and approach and what you will need to do to have the best recovery.

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CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute
Heart Surgery