How do I know if I need a Cardiac Surgeon?

Answer:

If your general medical doctor, pediatrician, or cardiologist feels that surgery may be the best treatment for your heart condition and that medication alone will not be enough, then you will be referred to a cardiac surgeon for further evaluation. The surgeon will review your medical records and test, especially the heart catheterization results, if bypass, cardiac valve, or heart surgery for a congenital defect is being considered. The cardiac surgeon will then discuss your case with you and your doctors, to give further advice about the risks and benefits of surgery. 

Cardiac surgeons perform many operations - coronary artery bypass, pacemaker insertion, heart rhythm surgery, valve replacement or repairs, heart transplants, and repairs of complex heart problems present from birth (congenital heart disease). They are also qualified to operate on organs other than the heart, such as the lungs, esophagus, and blood vessels. 

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