The Doctors of USC cardiovascular program is Southern California’s leader in providing high-quality care for those suffering from heart and vascular disease. Our renowned team continuously seeks the latest treatments and diagnostic testing, including echocardiography, vascular technology and interventional cardiology. Under the leadership of Vaughn A. Starnes, M.D., USC surgeons have performed more than 15,000 open heart surgeries for valve repair and replacements and coronary artery bypasses, along with more than 10,000 surgeries for diseases of the lungs, esophagus and chest wall. Because of this dedication, our program achieves outcomes consistently higher than the national average for returning our patients to active, functional lives.

Our heart team performs a range of procedures, from heart catheterizations and stents to surgeries such as bypass, valve replacement, heart septum repairs, transmyocardial revascularization (TMR), Ross procedure, Maze procedure, left ventricle reconstruction and Dor procedure. We use state-of-the-art surgical equipment and techniques, including minimally invasive procedures and robotics. Our surgical team can be set up and ready for emergency patients in minutes.

Our surgeons, along with their extensive clinical, research, and administrative staff, offer comprehensive state-of-the-art therapy for all surgical diseases of the chest including:

• Adult cardiac surgery
• Minimally invasive cardiac surgery - Robotic surgery
• Endoscopic vein harvest - VIDEO
• Adult thoracic surgery
• Video assisted thoracoscopic surgery - VIDEO
• Pediatric cardiac and thoracic surgery
• Heart transplantation and lung transplantation

USC surgeons also offer comprehensive state-of-the-art therapy for all surgical diseases of the chest including:

• Coronary artery disease
• Minimally invasive heart surgery
• Beating heart surgery
• Valvular diseases of the heart
• Aortic valve replacement
• Mitral valve replacement
• Mitral valve repair
• Diseases of the thoracic aorta
• Aortic aneurysms
• Aortic dissections
• Ross procedure
• Stentless Valvular Procedures
• Aortic homograft procedures
• End-stage cardiac disease
• Heart transplantation
• Lung cancer
• Emphysema
• Tumors of the chest wall, esophagus and mediastinum - VIDEO
• Surgery for hiatal hernia and reflux disease (GERD)
• Surgery for myasthenia gravis
• Lung transplantation

In addition, USC surgeons offer a complete spectrum of care for pediatric cardiac and thoracic disease including congenital heart disease, pediatric thoracic diseases, end stage cardiac disease, heart transplantation, end-stage pulmonary disease and lung transplantation.

USC cardiothoracic surgeons have engaged in a new era of cardiothoracic surgery that promises to significantly improve treatment of the most common forms of heart and lung diseases by introducing minimally invasive technology to cardiothoracic surgery. With the development of the minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgical technology, which includes robotic surgery, USC surgeons can achieve results that are safe, precise and reproducible. There are also significant benefits to the patient in terms of decreased postoperative pain and recovery time, lower cost and a better cosmetic result.

The Doctors of USC are on the faculty at the renowned Keck School of Medicine of USC, which means our patients may have access to new clinical trials and treatments that are not available at other hospitals.

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