UCLA Health: Pioneering Excellence in Heart Surgery

UCLA Health stands as a beacon of excellence in heart surgery, consistently pushing the boundaries of cardiovascular care through innovation, expertise, and a patient-centered approach. With a legacy spanning over six decades, UCLA Health has been at the forefront of groundbreaking advancements, setting new standards for treatment and outcomes.

A Legacy of Innovation and Leadership

UCLA Health's commitment to innovation is deeply rooted in its history. In 1955, UCLA doctors revolutionized modern heart surgery by developing the first blood oxygenator and heart-lung machine. This pioneering spirit continues to drive advancements in techniques and technologies, ensuring patients receive the safest and most effective treatments available.

Since performing Southern California’s first heart transplant in 1982, UCLA Health has led the way in transplant medicine.

Comprehensive and Multidisciplinary Care

At UCLA Health, patients benefit from a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to heart care. Experienced cardiac surgeons collaborate with specialists across various fields to create customized treatment plans tailored to each patient's unique condition and needs. This collaborative environment ensures that every aspect of a patient's health is considered, leading to better outcomes and improved quality of life.

Areas of Expertise

UCLA Health's cardiac surgeons possess expertise in a wide range of heart conditions and surgical techniques, including:

Adult Congenital Heart Disease Surgery: Addressing heart defects present from birth in adult patients.
Aortic Disease Surgery: Treating conditions affecting the aorta, such as aneurysms and dissections.
Cardiac Arrhythmia Correction Surgery: Correcting irregular heart rhythms through surgical interventions like the Maze procedure and Arrhythmia Ablation.
Cardiac Valve Surgery: Repairing or replacing damaged heart valves to restore proper function.
Coronary Revascularization (Bypass Surgery): Improving blood flow to the heart by bypassing blocked arteries.
ECMO (Life Support): Providing temporary life support for patients with severe heart or lung failure.
Heart Failure Surgery: Offering surgical options for patients with heart failure, including heart transplants.
Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery: Performing heart surgery on infants and children with congenital heart defects.
Robotic Heart Surgery: Utilizing robotic technology for minimally invasive heart procedures.

Heart Conditions Treated

UCLA Health's cardiac specialists treat a wide array of heart conditions, including:

Angina: Chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart.
Aortic Aneurysm: A bulge in the aorta, the main artery carrying blood from the heart.
Arrhythmia: Irregular heartbeat, which can be too fast, too slow, or uneven.
Cardiomyopathy: Thickening of the heart muscle, making it harder for the heart to pump blood.
Congenital Heart Disease: Heart defects present at birth.
Coronary Artery Disease: Plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
Heart Failure: A progressive weakening of the heart, preventing it from pumping blood effectively.
Structural Heart and Valve Disease: Issues with the heart's structure or one of its four valves.

Advanced Surgical Techniques

UCLA Health is committed to utilizing the most advanced surgical techniques to optimize patient outcomes. These include:

Minimally Invasive and Robotic-Assisted Surgery: These techniques offer significant advantages, such as faster recovery times, less post-surgical pain, and shorter hospital stays. Each patient undergoes a thorough evaluation to determine if a minimally invasive approach is suitable for their condition.
Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER): A less invasive, nonsurgical intervention for patients with mitral regurgitation who are not candidates for surgery. The UCLA TEER program is one of the highest volume centers in the country for patients who have complex adult congenital heart disease and valvular regurgitation, and collaborates closely with the Adult Congenital Heart disease program.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): A minimally invasive procedure for replacing a narrowed aortic valve without open-heart surgery. UCLA first performed TAVR in 2012 and leads the nation in outcomes with the procedure.

Comprehensive Range of Heart Surgeries

UCLA Health offers a comprehensive range of heart surgeries, from routine procedures to the most complex cases, including:

Aortic Aneurysm Repair: Reinforcing a weakened section of the aorta to prevent rupture.
Arrhythmia Ablation (Catheter Ablation): Using heat or cold energy to stop irregular electrical signals and restore normal rhythm.
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG): Rerouting blood around blockages to improve blood flow and reduce heart attack risk.
Heart Transplant: Replacing a failing heart with a healthier donor heart.
Maze Procedure: Creating tiny scars in the upper chambers (atria) to treat atrial fibrillation.
Valve Repair or Replacement: Restoring normal valve function or replacing a damaged valve with a donor or mechanical option.

Training Programs

UCLA Health is dedicated to training the next generation of cardiac surgeons through its prestigious fellowship programs:

UCLA Thoracic Surgery Fellowship: A two-year, ACGME-accredited program providing top-tier training in cardiac and thoracic surgery. Fellows gain hands-on experience in a high volume of cases annually, including robotic procedures, heart and lung transplants, and mechanical circulatory support.
Congenital Cardiac Surgery Fellowship: A one-year, ACGME-accredited program, one of only a few elite programs nationwide. Fellows train in complex congenital and adolescent redo transplants, caring for patients from newborns to adults.

Training during this program includes a continuity clinic (3 years, one half day a week) and rotations on the consult service, cardiac care unit, catheterization laboratory, nuclear and echocardiography training, and advanced imaging (involving both cardiac CT and MR). In addition, a busy cardiac Cardiothoracic surgery service allows fellows exposure to pre-operative and post-operative care issues, and the cardiac catheterization laboratories allow training in all types of peripheral and cardiac interventions.

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Research and Innovation

UCLA Health is committed to advancing the field of cardiac surgery through groundbreaking research. Areas of focus include:

Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs): Researchers employ genomics platforms, patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, and disease model systems to identify disease-causing genetic variants and to uncover novel gene-environment regulatory circuits that dictate cardiac development and maturation programs and their dysregulation in newborn infants with CHDs.
Epicardial Development and Function: Studies focus on the molecular mechanisms regulating epicardial development and the role of the epicardium in post-natal cardiac regeneration and repair.
Coronary Vasculature Development: Research aims to identify the specialized epicardial cells and signaling programs responsible for the distinct patterning of vascular pathfinding cues during coronary vasculature development.
Cardiac Regeneration: The Nakano Lab aims to identify the cellular and molecular programs required to rebuild coronary arteries and mitigate cardiac damage following an ischemic event.

The Team

UCLA Health's cardiac surgeons are recognized experts in surgery, research, and education. They are dedicated to providing exceptional care and achieving the best possible outcomes for their patients.

Commitment to Excellence

UCLA Health's commitment to excellence is evident in its consistently high rankings and recognitions, including:

U.S. News & World Report ranks UCLA among the Best Hospitals for Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery in the nation and recognizes the medical center as “High Performing” in all of the cardiology and vascular procedures evaluated.
Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center Award for excellence in valve care.

A Patient-Centered Approach

At UCLA Health, the patient is at the center of everything they do. The team is committed to providing compassionate, personalized care that addresses each patient's unique needs and concerns. From diagnosis to treatment and recovery, patients can expect to receive the highest level of care and support.

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