Surgical Procedures
- CABG – Total arterial revascularization/By Pass surgery/Open Heart Surgery
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Single valve and double valve replacements
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ASD and VSD surgeries
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All paediatric congenital heart surgeries including TOF
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Mediastinal tumour excision
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Lung Surgeries like Lobectomy, Pneumonectomy etc.,
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Vascular Surgeries: Surgery for Aneurysm Aorta, Bypass grafting of peripheral vessels, Carotid endarterectomy, Injury of vessels
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Surgery through a small hole without big wound on the body (Video-Assisted Thoracoscopy)
The rates of complications and mortality are comparable with the best hospitals in the country and are available at very competitive rates.
CATH LAB
The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory is where Angiographies, Angioplasties etc. are performed, is a state-of-the-art, first high end Cathlab in Visakhapatnam.
Cardiac Cathlab - High end universal model for whole body (Coronary, Carotid, Renal, Peripheral vessels etc.) with DSA giving complete digital acquisition and recording for the best Angio image quality and provided with automatic software for online precise quantification of narrowing in blood vessels and for analysis of LV Contractibility. This is a fully integrated imaging system that meets all clinical needs for interventional and diagnostic cardiac angiography with advanced image quality, innovative dose management and ease of positioning.
Catheterization procedures:
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Primary Angioplasty - a procedure done within 6 hours of acute heart attack - Saving life immediately after heart attack and preventing heart muscle damage - Primary Angioplasty with stenting |
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Graft Angioplasty – After Bypass surgery, grafting maybe get blocked, to create patency, balloon angioplasty and stenting can be done. |
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Coronary stent Implantation |
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Transradial Angiography & Angioplasty |
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Balloon Angioplasty, Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty, Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty, Balloon Pulmonic Valvuloplasty |
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Temporary and Permanent Pacemaker Implantation |
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Implantable Defibrillator Diagnostic Cardiac Cath for Acyanotic Heart disease |
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Device Closure of ASD - Closure of a hole in the heart without operation (Device closure of septal defect) |
Diagnostic Lab:
The Diagnostic Laboratory is a round the clock facility with state of the art equipment.
Echo cardiography with Colour Doppler with ultravision. This is the latest and best machine currently available with facilities such as:
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2D ECHO
- Colour Doppler
- Stress Echocardiography
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Trans-oesophageal Echocardiography
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Vascular Doppler
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Computerized Treadmill Test
- Holter Monitor - for 24 hours recording of ECG at home
What is Heart Disease?
Heart disease is the nation's leading health problem and cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death. Atherosclerosis is the underlying process that causes most heart disease. Atherosclerosis is the disease of the arterial vessels that is marked by thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity in the arterial walls. It begins early in adulthood, but it may be decades before clinical disease shows up.
Coronary artery disease (disease of the arteries which supply blood to the heart) and coronary risk factors are two or three times higher among the urban compared with the rural subjects, which may be due to greater sedentary behaviour and alcohol intake among urbanites. It is possible to reduce the risk by reducing serum cholesterol, blood pressure and central obesity and increasing physical activity.
SevenHills Health Services aims to reduce the risks and lifestyle limitations associated with heart disease and diseases of the blood vessels (vascular disease). We involve the patient and family in the education, identification, treatment and rehabilitation through our customized attention and care to individual needs.
Risk Factors
We have identified risk factors and strategies to reduce the risk. The risk factors we can recognize, modify, treat or control include:
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Age (men 45 years or older, women 55 years or older or postmenopausal) |
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Family history of heart disease |
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Smoking |
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Hypertension (blood pressure 140/90 mm Hg or greater) |
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High Blood Pressure |
Blood Pressure should be less than 140/90 and less than 130/80 in patients with diabetes, kidney disease, or heart failure. high cholesterol can also be treated with lifestyle modifications and should be less than 160 mg/dL if you have no more than one risk factor or less than 130 mg/dL if you have two or more risk factors.
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Obesity
- Physical Inactivity; Please exercise regularly based on your physician's recommendation
Diagnostic Tests
If your physician is concerned about your risk for heart disease, he/she may order some diagnostic tests. These tests (listed in alphabetical order) might include:
Angiography
Angiography is performed using regular x-rays and is used to look at arteries of the neck, head and brain. Medication is directly injected into an artery of the leg or the arm and pictures are taken of the vessels. This is used to identify blockages or aneurysms of blood vessels. Coronary angiography is used to evaluate blockages in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. It's an important tool that helps doctors evaluate the number and severity of diseased coronary arteries.
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Stress Test
An Exercise Stress Test is a test used to evaluate the heart's function while performing activities. A patient will walk on a treadmill until they are able to reach their maximum peak heart rate and the function of the heart will be recorded on an EKG. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes. (See also Thallium Stress Test)
Doppler Ultrasound
This is an ultrasound test used to look at the arteries of the neck, upper extremities and lower extremities. It is also very useful in detecting blockages or aneurysms in blood vessels. The ultrasound waves are used to reconstruct an image of the carotid (or other) arteries and the status of blood flow through the artery.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram is a type of ultrasound technique used for viewing the heart. It is used to look at heart valve function, heart muscle function, and blood flow in the heart. It is able to measure the size of the heart, how the heart is working, how thick the muscle of the heart is and how the heart wall is moving. It is especially useful in diagnosing congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathies, and aneurysms. It can also identify tumors and clots in the heart. A transducer is placed on the outside of the body and the multiple images are recorded onto a videotape. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes.
Electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG)
An electrocardiogram is a measure of the heart rhythms and electrical impulses. It is used to diagnose abnormalities of the heart's functions. Electrodes are attached to the patient's arms, legs and chest, and these leads record the electrical activity of the heart. The procedure takes approximately 10 minutes.
Holter Monitor
A Holter monitor is a portable EKG that can be worn underneath the clothes to monitor for any heart abnormalities. The main goal of the Holter monitor is to document and describe occurrences of abnormal electrical behavior in the heart. It is used to detect arrhythmia (irregular heart beats and palpitations), and ischemia (decreased blood supply to the heart muscle). It is worn 24 hours a day while the patient is performing normal daily activities.
MIBI Scan (Nuclear Imaging)
The purpose of this test is to examine how well the heart is functioning as a pump. An intravenous (IV) line will be inserted for the test, and technetium, a radioactive substance that labels or "tags" red blood cells so they can be seen, will be administered. By counting these cells over numerous cardiac cycles, a nuclear camera can create an image of the heart's chambers and the larger blood vessels leading to and from it. The information obtained from this test will tell how much blood the heart ejects with each contraction (ejection fraction or EF), and how quickly this blood is ejected.
Thallium Stress Test (Nuclear Imaging)
The Thallium stress test is a type of nuclear scanning test or myocardial perfusion (blood flow) imaging test. It is usually done in conjunction with an exercise stress test on a treadmill or bicycle. When the patient reaches his or her maximum level of exercise, a small amount of a radioactive substance called thallium is injected into the bloodstream. The patient then lies down on a special table under a gamma camera that can detect the thallium. The thallium mixes with the blood in the bloodstream and enters the cells of the heart muscle. If a portion of the heart muscle is poorly perfused (doesn't receive a normal blood supply), there will be less than a normal amount of thallium in the heart muscle cells there. The first pictures are made shortly after the exercise test and represent blood flow to the heart during exercise. The heart is "stressed" during the exercise test, thus the name "stress test." The patient then lies quietly for two to three hours and another series of pictures is made. These show blood flow to the heart muscle in the resting state.
Based on your condition and diagnosis by a health care professional, the following (in alphabetical order) are procedures your doctor might recommend:
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
This operation involves an incision into your abdomen to open the aorta and remove cholesterol and fatty buildup. The surgeon implants a flexible tube (graft) to replace the enlarged artery.
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting is a surgical procedure that restores blood flow to the portion of the heart beyond the blockage. This procedure re-routes the blood around the blockage, creating an alternate pathway for blood to reach the heart muscle. Grafts are created using the portions of another artery or vein from the patient's body. The most commonly used vessels are the internal mammary artery (IMA), which is inside the chest wall, or the greater saphenous vein, which is in the leg. The vein grafts are connected to the aorta and are then attached beyond the blockage to reestablish blood flow. A conventional CABG is performed thorough a 12-14" incision (called a median sternotomy) in the middle of the chest. Some surgeons may prefer to perform a mini-sternotomy. The patient's heart is stopped, or "arrested" and he/she is placed on a circulatory support system called cardiopulmonary bypass. This works in place of the patient's heart and lungs, providing blood flow to the whole body.
CABG: Beating Heart
This type of CABG is performed while the heart continues to beat and is performed without putting the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass system. The advantages are reduced blood loss, decreased risk of adverse events.
Carotid Endarterectomy
This is a procedure to re-open the carotid artery so that blood is able to get to the brain. The surgeon will open up the carotid artery and removed the atherosclerotic plaque. The artery is then sewn closed using specialized suture material and a patch may also be placed.
Heart Valve Repair/Replacement
Heart valve annuloplasty (repair) or replacement may be recommended for narrowing or leaking of the heart valve. Diseases of the heart valves can be caused by heart failure, infections, or congenital birth defects. The mitral and aortic valves are the most commonly affected heart valves. Replacement heart valves are either natural (biologic) or artificial (mechanical). Natural valves are from human donors (cadavers), modified natural valves are from animal donors (pigs), and artificial valves are made of metal or plastic. Natural valves rarely require life-long medication, called Coumadin, to prevent blood clot formation (anticoagulation), whereas artificial valves will require anticoagulation medication.
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) and Coronary Stents
The cardiologist places a catheter through an artery in the leg and it is threaded into the opening of the coronary artery. A thin wire is threaded through this catheter and well past the narrowing, or stenosis, in the artery. A "rail" or track has now been established and any number of therapeutic devices can be passed safely over the wire and positioned precisely at the obstruction (blockage). A small balloon on the tip of the catheter is inflated, the plaque build-up is pushed to the sides, and the blood flow is restored, preventing permanent damage to the heart. As the blockage is opened, blood flow in the artery is stopped for very brief periods, during which the patient may experience some chest pain. A stent can also be used that will keep the walls of the artery open after the plaque has been cleaned out.
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