Cardiac Surgery Glossary

Biological material used to close septal defects or augment cardiac structures during surgical repair.

Surgical creation of an opening in the pericardium to drain fluid and prevent recurrent pericardial effusion.

Surgical incision into the pericardium to access the heart and great vessels.

Accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, common after cardiac surgery requiring drainage if symptomatic.

Medication used to reverse heparin anticoagulation following cardiopulmonary bypass.

Narrowing of the pulmonary valve that impedes blood flow from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries.

Arterial conduit harvested from the forearm for use in coronary artery bypass surgery.

Repeat cardiac surgery in a previously operated chest, presenting increased technical complexity and risk.

Repeat cardiac surgical procedure in a patient with previous cardiac surgery, associated with increased operative risk.

Reopening of a previously divided sternum for subsequent cardiac surgery.

Complex cardiac surgery replacing the aortic valve with the patient's own pulmonary valve.

Right ventricular outflow tract, the pathway through which blood exits the right ventricle to reach the pulmonary arteri...

Vein harvested from the leg used as a conduit for coronary artery bypass surgery.

Separation or breakdown of the sternal closure following median sternotomy.

Surgical incision through the sternum to access the mediastinum and heart.

Aortic valve replacement technique using prosthetic valves that anchor without traditional suturing, reducing cross-clam...

Abnormal forward movement of the mitral valve during systole, potentially causing left ventricular outflow tract obstruc...

A minimally invasive procedure to replace a diseased aortic valve using a catheter-delivered prosthetic valve.

Transesophageal echocardiography; imaging technique using ultrasound probe placed in the esophagus.

A surgical incision into the chest wall to access thoracic organs, including the heart and great vessels.

Complete coronary bypass surgery using only arterial conduits, avoiding venous grafts entirely.

Full-thickness death of heart muscle extending from endocardium to epicardium, often requiring surgical intervention.

Backward flow through the tricuspid valve causing right heart volume overload. May require surgical repair or replacemen...

A surgical procedure to repair or reconstruct a heart valve while preserving the native valve structure.