An introduction to Cardiac Surgery in Southwest Florida

At the present time cardiac surgery in Lee and Collier county is being done in three hospitals: Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center; Lee Memorial Hospital (Health Park Campus); and Naples Community Hospital. Each hospital is anxious to be the best in the area so there is substantial competition between the hospitals to develop and maintain quality teams.

The range of service provided includes essentially all adult cardiac surgery with the exception of cardiac transplantation, and some new and experimental procedures.

Independent assessment of risks and outcomes at these hospitals has demonstrated results that compare favorably with major centers around the country. Outcome statistics in medicine are always to be weighed very carefully since so many factors can influence the benefits and results of operation - and it isn't always possible to account and adjust for those factors in a statistical analysis. Past results alone shouldn't be used as the criteria for selecting a surgical team. Nonetheless it is nice to be able to point to favorable results.

Coronary Artery Bypass surgery is the most commonly performed cardiac surgical procedure in this community. Valve surgery is also relatively common, and because of the population mix found in a retirement community we see a substantial number of people needing their second heart operation and a substantial number of older patients and have experience with special problems sometimes seen in people that fall into those categories.

Our practice is also seasonal, in that many of our patients are winter residents so that we are often very busy throughout the winter months.