Heart Videos
In these videos, our patients and physicians describe heart care services and treatment techniques available at the University of Chicago Medicine. You'll need the free Adobe Flash Player to view these videos.
Click on the links below to visit pages where you can view the videos.
Cardiac Surgery
Meet Our Cardiac Surgeons
In this video, our cardiac surgeons share their approach to care and describe the wide range of heart surgery services available at the University of Chicago.
Coronary Artery Disease
Animation: Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Through a Mini Thoracotomy (ThoraCAB)
The ThoraCAB approach to bypass surgery is performed through one small, 2- to 5-inch incision at the side of the chest. The breastbone (sternum) is not cut. This brief video animation shows how ThoraCAB is performed.
Heart Failure
Music Teacher Is Back On Beat After Heart Surgery
A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) helped Ron Lekavich return to teaching music after suffering from extreme weakness and shortness of breath due to heart failure. "If I didn't receive the heart pump, they would have given me six months to a year to live," Lekavich said. The University of Chicago Medicine implants LVADs as a bridge to heart transplant or as an alternative to transplant.
Heart Rhythm Disorders
Minimally Invasive Atrial Fibrillation Surgery: Lynda's Story
An avid runner, Lynda Spiegel was hiking in Italy when she noticed her heart racing out of control. After speaking with Valluvan Jeevanandam, MD, Lynda travelled to the University of Chicago Medial center from New York because our heart surgeons can offer the most advanced minimally invasive techniques. Following the procedure, Lynda enjoys running and feeling like herself again.
Heart Valve Disease
Animation: Robotic Mitral Valve Repair Surgery
Robotic mitral valve repair surgery is performed with the assistance of the da Vinci Surgical System, a sophisticated device that allows the surgeon to repair the heart valve through four to five fingertip size incisions, instead of opening the chest. This video is located lower down on the heart valve surgery Web page.
Heart Transplantation
Heart-Kidney Transplant: Kenneth's Story
After being turned down for transplant by six different hospitals, Kenneth Woodka looked to the University of Chicago Medicine for help. Soon after he arrived, Kenneth had a successful heart-kidney transplant.
Animation: Total Heart Transplant
At the University of Chicago, our heart surgeons perform an advanced method of heart transplant surgery, called "total heart transplant." This method involves removing the entire diseased heart and connecting the new donor heart in six places. Traditional heart transplants keep parts of the diseased heart intact, and involve four connections to the new heart.
