Cardiothoracic Surgery

The Cardiothoracic Surgical Unit has been established since the early 1960s. With over 1,000 procedures completed every year, the unit is consistently achieving outcomes superior to national and international guidelines.

What makes the Cardiothoracic Department at St Vincents Private Hospital Sydney Unique?

• The first minimally invasive surgery for mitral valve, aortic valve and coronary artery bypass in Australia was performed on the St Vincent’s campus. Since then, we’ve developed the largest minimally invasive valve program in Australia.
• Over 60 double lung transplantations are carried out every year on the campus, placing the campus in the top 5% in the world.
• St Vincent’s Private is the only private hospital in Australia inserting Left Ventricular assist devices for the treatment of end stage heart failure.
• We are one of few the private hospitals in NSW using temporary heart and lung assistance for patients. Our Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation program, helps support desperately unwell patients during their illness and bridge them to recovery.

St Vincent’s Private Hospital’s Cardiac Services offered to patients;

• Coronary artery bypass surgery including beating heart surgery
• All types of valve surgery, including repair of the mitral valve (minimally invasive techniques are used for valve surgery)
• Complex aortic surgery
• Management of heart failure
• Artificial heart surgery
• All types of thoracic surgery including: video assisted thoracic surgery, all cancer surgery, complex mediastinal tumour surgery and minimally invasive lung cancer surgery
• Robotic coronary surgery, this innovation has seen the patient journey following surgery be completely overhauled due to the minimally invasive methods used during surgery. A key feature is that patients don’t have their chests opened, therefore do not experience as much pain and are able to return home quicker.
• Dedicated cardiac ward where post-surgery our patients are strongly supported and monitored by an experienced cardiac nursing team
• Access to a cardiac rehabilitation service
• Strong partnership between cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologists to ensure quality heart care is provided to patients