Cardiac Surgery at UPMC
IRCCS ISMETT – UPMC, the hospital in Palermo managed by UPMC, is equipped with a Cardiac Surgery Unit for elective activities and emergency transfers relating to cardiovascular pathologies. In Italy, this ranks in the top ten places for success of aorto-cornolar bypass surgery. Furthermore, it is among the national health excellences in the field of other surgical procedures for the heart.
Book an Appointment
IRCCS ISMETT – UPMC is located in Palermo and can be easily reached from mainland Italy and the rest of Europe:
ISMETT's "Heart" Program
Cardiac surgery treats disease and malformations of the heart through surgical procedures, including treatment for the blood vessels that carry blood to and from the heart.
The "Heart" program of IRCCS ISMETT – UPMC is aimed at those suffering from heart diseases, including myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, cerebrovascular diseases, and blood clots. It is also aimed at those who have had a heart attack or stroke and offers specific treatments for heart disease and coronary heart disease.
Heart surgery is effective in the prevention of heart attacks and blood clots. In addition, it is indispensable in the repair of congenital heart problems and in the correction of damaged or diseased heart valves.
There are also cardiovascular conditions that can be treated with minimally invasive techniques and that use, for example, catheters or robotics. In particular, we deal with the treatment of diseases of the coronary vessels, valvular diseases, and aneurysms of the thoracic aorta.
In cases of advanced heart failure, it may be necessary to undergo a heart transplant. In addition, we have an artificial heart implantation program. The surgeries are conducted by means of the "Ventricular Mechanical Assistance" (VAD) technology to insert miniaturize centrifugal pumps into the patient's rib cage.
What Cardiovascular Diseases Do We Treat?
Our advanced clinical program are based on research projects carried out in IRCCS ISMETT – UPMC. Our specialists have developed innovations in bioengineering and computational technology on which our treatments for heart disease are based.
We treat the following cardiovascular diseases in adults;
- Acquired adult heart disease: We use conventional or minimally invasive surgical treatment.
- Coronary artery disease: UPMC provides surgical revascularization.
- Valvular disease: We provide conservative reparative or replacement surgery.
- Aneurysmal disease of the thoracic aorta.
- Terminal heart failure: This may require conventional surgical treatment – including, aneurysmectomy, mitral valve repair – mechanical cardio-circulatory support (ECMO, VAD) or transplantation.
- Congenital heart disease in adults.
- Cardiac tumors.
You can access our specialist services by referral or by transferring from another hospital. Firstly, you will undergo a series of diagnostic-instrumental investigations with the use of advanced diagnostic imaging techniques including echocardiogram, CT scan, and MRI.
Why Choose IRCCS ISMETT – UPMC for Cardiac Surgery?
The cardiac surgical procedures carried out by IRCCS ISMETT – UPMC are performed with the most modern and minimally invasive techniques. They are aimed at the treatment of adult cardiovascular pathologies, valvular pathologies, ischemic heart disease, thoracic aneurysms and congenital heart disease.
Our facility has a state-of-the-art Cardiac Surgery Centre where about 800 extracorporeal circulation operations are performed every year. This technique allows the functions of the heart and lungs to be temporarily replaced by a machine for performing open-heart surgeries.
We also have an active heart transplant program and offer mechanical assistance circulation in which mechanical pumps perform the function of the heart. The program is dedicated to patients with terminal heart failure that is not operable with conventional surgical treatments.
