Andrew S. Wechsler, M.D.

The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery offers comprehensive, state of art cardiac and thoracic surgery. Our mission is to provide the highest quality care to all patients and improve the quality of life of our patients and their families. We are committed to continually assessing the quality of our work through data acquisition, analysis and self-criticism, sharing new skills with each other, focusing on the needs of our patients and recognizing the important contributions of all members of the healthcare team in that process.

The most common operation performed is the coronary artery bypass operation, which is used to bring new blood around blocked arteries on the heart. Most of our surgeons have developed the expertise to perform coronary bypass without using a heart-lung machine and without stopping the heart. This procedure is called “off-pump” or “beating heart” coronary artery bypass.

The department is also quite skilled in treating patients whose arteries are not suitable for bypasses through a procedure called transmyocardial laser revascularization.

The second commonest operations performed are aortic valve and mitral valve surgery. In many instances, these operations are performed in a minimally invasive fashion. Most mitral valve leakages can be repaired allowing patients to enjoy the benefits of better long-term outcomes than those who have mitral valves replaced. Many times, patients requiring mitral valve surgery have an abnormal heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation). Our department was the first in the Delaware Valley to perform a special radiofrequency technique, called the Maze procedure, to surgically treat atrial fibrillation.

The department is also known for treating patients who have suffered heart attacks or have heart failure via special operative techniques to restore normal pumping function of the heart. When this is not possible, great success has been obtained using small motor pumps called ventricular assist devices (VAD) that take over the work of the left side of the heart. The heart transplantation program is well established and highly successful with many patients leading normal and healthy lives after transplant. Our Department acts as a regional VAD training center and is one of five universities participating in the AbioCor artificial heart clinical investigation.

The department also provides treatment for patients who have lung cancer. Frequently these operations can be performed through the use of small well-lit tubes called endoscopes versus opening the chest. Other thoracic procedures we perform include tumors of the chest wall or esophagus.