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Cardiovascular Surgery

The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories

    Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients.

    1. Surviving Aortic Dissection and Navigating Its Aftermath

      Surviving an aortic dissection is a tale not all patients live to tell. For Eric Salter, living through the traumatic experience was nothing short of miraculous. What's been even more remarkable to the 45-year-old, though, is the life-changing care he's received from his Mayo Clinic cardiologists who are committed to helping him live a long [...]

    2. Pedaling His Way to a Successful Heart Transplant

      Told he needed a heart transplant to stay alive, Greg Williams could have simply sat back and waited. Instead, he chose to take ownership of his health by exercising in his hospital room at Mayo Clinic right up until the day of his transplant in hopes of preparing his body and mind as best he [...]

    3. Kindhearted Kid Perseveres Through Multiple Heart Surgeries

      Although 3-year-old Matthew Makela and his family have already been forced to deal with a host of serious medical concerns during the young boy's life, they navigate it all with grace and gratitude. Matthew Makela is a kindhearted 3-year-old who tucks in 20 stuffed animals each night at bedtime and gives his younger sister, Emily, [...]

    4. When Faced With Complex Heart Surgery, Physician Picks Mayo Clinic

      When he learned that he needed heart surgery, Andrew Ross, M.D., knew that in order to take care of his patients, he had to take care of himself. To do that, he turned to Mayo Clinic. Last year, Andrew Ross, M.D., a 44-year-old gastroenterologist who was accustomed to his role as a health care provider, [...]

    5. Mother's Day Has Special Meaning After Stroke and Heart Surgery

      After weathering a stroke and heart valve replacement, the prospect for Ashley Zimmerman to fulfill her dream of becoming a mom seemed dim. But with guidance and care from Mayo Clinic specialists, now Ashley is looking forward to celebrating her first Mother's Day with her baby boy. Marking the milestones in a child's life is [...]

    6. Back on Track After Heart Bypass Surgery

      A suspicious finding during a routine physical led to a diagnosis of coronary artery disease for Mark Guthrie. Heart surgery quickly followed, and now the longtime track and field coach is back to work and feeling great. Mark Guthrie knows how to build a winning team. The longtime collegiate track and field coach has helped [...]

    7. Heart Transplant Helps Elise Campbell Reach New Heights

      A lifesaving heart transplant at Mayo Clinic helped Elise Campbell break free from the physical limitations of a rare genetic heart condition she had lived with since she was 14. Now Elise is relishing the opportunity to enjoy experiences she never thought possible. Elise Campbell was 14 when doctors in her home state of Iowa [...]

    8. A Heartfelt Cure

      Fainting spells had plagued Julie Caimi since childhood. But until she went to Mayo Clinic, she had no idea the underlying cause was a congenital heart defect. An expert surgical team at Mayo corrected the problem, and now Julie's symptoms are gone. As a child, Julie Caimi recalls being told she was lazy, especially in [...]

    9. Teamwork, Tenacity at the Heart of Mat Walker's Recovery

      When Mat Walker had a device implanted to aid his failing heart, it was just the beginning of a long road to better health. But a host of Mayo Clinic care providers assembled to assist Mat as he worked toward his recovery goals. After all he's been through over the past year, Mat Walker takes [...]

    10. Embracing Life Wholeheartedly

      When Kim Russell was born in 1960 with a congenital heart defect, doctors weren't optimistic about her survival. Today, thanks to the individualized care and personal support of her Mayo Clinic team, Kim has exceeded all expectations. When Kim Russell was born 58 years ago, her skin wasn't pink. It was blue. The color was [...]
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    Oct. 15, 2019
    1. U.S. News Best Hospitals 2014-15. U.S. News & World Report. http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings. Accessed Aug. 21, 2018.
    2. Tordsen BW. Surgical Information Recording System. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 27, 2015.
    3. Find award-winning hospitals near you. American Heart Association. http://hospitalmaps.heart.org/AHAMAP/map/qimap.jsp. Accessed July 31, 2018.
    4. Mayo Clinic Children's Center becomes first accredited pediatric heart failure institute in Minnesota and fourth in the nation. PressReleaseHeadlines.com. http://pressreleaseheadlines.com/mayo-clinic-childrens-center-accredited-pediatric-heart-failure-institute-minnesota-fourth-nation-174647. Accessed July 31, 2018.
    5. Centers of Excellence. Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. https://www.elso.org/AwardofExcellence/CentersofExcellence.aspx. Accessed July 31, 2018.
    6. Best Internal Medicine Programs. U.S. World News & Report. https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/internal-medicine-rankings. Accessed Aug. 20, 2018.
    7. Doximity Residency Navigator Internal Medicine Programs. Doximity, Inc. https://residency.doximity.com. Accessed Aug. 20, 2018.
    8. Innovative management strategy for a fetus with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and intact atrial septum. Clinical Updates. https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/clinical-updates/cardiovascular/innovative-management-strategy-for-a-fetus-with-hypoplastic-left-heart-syndrome-and-intact-atrial-septum. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Accessed Sept. 4, 2018.

    Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., has been recognized as one of the top Cardiology & Heart Surgery hospitals in the nation for 2019-2020 by U.S. News & World Report.

    Learn more about this top honor

    Cardiovascular Surgery

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