The Cardiovascular Surgery team at Mayo Clinic provides high-quality care for complex or serious conditions that affect people of all ages. Our heart (cardiac) and chest (thoracic) surgeons diagnose and surgically treat conditions of the heart, lungs and chest. They perform thousands of surgeries each year at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota.
Mayo Clinic surgeons are on the leading edge of treating cardiovascular and cardiothoracic conditions, using the latest innovations, such as minimally invasive heart surgery with robot-assisted techniques. Minimally invasive robotic surgery is used to repair or replace heart valves, remove growths in the heart and for other procedures. This approach has helped many people recover more quickly than is possible with traditional surgery. Our team is widely recognized for its performance of complex procedures with safe and excellent outcomes.
A team focused on you
Cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgeons at Mayo Clinic are part of a multidisciplinary team that provides expert care tailored to your needs. Your team might include specialists in cardiovascular medicine, critical care medicine, anesthesiology, gastroenterology and hepatology, general surgery, hematology, oncology, otolaryngology, pulmonary medicine, vascular medicine, endovascular surgery, pathology, radiology, pediatrics, or physical therapy. Your team also might include registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dietitians and geneticists.
Our team approach means test results are available as quickly as possible, appointments are scheduled in coordination, and experts discuss the best approach for each person. What might take months elsewhere often can be done in days at Mayo Clinic.
Experience in advanced treatments and innovations
Our surgeons perform more than 4,500 heart surgeries each year. They are experts in treating serious conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and disease of the pericardium and in performing complex procedures. These include heart failure surgery, heart transplantation, heart valve surgery, aortic valve repair and aortic valve replacement, coronary artery bypass surgery, surgery to treat congenital heart defects in children and congenital heart disease in adults, surgery to treat pulmonary hypertension, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and placement of ventricular assist devices.
Our surgeons also are experts in helping people who need a second heart operation. This is called a cardiac reoperation. It's sometimes needed when a replacement valve begins to wear out or you develop new heart disease. Cardiac reoperations are even more complex than first surgeries, due to scar tissue and underlying conditions. People who come back for a second or even a third heart surgery need surgeons with highly advanced surgical skills and techniques.
Pediatric cardiac surgery is provided to children at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Cardiovascular surgeons trained in treating children work closely with doctors trained in treating child and adolescent cardiovascular conditions (pediatric cardiologists) as well as other pediatric specialists to provide comprehensive care.
Mayo Clinic Health System clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities are in 39 communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Cardiovascular surgeons also perform surgery at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Research to improve surgical care
Our cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgeons are leaders in researching and adopting new approaches and techniques. Projects have included:
- Researching new techniques to determine the timing and outcomes of mitral and tricuspid valve surgery.
- Researching a new strategy for treating hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) called ex utero intrapartum treatment. This sometimes allows them to treat HLHS without open-heart surgery.
- Using artificial intelligence to predict outcome after surgery and to detect adverse outcomes early.
- Using virtual reality to ease anxiety of the patient during surgery.
Our surgeons also participate in innovative studies to improve donor hearts and lungs before they are transplanted. The technique is called ex vivo perfusion, in which machines supply donor organs with blood and oxygen outside of the body. This allows more people to benefit from heart and lung transplantation. Our surgeons also combine heart and lung transplantations with surgeries for other organs, such as the liver and kidneys.
Our physician-scientists collaborate with researchers worldwide, contributing to advances in cardiovascular surgery that improve heart care for people everywhere.
Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people. In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals, or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.
U.S. patients
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Mayo Clinic's campus in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona
Central Appointment Office
- 480-301-8484
- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Mountain time
- Monday through Friday
Mayo Clinic's campus in Jacksonville, Florida
Central Appointment Office
- 904-953-0853
- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Eastern time
- Monday through Friday
Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota
- 507-255-2000
- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Central time
- Monday through Friday
Mayo Clinic Children's Center
Central Appointment Office
(Minnesota)
- 855-MAYO-KID (855-629-6543, toll-free)
- 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Central time
- Monday through Friday
Our cardiologists and cardiac surgeons work with other specialists to diagnose and provide timely surgical intervention for serious or complex conditions. Surgical services and procedures for conditions of the heart, arteries and veins, also called cardiovascular diseases, include but are not limited to those listed below. Not all services are available at all locations. Please confirm when you contact us for an appointment.
Our cardiologists and cardiac surgeons have deep experience treating people with conditions of the heart, arteries and veins, also called cardiovascular diseases. You may come to Mayo Clinic on your own or through a referral from your health care provider.
Mayo Clinic provides management and services for many conditions, including but not limited to those listed below. Not all services are available at all locations. Please confirm when you contact us for an appointment.
Mayo Clinic has one of the largest and most experienced practices in the United States, with campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. Staff skilled in dozens of specialties work together to ensure quality care and successful recovery.
Find doctors and medical staff:
Mayo Clinic has one of the largest and most experienced practices in the United States, with campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. Staff skilled in dozens of specialties work together to ensure quality care and successful recovery.
Mayo Clinic's cardiac surgery practice is consistently recognized by external organizations for providing outstanding patient care. These endorsements show our commitment to providing expert, whole-person care to people who turn to Mayo Clinic for help.
Nationally recognized expertise
Mayo Clinic is widely recognized for its high-volume performance of complex procedures with safe and excellent outcomes in cardiology and cardiovascular surgery.
Mayo Clinic campuses are nationally recognized for expertise in cardiology and cardiovascular surgery:
- Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for heart and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report.
- Mayo Clinic Children's in Rochester is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Minnesota, and the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2024–2025 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Ariz., are ranked as high performing for aortic valve replacement and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures by U.S. News & World Report. "High performing" is a designation given to the top 16% of TAVR programs across the nation (600+ programs). U.S News & World Report ranked hospitals for this procedure for the first time in 2022-2023.
Mayo Clinic is top-ranked in more specialties than any other hospital and has been recognized as an Honor Roll member according to the U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 "Best Hospitals" rankings.
Mayo Clinic is also recognized for high-quality cardiology and heart surgery subspecialty care, research and education by a variety of national organizations:
- American College of Surgeons. Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and Wisconsin have been recognized for outcomes in surgical patient care. They were among 90 hospitals recognized nationally by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.
- Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota have received awards as Centers of Excellence in life support from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization.
Learn more about Mayo Clinic's quality rankings.
Mayo Clinic physician-scientists and other researchers find better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat conditions of the heart, aorta and other blood vessels, which also are called cardiovascular diseases.
Mayo Clinic's research program includes laboratory and clinical research. In clinical research, physician-scientists study experiences of people who have had heart treatments to improve the techniques. You may have an opportunity to enroll in one of the clinic's many heart-related clinical trials.
Research labs
Explore research labs.
Related research centers and programs
Publications
See a list of publications about cardiovascular surgery by Mayo Clinic authors on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.
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.
Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.
In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.
Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.
Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.