UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Heart and Lung Surgery

In 1978, cardiothoracic surgeons at St. Luke’s performed the area’s first open heart surgery, establishing St. Luke’s as Cedar Rapids’ Heart Hospital.

Since then, surgeons have performed tens of thousands of heart and lung surgeries. Patients trust and have come to expect they will receive the best and most advanced care from St. Luke’s cardiothoracic surgical team – right here in Cedar Rapids.

St. Luke’s Cardiothoracic Surgery Treatments

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), commonly referred to as open heart or bypass surgery, treats coronary artery disease. Surgeons perform CABG using arteries or veins from other areas in your body to bypass narrowed heart arteries and restore blood flow to the heart.

Aortic Aneurysm Repair: An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in a section of the aorta, the body’s main artery. Because the section with the aneurysm is weak, it can burst. Treatment depends on the location of the aneurysm and the patient’s overall health. An aneurysm in the upper chest (ascending aorta) is closely monitored and surgically repaired if it reaches a specific size.

Heart Valve Repair and Replacement may be required for patients with heart valve disease, which can affect any of the heart’s valves. St. Luke’s cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons monitor this condition for specific parameters and will recommend surgery at the appropriate time.

Lung Cancer Care

St. Luke’s cardiothoracic surgery team also has expertise in surgical oncology (cancer surgery). They work together with oncologists at the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center and St. Luke's Nassif Radiation Center to provide comprehensive treatment for those facing lung cancer. Treatment for lung cancer often involves a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, depending on each patient’s situation.