Heritage Valley Health System’s Cardiovascular Surgery program is one of the most comprehensive heart health programs in the region. First opened in 1994, our skilled surgeons have performed more than 5,000 open heart procedures. The Cardiovascular Surgery program is a valuable asset to area residents who would otherwise have to travel to Pittsburgh for this type of quality care.
Heritage Valley’s Open Heart Surgery program offers patients a wide variety of services such as coronary bypass grafting, adult congenital surgery, minimally invasive techniques, and much more. Our open heart surgery team, consisting of a primary cardiothoracic surgeon, another physician, a scrub nurse, a circulating nurse, a perfusionist, and anesthesiologist, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, and a physician’s assistant. Our highly-educated, skilled cardiovascular surgeons – Alvise Bernabei, MD, F.A.C.S. and Dinesh Bhaskaran, MD are certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.
Similarly, the Vascular / Endovascular Surgery program offers a broad range of services including the management of peripheral arterial disease, extracranial cerebrovascular disease, aneurysmal disease, vascular access, venous and lymphatic pathology. Procedures are performed in both the Catheterization Laboratory as well as the Surgical Operating Suite. Endovascular technology has revolutionized vascular treatment paradigms and often patients can be treated for extensive pathologies with minimally invasive techniques such as stents, stent-grafts, angioplasty, atherectomy etc and leave the hospital within 24 hours. Dr. Edward Villella is board-certified in General Surgery by the American College of Surgeons and recently completed a Vascular Surgery Fellowship at Loyola University Medical Center. Additionally, Dr. Villella is a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI).
Adult Cardiovascular Surgeries include: Coronary Artery Bypass (CABG), Minimally Invasive Coronary Bypass, Aortic Valve Surgery, Mitral Valve Surgery, Cardiac Support in Conjunction with Neurosurgery, Urological Surgery and Head and Neck Surgery, Thoracic Aneurysm Repair, Thoracic Aneurysm Repair and Surgery of the Great Vessels, Maze Procedure (Surgical Ablation), Pacemakers, Adult Cardiothoracic Surgeries, Adult Congenital Surgery, Thoracoscopy and Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS), Minimally Invasive Lung Resection for Cancer, Esophageal Resection and Reconstruction, Mediastinoscopy, Thymectomy, and, Chest Wall Reconstruction.
Vascular Surgeries include: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair (Open), Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair (Endovascular), Upper Extremity Arterial Reconstruction, Surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Lower Extremity Arterial Reconstruction, Subclavian Artery Transposition / Bypass, and Carotid Endarterectomy.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): Expert interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons at Heritage Valley Beaver have joined together to offer an innovative, minimally invasive procedure for patients suffering from severe aortic stenosis. TAVR is a less invasive alternative to open heart surgery and is a viable option for patients who cannot have surgery or for whom surgery is too risky.