Several months ago, Helen Garrison was suffering from dizzy spells she initially attributed to side effects from a new medication. Diagnostic tests later revealed she had an ascending aortic aneurysm and a leaky aortic valve. An aortic aneurysm is an abnormal bulge that forms in the wall of the heart’s most important blood vessel, [...]
Most people are aware of the importance of keeping your overall heart health in check--with regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, and maintaining good blood pressure. But what about your heart valves? They are the intricate structures deep inside the heart muscle that are essential for its proper functioning. If they are damaged or deteriorate, [...]
February is American Heart Month, and here is a story that is close to ours about a very special patient who is paying his good fortune forward. Dr. Jeff Zapalac (a retired orthodontist) started experiencing very mild symptoms that seemed to be affecting his heart, including difficulty breathing and exercising. While he initially attributed that [...]
February is the month we celebrate Valentine's Day along with the symbolic image of the heart and all the love it represents. It is also American Heart Month. At CTVS, we celebrate hearts every second of every day, and every month of the year. Taking care of them has been our passion for more than [...]
If you’re still thinking of a meaningful New Year’s resolution to adopt -- one that could save lives -- consider becoming an organ donor. This is the heartfelt plea of one of our remarkable patients here at CTVS. "One person has the ability to be an organ donor and to save up to eight lives," [...]
No one is more proud than us at CTVS when our physicians share their expertise and skills beyond our practice to improve the health and well-being of so many others. Dr. Jonathan Yang, one of our board-certified cardiothoracic surgeons, serves as surgical director of the advanced heart failure program at Heart Hospital of Austin where [...]
Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, happens when the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly instead of beating effectively to move blood into the ventricles. This irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. What are the surgical treatments for AFib? The two most common surgical treatments for [...]
Smartwatches can track everything from steps taken to sleep habits, and now they may even be able to detect a dangerous heart condition. A recent study from the Cleveland Clinic suggests that smartwatches (specifically the Apple Watch 4) were able to identify instances of atrial fibrillation (AFib), or an irregular heartbeat/arrhythmia. The research was conducted [...]
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons’ Dr. Hunter Kirkland was recently featured in a story on KEYE-TV alongside his heart transplant patient Lemeul Bradshaw. Dr. Kirkland is one of our board-certified cardiothoracic surgeons specializing in heart transplantation. Transplant patients are unique in that they live most days of their life -- current Covid-19 crisis or not -- [...]
Bastrop resident Fulton Smith says he’s lucky to be alive. He credits Dr. David Kessler and Dr. Mazin Foteh for their quick thinking, innovative treatments and for respecting his religious beliefs to not have a blood transfusion during his emergency procedures. Fulton initially suffered a cardiac arrest and it was later discovered that the culprit [...]
