One of the most common health issues facing men is heart disease. A precursor to heart attacks and heart failure, heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in men over recent years. Unfortunately, even if you are presumably healthy, with no history or obvious symptoms of heart disease, it still may be [...]
Nothing makes us prouder at CTVS than when our physicians are recognized by fellow peers in the medical community and professional achievement. This year we are pleased to share that not one, but two of our specialists have been named as Texas Monthly Super Doctors Rising Stars, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Brendan P. Dewan and vascular [...]
Nearly 10 million Americans suffer from the circulatory condition Peripheral Artery Disease, or PAD. PAD occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries and limits blood flow to the lower extremities. This limited blood flow causes poor circulation, which if left un-treated, can severely damage foot and leg tissue, sometimes resulting in non-healing ulcers. When [...]
CTVS patient and marathon runner, Alejandra Saitas, shared her stroke survival story with Nicole Villalpando from the Austin American Statesman in honor of Stroke Awareness Month to help educate others about the lesser-known symptoms she experienced that took her by surprise. You can read her story below or find it on the Austin American Statesman website here. [...]
May is American Stroke Awareness Month. A stroke takes place when blood vessels that supply oxygen to the brain become blocked or rupture, resulting in damaged brain cells and potentially even permanent brain damage or death. Sadly, stroke continues to be one of the leading causes of death and disability in our country. Imagine not [...]
The Ross procedure is a complex operation designed to replace a diseased or damaged aortic valve. This unique surgery relies on a patient's own existing tissue, the pulmonary valve, to replace the aortic valve rather than using an artificial valve. The Ross procedure is only performed by a handful of skilled, board-certified cardiothoracic surgeons nationwide [...]
The esophagus is the tubular muscle that facilitates swallowing and connects the mouth to the stomach. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 22,000 new cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed this year, and more than half of those will result in death. As April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month, our team of [...]
The mediastinum is an area in the chest located between the lungs in the middle of your thoracic cavity. Residing inside the mediastinum are the heart, aorta, esophagus, trachea, lymph nodes, and a small organ called the thymus. In rare cases, abnormal cells can develop in the mediastinum and a mass forms. This is known [...]
It’s hard to believe that every six minutes someone dies from a blood clot here in the United States. Blood clots are gel-like masses that form inside your arteries or veins anywhere in the body. Blood clots are unfortunately hard to recognize, but because March is Blood Clot Awareness Month, our team of board-certified cardiothoracic [...]
At CTVS, our thoracic surgeons treat conditions affecting the esophagus including the most serious issue – esophageal cancer – and benign foregut disease like acid reflux (or GERD) and achalasia. What is GERD? GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease, or more commonly acid reflux, and refers to the occurrence of stomach acid routinely flowing backwards [...]
