We’re excited to announce a significant milestone at CTVS – our 65th anniversary!  We are the longest-standing cardiothoracic and vascular group of specialists in Central Texas.  We have had the privilege of treating the most complex cardiac, thoracic, and vascular conditions for people living in Travis, Hays, Williamson and the surrounding 10 county area. And let’s not forget patients who come to our area from well beyond the city limits.

“Since 1958, CTVS has been an integral member of the medical community in Austin and Central Texas.  Over the years, what makes us stand out is the collaboration among our physicians, our leadership in the community, and our physician organization,” explains our current president and board-certified vascular surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Apple. “I am very proud to call all of my partners friends and colleagues and we try very hard to raise the bar of excellence with all of them.”

Our group of 22 surgeons have more than 500 years of surgical experience combined. We are all board-certified in our respective specialties and continue to hone our skills and constantly seek out specialty training for newer, minimally invasive techniques. And we remain an independent surgical practice that has a deep history in our area, including many ‘firsts’:

  • Performed the first open heart surgery in Central Texas in 1961
  • Performed the first coronary artery bypass graft surgery in 1968
  • Performed the first kidney transplant in 1972
  • Performed the first insertion of an intra-aortic balloon pump in 1976
  • Performed the first heart transplant in 1986 (since that time we have performed over 300 heart transplants.)
  • Performed the first Ross Procedure in 1989
  • Performed the first video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in 1991
  • Performed the first off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in 2000, and the first Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) repair using Endoluminal Aortic Stent Graft
  • Performed first robotic thoracic surgery in 2010
  • Performed first robotic esophagectomy 2011
  • Performed first robotic-assisted lung volume reduction surgery, 2021
  • Performed first single anesthetic event combining robotic bronchoscopy followed by immediate robotic-assisted lung resection, 2022

The group also founded the first pediatric cardiac surgery program for infants and children in Central Texas and is recognized as being one of the first in the world to perform the Ross Procedure on a newborn.

Dr. John ‘Chip’ Oswalt, who was with the practice for 39 years, performed the first local heart transplant 32 years ago. He helped mold our practice into what it is today. “CTVS exemplifies the cutting edge of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery in not only central Texas, but the state of Texas. I was privileged to have partners that supported implementing cutting-edge techniques and new procedures that would add to the multiple successes we have experienced.”

Dr. Rachel Medbery is the first female thoracic surgeon (and one of only a handful in the state!) to join our group in its 65-year history. “I feel as though the community not only embraced my presence, but also helped me thrive.  My practice has been extremely successful and I’m proud of the reputation I’ve created in such a short amount of time.  My hope is that I’ve opened the doors for other women to join CTVS in the not-too-distant future.”

We now have offices in Central Austin, Kyle and Georgetown and continue to grow our team of exceptionally skilled surgeons.

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