For 27-year-old Rachael Boyle, heart health was a familiar topic. Her younger brother had experienced heart problems as a teenager, but she had always been healthy. That all changed when she fell ill in April 2024. The First Signs As Rachael wrapped up her spring semester at the University of Texas, she started experiencing persistent [...]
CTVS patient, William Penny, shared his aortic dissection story with Nicole Villalpando from the Austin American Statesman to help raise awareness about heart health during American Heart Month. You can read his story below or find it on the Austin American Statesman website here. Will Penny and his wife were going for a run on [...]
An aortic dissection is a very serious, often times fatal, condition that takes place when the inner layers of the aorta (the body’s largest artery) weaken and tear causing blood to “dissect” the aorta into a false lumen & true lumen (very much like a double barrel shotgun). This can affect the entireity of the [...]
While constant, biting cold weather in the winter months is not typically common in Central Texas, we do get a few snaps of extreme temperatures that send the mercury diving down. Sudden extreme turns in the weather can take a toll on your health, especially your cardiovascular health. Colder weather can cause blood vessels to [...]
An aortic aneurysm is a very serious condition that occurs when the aorta (the largest artery in the body that comes off the heart) develops a bulb-like formation. If the aneurysm is not treated appropriately, it can rupture or lead to an aortic dissection, causing blood to dangerously leak out of the aorta and prove [...]
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 [...]
February is American Heart Month and we are highlighting some of the important therapies we work with often to aid in repairing and/or extend the life of the heart. Our board-certified cardiothoracic surgeons perform procedures day in and day out to improve heart health and save lives. Some of these include administering technologies such as [...]
35-year-old Tamara Fort is an ICU nurse and what many would consider the epitome of good health. She lifts weights three to four times a week and watches her nutrition closely. She isn’t someone you would consider to be at risk for heart disease. But for the past two years, she experienced shortness of breath, [...]
We are humbled and honored to begin the new year with recognition from our peers in the local Austin medical community. CTVS is pleased to share that several members of our team of our board-certified cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons have been named to Austin Monthly magazine’s Top Doctors list for 2024. Our CTVS physicians recognized [...]
CTVS is proud to announce that Dr. Stephen J. Dewan has been honored as this year’s Travis County Medical Society Physician of the Year for 2023. The Travis County Medical Society (TCMS) is a professional society of more than 4,000 physician members in and around Austin who are dedicated to causes affecting the local medical [...]
