There are times when something is going on in the body that can't be treated by a general physician. This is when specialists comes into the picture as they are trained to treat very specific conditions and only those conditions. If the problem is with the heart or organs in the chest cavity a cardio thoracic surgeon may be the type of specialist to see. If residing in Michigan, it is easy to find a referral to a good cardio thoracic surgeon in Michigan as there are many to choose from.
A cardio thoracic surgeon not only treats problems relating to the heart though they do extensively treat the heart and its valves and vessels. They also treat lung disease including lung cancer or other types of tumors, problems within the trachea or airway and various types of chest injuries. They undergo extensive training beyond medical school and residency. There is often an additional fellowship where they have the opportunity to further develop their skills. This is a very demanding area and one that requires an extremely high skill level.
One of the most complicated and intricate procedures performed is the heart transplant. Even beyond that, cardio thoracic surgeons can perform a heart/lung transplant at the same time. This is a last resort treatment and is used only if all other medications and interventions have not been successful. When performed successfully this is a surgery that can add years to someone's life. Other more common procedures include coronary artery bypass surgery, mitral valve replacement or repair, and high tech surgeries such as the ventricular assist device which actually does the work of damaged ventricles by using a small pump and pumping blood outside the body and back to the heart. Patients wear the small compact device and it can actually keep someone alive if they are waiting on a heart to become available for transplant.
Some of the diagnostic test that can be performed include EKG's, heart catheterizations, MRI's, Cat Scans, and lung function tests. These type of tests go a long way in letting doctor's know what types of procedure may be the most beneficial to the patient. Sometimes the conditions detected by these tests are congenital and cannot be avoided and other times they are the result of injuries, illness, or unhealthy lifestyle choices. Whatever the reason is, rest assured that if there is a need for surgery there are many available options.
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