Department of Cardiac Surgery

History and Operational Volume

Department of Cardiac Surgery at Shaheed Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center started its activity in **1974** with capacity to perform 4 open and closed heart surgical operations per day.

Up to **1990**, the main part of cardiac surgical operations concerned the valvular and congenital heart operations. Since then, due to the changes in disease patterns, we are now able to do more than 20 to 25 operations per day in this center.

Mission and Regional Status

The cardiac surgery department is dedicated to life-saving procedures and advanced surgical techniques and treatment methods. We continue to pioneer and develop new programs and techniques in the country. Shaheed Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center is now recognized as a **referral center** for surgery of cardiac patients throughout the region. This center is also one of the leading centers in the Middle East in treatments **complex congenital disease, Valves disorders and heart failure.**

Every year, Shaheed Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center admits around 6000 cardiac operations comprising adult acquired, adult congenital, and pediatric cases and serves more than 10,020 adults and pediatric in the outpatient clinic.

Seventeen cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists, pulmonologists, anesthesiologists, and about 6 cardiac surgery fellows strive to perform the highest quality of care. This center can proudly offer the services of highly specialized medical professionals for the treatment of complex and rare diseases in the country and Middle East as well.

Facilities and Capacity

This department provides integrated care for patients with diseases of the heart, lungs, great vessels, mediastinum and trachea, in adults as well as children. Shaheed Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center has 12 active operation rooms that belong to adult and congenital operation and one operating room dedicated to emergency operation.

The capacity of beds has significantly increased: adult open heart ICU’s beds increased to 43, and pediatric open heart ICU’s units to 38 beds. Moreover, our operating department has an independent pharmacy and stockrooms. The patients treated successfully range in age from a few days to 98 years old.

Specialized Surgical Procedures

The surgeons in this department are specialized in:

• Coronary bypass surgery
• Heart valve surgery (mechanical and biological heart valve prostheses, valve repair, endovascular aortic valve replacement)
• Surgery on the large thoracic vessels
• Heart rhythm surgery
• Surgical therapy of terminal heart failure
• And surgery for congenital heart disorders
• Heart transplant and etc…

Fellowship Training

Shaheed Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center has started to admit and train residents for fellowship of cardiac surgery since **1983**. The surgery department is now accepting 2 qualified fellows for training a 36-months fellowship of cardiac surgery each year. Furthermore, this center is the **first and only one center in the country** to have the congenital heart diseases fellowship training program which is accepting eligible fellow each year from our country as well as other countries for training an **18-months fellowship**.