Dr Sylvio Provenzano is an exam-qualified Cardiothoracic Surgeon by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). He specialises in cardiac, thoracic and congenital cardiac surgery.
Aortic Valve Replacement
Can be indicated in some circumstances:
In isolation, when there is severe damage to the valve, either obstruction (also called ‘stenosis’) or leakage (‘regurgitation’ or ‘insufficiency’)
When there is moderate damage to the valve and another cardiac surgery is necessary (e.g. CABG, repair of aneurysm in the ascending aorta)
Infection of the aortic valve
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
CABG (pronounced ‘cabbage’) is the most commonly performed cardiac operation.
It is indicated for severe obstructions of the coronary arteries. It aims to decrease symptoms, increase survival or both.
CABG was introduced worldwide in the late 60’s. Since then, many techniques and equipment have been refined. Today it is understood as a well established operation.
The goal of the technique is to use the patients own vessels (grafts) to bypass coronary artery obstructions, therefore feeding the heart muscle with blood.
Cardiac Preservation
During cardiac operations, the surgeon needs a bloodless field so she/he can see the heart structures clearly.
This means that for a period of time, the heart muscle (also called ‘myocardium’) will not receive blood – known as ‘ischaemic time’.
To prevent/minimise injury to the myocardium, various techniques were developed along the decades.
They are the ‘Myocardial (cardiac) Preservation” strategies.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass and the Heart-Lung Machine
The Heart-Lung Machine is needed to perform any open heart surgery:
for instance, conventional CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft), valve repair/replacement, aortic surgery, congenital defects etc., and rarely some airway operations.
It has three components: an oxygenator, a pump and a heater-cooler.
Its job is to temporarily replace the functions of the heart and lungs, whilst the surgeon operates on the bloodless heart.
Blood bypasses the heart and the lungs, and then is returned to the body. Hence the term ‘cardiopulmonary bypass’ (CPB).
Mitral Valve Replacement
Mitral valve replacement (MVR) can be indicated in some circumstances:
In isolation, when there is severe damage to the valve, either obstruction (also called ‘stenosis’) or leakage (‘regurgitation’ or ‘insufficiency’)
When there is moderate damage to the valve and another cardiac surgery is necessary (e.g. CABG, aortic valve replacement)
Infection of the mitral valve
Dr Sylvio Provenzano
MD, MSc, FRACS
Opening Hours
Gold Coast Private Specialist Suites