Heart, Lung & Vascular Surgery
When you or someone you love needs heart or vascular surgery, you want a surgeon you can trust. At VHC Health, you’ll find advanced care from a team that puts your safety first. Our experts bring the latest heart, lung, and blood vessel treatments to the Washington, DC metro area.
Our surgeons perform many procedures and work closely with a full team of specialists. When you choose VHC Health, your heart is in experienced, caring hands.
Conditions We Treat
You and your doctor may decide surgery is the best choice based on your symptoms, test results, and overall health. We treat conditions that affect the:
- Heart
- Lungs
- Veins and arteries
Along with excellent surgical care, you’ll get education and support. So, you'll have the best outcome possible.
Less Invasive Options
Whenever possible, your surgeon will use small incisions. You benefit from:
- Reduced pain and scarring
- Faster recovery and shorter hospital stay
- Less risk of complications, including infection
Procedures We Offer
Our team uses advanced techniques to repair the heart, replace damaged valves, treat blood vessels, and fix problems present at birth.
Cardiac Surgeries
Find top-quality care for adult heart surgeries, including:
- Congenital heart defect repair (ASD or VSD repair) – Fixes heart problems you're born with
- Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) – Opens blocked arteries to improve blood flow
- LVAD surgery – Uses a mechanical pump to help a weak heart
- Maze procedure – Treats atrial fibrillation by creating scar tissue that blocks abnormal electrical signals
- Mitral valve and tricuspid valve surgery – Restores healthy blood flow
- Pacemaker placement – Helps keep your heartbeat steady
- Pericardial repair – Removes thickened tissue around the heart
- TAVR – Replaces a damaged aortic valve using a minimally invasive method
- Valvuloplasty – widens a narrowed heart valve
Vascular (Blood Vessel) Surgeries
Choose VHC Health if you need:
- Aortic aneurysm repair – Repairs a bulge in the aorta (the body's largest artery)
- Aortic dissection repair – Treats a tear in the aorta
- Carotid endarterectomy – Removes plaque in the carotid artery to improve brain blood flow
- Peripheral vascular surgeries (including fem‑pop bypass) – Improves blood flow to the legs
Endostent Aneurysm Repair
For abdominal aortic aneurysms, your surgeon may use endovascular stent grafting. This less invasive procedure uses thin tubes (catheters) to place an endostent inside the aorta. The stent reinforces a weak area so the blood vessel doesn't burst.
Dialysis Access
If you need dialysis, your doctor may recommend surgery to create a dialysis access. This opening lets blood travel to the dialysis machine and back to your body.
Thoracic (Chest) Surgeries
You may see a VHC Health thoracic surgeon if you need:
- Lung biopsy - Takes a sample of the lung for testing
- Lung lobectomy - Remove some of the lung’s lobes
- Pneumonectomy - Removes a lung or part of a lung
- Surgery to diagnose or treat lung cancer
Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS)
VATS is a less invasive option that uses a camera and small tools. That means you’ll have:
- Less scarring
- Less pain
- Lower risk of infection
- Faster recovery
VHC Health surgeons use VATS for lung cancer treatment, biopsies, lobectomies, and pneumonectomies. Learn more about VATS, and ask your doctor if it’s right for you.
Thoracotomy
A thoracotomy is a larger incision between the ribs. It lets surgeons see and treat the lungs or other chest organs directly. Your team will recommend this if it’s the safest option for your condition.
High Blood Pressure Treatment
You have a new treatment option to treat high blood pressure at VHC Health. It’s called Symplicity SpyralTM. This procedure calms nerves near the kidney arteries that can raise blood pressure. It can help you if medicine and lifestyle changes don’t do enough to lower your blood pressure. VHC Health is the first health system in Arlington and the DC metro to offer this FDA‑approved treatment.
Your Care Team
You’ll have a full team guiding you through every stage of care. Your team may include:
- Cardiovascular clinician – Coordinates your treatment
- Nurse clinicians – Provides day‑to‑day care
- Clinic administrator – Helps schedule visits, tests, and surgery
- Physician assistant (PA) – Provides education, orders tests, and helps manage your recovery
Your surgeon is close to the hospital's cardiac unit. So, you’ll have continuous oversight before, during, and after surgery. Learn more about what you can expect from surgery at VHC Health.
