Duke Hospital: Premature Heart Surgery Options

Duke University Hospital is renowned for its cardiology and heart surgery program, ranked highest in North Carolina and among the best nationwide. The hospital's cardiothoracic surgery clinic in Durham, NC, provides specialized pre- and post-surgical consultation, evaluation, and treatment for various conditions, including heart diseases. Duke Health also has clinics in Raleigh and Cary, offering cardiovascular services led by prominent physicians who are internationally recognized for their contributions to patient care advancements. The hospital's pediatric heart surgeons perform a wide range of surgeries, and their patient survival rates are among the highest in the US. While there is no explicit mention of premature heart surgery, the hospital's expertise in pediatric heart procedures and its reputation for superior clinical outcomes suggest that they may have the capabilities to perform such operations.

Duke University Hospital's cardiology and heart surgery program

The Duke Cardiology and Heart Surgery program currently ranks among the best programs nationwide by U.S. News & World Report. It achieved the highest STS, a three-star rating for general thoracic, adult cardiac, and pediatric cardiac surgery procedures. With more than 1,000 open-heart procedures annually, Duke's volumes far exceed those suggested by national guidelines, and survival rates consistently exceed the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' benchmarks. Duke Health heart clinics are located in Durham, Raleigh, Cary, and throughout North Carolina.

Duke heart surgeons and cardiologists collaborate to improve blood flow to the heart with a combination of heart surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or "stenting." Typically, robot-assisted minimally invasive CABG is performed first, and other blockages are stented at a later date. The adult cardiac surgery program is among the nation's top-performing programs. In 2025, Healthgrade named Duke University Hospital among "America's 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery," recognizing "superior clinical outcomes for heart bypass surgery." Duke has excellent survival rates and low complication rates and strictly adheres to treatment guidelines.

Duke Children's Hospital is ranked the #4 pediatric cardiology program in the nation and the best in North Carolina by U.S. News & World Report. The Duke Pediatric Heart Center's patient survival rates are among the highest in the U.S. Duke pediatric cardiac surgeons offer a full range of pediatric heart surgeries. They are one of the few hospitals in the U.S. verified as a Level I Children's Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons. This Level I designation recognizes their commitment to providing the highest-quality surgical care to young patients. After surgery, children receive 24/7 care in their pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU), one of only two in the state.

Pediatric heart surgery at Duke Children's

Duke Children's Hospital is ranked the #4 pediatric cardiology program in the US and the best in North Carolina by U.S. News & World Report. The Duke Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center is committed to improving patients' outcomes and quality of life. The center has achieved some of the highest survival rates in the US in very sick patients who require advanced, complex care. The pediatric heart surgeons perform hundreds of heart operations every year, including significantly more complicated procedures than many other centers nationally.

The Duke Children's Hospital providers will prepare your child for heart surgery once you arrive at the Duke Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center. The pediatric heart surgeons perform the full range of children's heart surgeries, including heart transplants and congenital heart defect repairs. The center is one of the few hospitals in the US verified as a Level I Children's Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons. This Level I designation recognizes the hospital's commitment to providing the highest-quality surgical care to young patients.

The center has a dedicated pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU), one of only two in the state, where your child will receive 'round-the-clock care after surgery. The center also has award-winning perfusionists, who are certified by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion. They expertly divert blood away from your child's heart and lungs during surgery while ensuring that their blood continues to deliver oxygen throughout their body. The pediatric anesthesiologists are also specially trained to administer the right drugs at the right doses to children undergoing heart surgery.

Duke Children's Hospital is recognized for its surgical excellence and is one of the nation's best pediatric cardiology and heart surgery programs for children with congenital and acquired heart disease. The center has pioneered new surgical techniques that lower risk and ensure heart surgery is better tolerated by the tiniest babies.

Heart bypass surgery

Duke University Hospital's cardiology and heart surgery program is nationally ranked and the highest-ranked program in North Carolina, according to U.S. News and World Report. Duke heart surgeons specialize in heart bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass grafting or CABG. This operation is a treatment for coronary artery disease or CAD and can prolong life and reduce or eliminate the symptoms of coronary artery disease.

During heart bypass surgery, surgeons reroute blood flow around a blocked artery in the heart using vessels taken from the patient's chest, arm, or leg. This improves blood flow to the heart muscle and helps the heart pump more efficiently. There are several ways in which bypass surgery can be performed, depending on the patient's heart disease severity, anatomy, overall medical condition, and preference.

The conventional approach to heart bypass surgery, known as on-pump CABG, involves a chest incision and dividing the breastbone (sternotomy) and the use of a heart-lung bypass machine to oxygenate the blood and maintain blood flow during the operation. The heart is typically stopped during this procedure.

Another method is off-pump CABG, which can be performed without the use of a heart-lung bypass machine. This can be done by dividing the breastbone (sternotomy) or by using a smaller incision between the ribs (minimally invasive CABG or MIDCAB). Robot-assisted minimally invasive CABG is another option, where robot technology is used to perform the surgery. This method is less invasive and can result in lower rates of wound infection, minimal scarring, and faster recovery times.

After the surgery, patients are typically taken to a recovery room and then to the intensive care unit (ICU) for close monitoring. The goal of Duke's heart bypass surgery program is to improve heart health and get patients back to their normal lives as soon as possible.

Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery

The Duke Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery provides specialized pre- and post-surgical consultation, evaluation, and treatment for diseases of the heart, lungs, and other structures within the chest. The division treats a range of conditions that may require surgery, including heart disease, lung disease, aneurysms of the great vessels, and disorders of the esophagus.

Duke's cardiology and heart surgery program is ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, with the Duke Pediatric Heart Center's patient survival rates among the highest in the U.S. Duke Children's Hospital is one of the few hospitals in the U.S. verified as a Level I Children's Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons, offering the highest-quality surgical care to young patients. The hospital also has a dedicated Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, one of only two in the state, where children receive 'round-the-clock care after surgery.

Duke's adult cardiac surgery program is also among the nation's top-performing programs, with Healthgrade naming Duke University Hospital as one of "America's 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery." The hospital achieves superior clinical outcomes, with excellent survival rates and low complication rates, and has a longstanding commitment to transparency by voluntarily reporting its outcomes.

Duke's heart surgeons specialize in heart bypass surgery (or coronary artery bypass grafting, CABG) to treat coronary artery disease (CAD). The surgery improves blood flow to the heart and helps the heart pump more efficiently. There are several ways to perform bypass surgery, including on-pump CABG, off-pump CABG, and robot-assisted minimally invasive CABG. Duke heart surgeons and cardiologists also collaborate on hybrid surgeries that combine heart surgery with percutaneous coronary intervention ("stenting").

Duke's lung and heart-lung transplant program, established in 1992, is the largest in the Southeast, and Duke is the largest heart transplant program in the world, performing over 140 heart transplants in 2022.

Cardiothoracic surgery clinic

The Duke Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinic in Durham, North Carolina, is recognised as a top hospital for cardiology and heart surgery. The clinic provides specialised pre- and post-surgical consultation, evaluation, and treatment for diseases of the heart, lungs, and other structures within the chest.

The clinic is part of Duke Health, which contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks. Duke Health has heart clinics located in Durham, Raleigh, Cary, and throughout North Carolina. The Duke Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinic is open from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The Duke Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery achieves outstanding clinical outcomes and is involved in developing new treatments for cardiovascular and thoracic diseases. The Duke Cardiology and Heart Surgery program is ranked among the best nationwide by U.S. News & World Report. The division has achieved the highest STS three-star rating for general thoracic, adult cardiac, and pediatric cardiac surgery procedures.

Duke Heart offers state-of-the-art cardiac care and is consistently ranked among the best in the nation. Its cardiology and heart surgery program is nationally ranked and recognised as the highest-ranked program in North Carolina. Duke Heart provides advanced imaging services, including cardiac magnetic resonance, cardiac computed tomography, nuclear cardiology, and echocardiography.

Duke Children's Hospital is one of the few hospitals in the U.S. verified as a Level I Children's Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons. The pediatric cardiac intensive care unit provides dedicated round-the-clock care for young patients. Duke Children's Hospital offers a range of pediatric heart surgeries and provides unique care for newborns to teenagers.

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