Hackensack University and Jersey Shore University Medical Centers Among the Elite Hospitals in North America for Open Heart Surgery

Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Hackensack University Medical Center, which are licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health for open heart surgery, have earned distinguished three-star ratings from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for their patient care and exemplary outcomes in adult cardiac surgery.

Bio-inspired hydrogel protects the heart from post-op adhesions

A hydrogel that forms a barrier to keep heart tissue from adhering to surrounding tissue after surgery was developed and successfully tested in rodents by a team of University of California San Diego researchers. The team of engineers, scientists and physicians also conducted a pilot study on porcine hearts, with promising results.

They describe their work in the June 18, 2021 issue of Nature Communications.

Valentine’s Day heartbreak turns to healing

A broken heart for Valentine’s Day sounds like the plot of a romantic comedy. But for Rebekah Holl, a literal broken heart was her reality on Feb. 14, 2019. Born with a rare defect called d-Transposition of the Great Arteries, she underwent open-heart surgery as an infant to correct the way blood circulates throughout her body. Though rare, congenital heart defects are the most common form of birth defects – affecting about 1% or 40,000 births per year in the U.S.

Young Age Does Not Equal Low Risk for Patients Needing Aortic Valve Replacement

While transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) continues to expand its pool of eligible patients, open heart surgery—resulting in excellent patient survival and fewer strokes when compared to TAVR—is the best option for young and middle-aged adults with aortic valve disease—at least for now.