Patient Care

The cardiothoracic surgery team at the University of Colorado provides comprehensive, advanced care for adult patients with aortic and major vessel disease. Our surgeons perform the full spectrum of cardiac procedures — from minimally invasive approaches to the most complex open‑heart operations — to treat both acquired and congenital conditions.

We specialize in repairing or replacing diseased heart valves, restoring blood flow through coronary artery bypass grafting, treating structural heart disease, inserting mechanical support devices such as ventricular assist devices, and performing heart transplantation. Our multidisciplinary approach ensures each patient receives precise diagnosis, individualized treatment planning, and seamless coordination across specialties.

Comprehensive Aortic Program

Our Comprehensive Aortic Program brings together experts in cardiothoracic surgery, vascular surgery, cardiology, radiology, and additional specialties to deliver leading‑edge care for aortic disease. We use state‑of‑the‑art imaging, surgical innovations, and minimally invasive endovascular techniques to:

• Improve diagnostic accuracy
• Reduce recovery time
• Optimize long‑term outcomes for patients with simple to highly complex aortic conditions

Robotic Cardiac Surgery Program

Our Robotic Cardiac Surgery Program offers minimally invasive options for both mitral valve repair and coronary artery bypass surgery. By operating through small incisions rather than opening the breastbone, patients experience less pain, fewer restrictions, and significantly shorter hospital stays. Our current length‑of‑stay data shows a running average of 3–4 days for both robotic mitral valve repair and robotic CABG.

These advanced techniques provide enhanced 3D visualization and precise instrument control, helping our team deliver safe, effective care with faster recovery.

Conditions We Treat & Procedures We Offer

Aortic Surgery

• Aortic Aneurysm Repair
• Aortic Dissection Repair

Coronary & Structural Heart Surgery

• Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) for coronary artery disease
• Heart Valve Repair and Replacement, including minimally invasive options
• TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) — see Heart Valve section

Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant

• Advanced Heart Failure Surgery
• Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) — see Advanced Heart Failure Surgery section
• Heart Transplantation — see Advanced Heart Failure Surgery section

Rhythm & Thromboembolic Disease

• Maze Procedure for atrial fibrillation
• Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy (PTE)

Thoracic surgery is a sub-specialty area that involves the surgical treatment of diseases affecting the organs located inside the chest, or "thorax." More specifically, it involves the surgical treatment of conditions affecting the lungs, chest wall, diaphragm, trachea, and esophagus. The faculty physicians in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery provide a complete range of thoracic surgery services for adult patients. These types of surgery range from minimally invasive video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) to lung transplant in extreme cases of lung disease. Additionally, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgeons are actively involved in specialty surgeries that include heavy involvement in the Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic as well as the Esophageal & Gastric Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic.

Types of Surgery

• Chest Wall Resection and Reconstruction
• Chest Wall Disease Management Clinic
• Esophageal Surgery
• Esophageal Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic
• Lung Cancer Staging
• Surgery for Lung Disease (Lobectomy, Pneumonectomy, VATS, Wedge Resection)
• Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic
• Lung Infections
• Lung Transplant and Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion (EVLP)
• Lung Volume Reduction
• Pectus Excavatum and Pectus Carinatum
• Surgery of the Airway

The section of Pediatric (or “Congenital”) Cardio-Vascular Surgery is dedicated to providing comprehensive surgical services to infants with cardio-vascular defects and congenital heart conditions. The faculty physicians in the section of pediatric cardio-vascular surgery are experts in a wide range of conditions including: Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return, Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD), Heart Transplant, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, Tetrology of Fallot, and Transposition of the Great Arteries.

Types of Surgery

• Adult Congenital Heart Disease
• Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return
• Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
• Coarctation of the Aorta
• Complex Single Ventricle
• Ebstein's Anomaly
• Heart Transplant
• Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
• Mitral Valve Prolapse
• Patent Ductus Arteriosus
• Pulmonary Atresia
• Pulmonary Stenosis
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Transposition of the Great Arteries
• Tricuspid Atresia
• Truncus Arteriosus
• Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

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