Cardiothoracic Surgery at Johnson City Medical Center

When surgery is your best treatment option, trust the experts at Johnson City Medical Center.

You’ll benefit from board-certified thoracic (chest) surgeons and experienced nurses trained in the latest and best ways to care for your heart.

Cardiovascular thoracic surgeries we perform

Depending on your condition and overall health, your doctor may recommend:

• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) – that lets blood flow around blocked vessels
• Transmyocardial revascularization – which creates tiny channels in the heart muscle to let more blood flow through and reduce chest pain
• Heart valve repair or replacement – to help blood flow properly through the heart
• Heart rhythm disorder treatment – including implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator or pacemaker
• Ventricular assist device placement – to treat heart failure
• Repair of atrial septal defects and ventricular septal defects – or another heart problem you were born with

Less-invasive cardiothoracic surgery options

We also offer minimally invasive procedures, including:

• Minimally invasive lobectomy – for lung cancer
• Minimally invasive pneumonectomy – for lung cancer
• Minimally invasive treatment of pleural disease
• Video-assisted thoracic surgery – for minimally invasive lung-cancer diagnosis and treatment (read more below)

Cardiac step-down unit and critical care

Depending on your health and the procedure, you might benefit from Johnson City Medical Center’s cardiac step-down unit or critical care unit in the hours after surgery.

There, your caregivers will closely and continually watch over you to make sure you stay as well as possible.

Cardiac rehab

After your surgery, cardiac rehabilitation helps you safely regain strength and endurance and reduce your risk of future heart conditions.

Vascular surgery

Through a wide range of vascular surgeries, we can restore oxygen-rich blood flow to clogged or weakened veins and arteries.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery

Our surgeons are highly skilled in video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

This technique offers minimally invasive lung-cancer diagnosis and treatment that results in less scarring, reduced recovery times, less risk of infection, less blood loss and reduction in stress response compared to the traditional open-chest approach.

Trust your Johnson City cardiothoraic surgery team

Recognized for excellence in CABG

You can trust Johnson City Medical Center’s quality of care because the hospital holds certification in coronary artery bypass graft surgery from The Joint Commission.

This means you can expect highly qualified staff who help you stay safe and get the best possible results from your surgery.

Meet our surgeons

The cardiovascular thoracic surgery team in Johnson City, TN

Anthony Palazzo, MD

 
Dr. Palazzo is committed to excellent patient care, and in his time off enjoys spending time with his family and getting plenty of exercise.

Bryan Helsel, MD

 
Dr. Helsel recently moved his family to the area after he retired from the U.S. Army, where he flew attack helicopters. Dr. Helsel is passionate about teamwork, and providing the best possible care to his patients.

Questions about cardiothoracic surgery?

Please call us at (423) 431-2774 to learn more about cardiothoracic surgery at Johnson City Medical Center.

We’re happy to help answer any questions you have.