Glossary of surgical terms
Plain-language guides to heart conditions, procedures and recovery.
Trusted education from Cirugía de Corazón, Guadalajara.
- 12-lead ECG
- 3D Endoscopic Camera
- Abdominal Aorta
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- Abdominal Distension
- Absent Pulse
- ACC/AHA Guidelines
- ACE Inhibitor
- Acute Aortic Syndrome
- Acute Heart Failure
- Acute Kidney Injury
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- Admission
- Adventitia
- AED
- Aerobic Training
- AFASAK
- All-cause Mortality
- Ambulance
- Amiodarone
- Anaemia
- Anaesthetist
- Angina
- Angioplasty
- Angiotensin Receptor Blocker
- Ankle Swelling
- Annual Echocardiogram
- Annuloplasty
- Annuloplasty Ring
- Annulus Sizing
- Antegrade Cerebral Perfusion
- Antibiotic Prophylaxis
- Anticoagulation
- Antimicrobial Shower
- Antiplatelet Therapy
- Anxiety
- Aorta
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Aneurysm Repair
- Aortic Annulus
- Aortic Arch
- Aortic Arch Replacement
- Aortic Cross-clamp
- Aortic Diameter
- Aortic dissection: a true cardiovascular emergency
- Aortic Insufficiency
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Root
- Aortic Root Aneurysm
- Aortic Root Replacement
- Aortic Rupture
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Replacement
- Apex of the Heart
- Apixaban
- Apolipoprotein B
- ARISTOTLE
- Arm Pain
- Arrhythmia
- Arterial Cannula
- Arterial Graft
- Arterial Line
- Arterial Wall Layers
- Ascending Aorta
- Aspirin
- Atheromatous Plaque
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial Appendage
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Atrium
- Atypical Infarction
- Auscultation
- Autograft
- Autologous Blood
- Automated External Defibrillator
- Awake ECMO
- Back Pain
- Balloon Angioplasty
- Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty
- Balloon-expandable Valve
- Bare-metal Stent
- Base of the Heart
- Beating-heart Surgery
- Beta Blocker
- Bicuspid
- Biological Valve
- Bioprosthesis
- Bleeding Risk
- Blood Cultures
- Blood Pressure Difference Between Arms
- Blood Products
- Blood Transfusion
- BNP
- Board Certification
- Bovine Pericardial Valve
- Bradycardia
- Bridge to Decision
- Bridge to Recovery
- Bridge to Transplant
- Bypass Time
- C-reactive Protein
- CABG
- Cabrol Technique
- Can you die of a broken heart?
- Cannulation
- Carcinoid Heart Disease
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac catheterisation: advantages and disadvantages
- Cardiac Chambers
- Cardiac CT
- Cardiac Imaging Specialist
- Cardiac Lymphoma
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance
- Cardiac MRI
- Cardiac Myxoma
- Cardiac Output
- Cardiac rehabilitation: what it is and who it is for
- Cardiac Sarcoma
- Cardiac Surgeon
- Cardiac Surgery
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Cardiac Tumour
- Cardiac Tumour Resection
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cardiogenic Shock
- Cardiomyopathy
- Cardioplegia
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Cardiothoracic Surgeon
- Cardiovascular Anaesthetist
- Cardiovascular Surgeon
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Cardioversion
- Carotid Artery
- Catheterisation Laboratory
- Cell Salvage
- Central Venous Catheter
- Central Venous Pressure
- Centre Volume
- Cerebrovascular Accident
- Chest Compressions
- Chest Drain
- Chest Pain
- Chest Pressure
- Chest Tightness
- Chest X-ray
- Chordae Tendineae
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Circulatory Arrest
- Circumflex Artery
- Clinical Cardiologist
- Clinical Practice Guideline
- Clopidogrel
- Clubbing
- Co-Insurance
- Cobalt-chromium Frame
- Cold Sweat
- Compassionate Use
- Composite Graft
- Conduction Block
- Confusion after Surgery
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Congenital Repair
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Conjunctival Haemorrhage
- Connective Tissue Disorder
- Contrast Medium
- COPD
- Coronary Angiography
- Coronary Arteries
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Coronary Buttons
- Coronary Calcium Score
- Coronary CT Angiography
- Coronary Ostia
- Coronary Spasm
- Coronary Stent
- Costal Cartilage
- CPR
- Creatinine
- Cross-clamp Time
- Crushing Chest Pain
- Cryoanalgesia
- CT Angiography
- Cyanosis
- Dabigatran
- Dalteparin
- David Procedure
- De-airing
- DeBakey Classification
- Deductible
- Deep Breathing Exercises
- Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Defibrillation
- Depression after Cardiac Surgery
- Descending Aorta
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Dialysis
- Diaphoresis
- Direct Oral Anticoagulant
- Discharge
- Discharge Summary
- Dissection Repair
- Diuretic
- Dizziness
- Do Not Resuscitate
- DOAC
- Doctor-patient Relationship
- Doppler Echocardiography
- Driving Restriction
- Drug Interaction
- Drug-eluting Stent
- Dual Antiplatelet Therapy
- Duke Criteria
- Dyslipidaemia
- Dyspnoea
- Dyspnoea on Exertion
- EACTS Guidelines
- Early Mobilisation
- ECG
- Echocardiogram
- ECMO: a lifeline when time runs out
- Edoxaban
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Ejection Fraction
- Elective Surgery
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiologist
- Elephant Trunk Procedure
- Emergency Department
- Emergency Surgery
- Endocardium
- Endograft
- Endomyocardial Biopsy
- Endothelium
- Endotracheal Tube
- Endovascular Aneurysm Repair
- ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48
- Enoxaparin
- Epicardium
- Epigastric Pain
- Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
- ESC Guidelines
- EUROACTION
- EuroSCORE II
- EVAR
- EXCEL
- Exercise Ergometry
- Exercise Intolerance
- Explant
- Extracorporeal Circulation
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Extubation
- Fainting
- Fasting before Surgery
- Fatigue
- Fellowship
- Femoral Artery
- Femoral Cannulation
- Femoral Vein
- Fever
- Five reasons to ask for a second opinion before high-risk surgery
- Fluoroscopy
- Flying after Surgery
- Follow-up Appointment
- Fondaparinux
- FREEDOM
- Freedom From Reintervention
- Full Blood Count
- Functional Capacity
- Funnel Chest
- Gastroepiploic Artery
- General Anaesthesia
- Genetic Testing
- Germ Cell Tumour
- Glomerular Filtration Rate
- Glycated Haemoglobin
- Golden Hour
- Graft Occlusion
- Graft Patency
- Haemodynamic Monitoring
- Haemodynamic Study
- Haemoglobin
- Haller Index
- HbA1c
- HDL Cholesterol
- Heart
- Heart Block
- Heart Failure
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Team: when your heart is assessed by a team, not one opinion
- Heart Transplantation
- Heart Valves
- Heart-lung Machine
- Hemiarch Replacement
- Heparin
- Heparinisation
- High-sensitivity Troponin
- High-volume Centre
- Holter Monitor
- Homograft
- Hospital Accreditation
- Hybrid Operating Theatre
- Hybrid Procedure
- Hypertension
- ICD
- ICU
- Imaging on Disc
- Immunosuppression
- Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
- In-stent Restenosis
- Incentive Spirometer
- Incidental Finding
- Infective Endocarditis
- Inferior Vena Cava
- Inferior Vena Cava Filter
- Informed Consent
- Initial Assessment
- Innominate Vein
- Inoperable
- Inotropes
- INR
- Intensive Care Unit
- Intensivist
- Interatrial Septum
- Intercostal Nerves
- Internal Mammary Artery
- International Normalized Ratio
- Interventional Cardiologist
- Interventricular Septum
- Intima
- Intra-annular Valve
- Intra-aortic Balloon Pump
- Intramural Haematoma
- Intraoperative Echocardiography
- Intravenous Antibiotics
- Inverted T-incision
- Irregular Heartbeat
- Ischaemia Testing
- Ischaemic Heart Disease
- J-incision
- Janeway Lesions
- Jaw Pain
- Joint Commission International
- Keloid
- Knowing your heart: the aortic valve
- Knowing your heart: the mitral valve
- Late Complication
- LDL Cholesterol
- Leaflet Resection
- Learning Curve
- Left Anterior Descending Artery
- Left Atrial Appendage
- Left Atrial Appendage Closure
- Left Atrium
- Left Heart Catheterisation
- Left Internal Mammary Artery
- Left Main Coronary Artery
- Left Ventricle
- Left Ventricular Assist Device
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Leg Swelling
- Length of Stay
- Lifelong Follow-up
- Lifting Restriction
- Light-headedness
- Lipid Profile
- Lipoprotein(a)
- Liver Function Tests
- Local Anaesthesia
- Long COVID
- Low Cardiac Output Syndrome
- Low Molecular Weight Heparin
- Low-Risk TAVR
- Major Adverse Cardiac Events
- Major Medical Insurance
- Marfan Syndrome
- Massive Transfusion
- Maze Procedure
- Mechanical Circulatory Support
- Mechanical Valve
- Mechanical Ventilation
- Media
- Median Sternotomy
- Mediastinal Drain
- Mediastinitis
- Mediastinum
- Medical Emergency
- Medical Record
- Medical Tourism
- Meta-analysis
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Migrating Chest Pain
- Mini-sternotomy
- Mini-thoracotomy
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Stenosis
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Repair
- Mitral Valve Replacement
- Modified Bentall
- Multi-organ Failure
- Multidisciplinary Team
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocardial Protection
- Myocardial Revascularisation
- Myocarditis
- Myocardium
- Myxoma Excision
- Nasogastric Tube
- Nausea
- Neochordae
- New Murmur
- Night Sweats
- Nitinol
- Nitroglycerin
- NOBLE
- Non-inferiority
- NOTION
- NOTION 2
- NSTEMI
- NT-proBNP
- Nuclear Perfusion Scan
- NYHA Classification
- Obesity
- Off-pump Bypass
- On-pump Bypass
- Open-heart Surgery
- Operative Mortality
- Oral Anticoagulant
- Orthopnoea
- Osler Nodes
- Out-of-Pocket Cost
- Over-anticoagulation
- Oxygenator
- Pacemaker
- Pacemaker Implantation
- Pain Control
- Palliative Care
- Pallor
- Palpitations
- Papillary Fibroelastoma
- Papillary Muscle
- Paravalvular Leak
- Paravalvular Leak Closure
- Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnoea
- PARTNER 3
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Patient-controlled Analgesia
- PCI
- PCSK9 Inhibitor
- Pectus Carinatum
- Pectus excavatum: understanding and treating “funnel chest”
- Penetrating Aortic Ulcer
- Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
- Perfusionist
- Pericardial Effusion
- Pericardial Sac
- Pericardial Skirt
- Pericarditis
- Pericardium
- Peripheral Oedema
- Permanent Pacemaker
- Phase I Rehabilitation
- Phase II Rehabilitation
- Phase III Rehabilitation
- Physical Examination
- Physiotherapist
- Plaque Rupture
- Point-of-care INR Testing
- Polyester Graft
- Porcine Valve
- Post-traumatic Stress
- Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation
- Postoperative Delirium
- Postoperative Pain
- Pre-Operative Assessment
- Pre-Surgical Protocol
- Pre-syncope
- Preserved Ejection Fraction
- Pressure Gradient
- Private Nursing
- Prohibitive Risk
- Prosthesis-patient Mismatch
- Prosthetic Valve
- Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis
- Protamine
- Protamine Reversal
- Prothrombin Time
- Psychological Support
- Pulmonary Artery
- Pulmonary Artery Pressure
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pulmonary Function Tests
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Pulmonary Regurgitation
- Pulmonary Valve
- Pulmonary Veins
- Pyrolytic Carbon
- Quality of Life
- Radial Artery
- Radiating Pain
- Radiation Dose
- Randomised Controlled Trial
- Re-exploration for Bleeding
- RE-LY
- Recovery Room
- Recurrence
- Redo Surgery
- Reduced Ejection Fraction
- Reduced Functional Capacity
- Referral Letter
- Reintervention
- Renal Replacement Therapy
- Reoperation
- Resistance Training
- Return to Work
- Rheumatic Fever
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Right Anterior Thoracotomy
- Right Atrium
- Right Coronary Artery
- Right Heart Catheterisation
- Right Ventricle
- Risk Stratification
- Rivaroxaban
- Robotic cardiac surgery: a reality today, a fascinating future
- ROCKET AF
- Ross Procedure
- Roth Spots
- Saphenous Vein
- Saphenous Vein Graft
- SAVR
- Scar
- Scrub Nurse
- Secondary Myocardial Infarction
- Sedation
- Self-expanding Valve
- Sense of Impending Doom
- Sepsis
- Septal Defect Closure
- Serology
- Severe Aortic Stenosis
- Shared Decision Making
- Shock Wave Therapy
- Shortness of Breath
- Silent Myocardial Infarction
- Sinotubular Junction
- Sinuses of Valsalva
- Sleep Apnoea
- Specialist Nurse
- Spirometry
- Splinter Haemorrhages
- Stable Angina
- Stanford Classification
- Statin
- STEMI
- Stent Thrombosis
- Stented Valve
- Stentless Valve
- Step-down Unit
- Sterile Field
- Sternal Closure
- Sternal Infection
- Sternal Precautions
- Sternal Wires
- Sternum
- Stethoscope
- Stress Cardiomyopathy
- Stress Echocardiogram
- Stress Test
- Stroke
- Stroke Volume
- Structural Cardiologist
- Structural Cardiology
- Structural Valve Deterioration
- STS Score
- Subclavian Artery
- Subspecialty Training
- Sudden Cardiac Death
- Superior Vena Cava
- Supervised Exercise
- Supra-annular Valve
- Surgical Ablation
- Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement
- Surgical Checklist
- Surgical Exposure
- Surgical Haemostasis
- Surgical Risk
- Surgical Tourism
- Surgical Wound
- Surveillance Imaging
- Sutureless Valve
- Swan-Ganz Catheter
- Syncope
- SYNTAX Score
- SYNTAX Trial
- Tachycardia
- Takotsubo Syndrome
- TAVR
- TAVR-in-TAVR
- Tearing Chest Pain
- Telemedicine
- Temporary Accommodation
- Temporary Pacing Wires
- TEVAR
- Therapeutic Range
- Thoracic Aorta
- Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm
- Thoracic Cavity
- Thoracotomy
- Thrombophilia
- Thrombotic Risk
- Time Is Muscle
- Tissue Valve
- TMVR
- Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage
- Total Arterial Revascularisation
- Transaortic Access
- Transapical Access
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
- Transcatheter Edge-to-edge Repair
- Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement
- Transcatheter Tricuspid Intervention
- Transfemoral Access
- Transient Ischaemic Attack
- Transoesophageal Echocardiogram
- Transsubclavian Access
- Transthoracic Echocardiogram
- Transvalvular Gradient
- Travel after Heart Surgery
- Treadmill Test
- Tricuspid (three-leaflet)
- Tricuspid Regurgitation
- Tricuspid Valve
- Tricuspid Valve Repair
- Triglycerides
- Troponin
- Type A Aortic Dissection
- Type B Aortic Dissection
- Under- Anticoagulation
- Unexplained Weight Loss
- Unfractionated Heparin
- Unstable Angina
- Urgent Surgery
- Urinary Catheter
- Valve Annulus
- Valve Area
- Valve Cusp
- Valve Degeneration
- Valve Leaflet
- Valve Repair
- Valve Replacement
- Valve Thrombosis
- Valve-in-valve
- Valve-sparing Root Replacement
- Valved Conduit
- Valvular Heart Disease
- VARC Criteria
- Vasa Vasorum
- Vascular Closure Device
- Vasopressors
- Veno-arterial ECMO
- Veno-venous ECMO
- Venous Cannula
- Venous Graft
- Ventilation-perfusion Scan
- Ventricle
- Ventricular Assist Device
- Ventricular Dilatation
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Septal Defect
- Ventricular Tachycardia
- Ventriculography
- Viability Study
- Video Consultation
- Video-assisted Surgery
- Vitamin K Antagonist
- Vitamin K in Food
- Vomiting
- Warfarin
- WARSS
- Weaning From Bypass
- Weight Gain From Fluid
- What is the Bentall procedure?
- Wheat Procedure
- Wound Care
- Wound Dehiscence
- Xenotransplantation
- Yacoub Procedure
