Silver Cross Future Heart Surgery Program Includes Expertise of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgical Associates
Silver Cross Hospital is pleased to announce that the hospital’s soon-to-be-operational heart surgery program will include the expertise of two Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgical Associates surgeons—Dr. Pat Pappas and Dr. Phil Alexander. The hospital’s new program will debut in late spring 2019.
Patroklos (Pat) Pappas, M.D., is certified in general surgery through the American Board of Surgery and certified in thoracic and cardiac surgery through the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Pappas attended medical school at the University of Illinois School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency and cardiothoracic surgery residency at Northwestern University. He is President of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgical Associates and has been a practicing cardiovascular thoracic surgeon for over 25 years. He has performed over 25,000 cardiac surgery procedures, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Dr. Pappas is a highly respected surgeon throughout the Chicagoland area and is involved in multiple research presentations and publications.
Philip (Phil) Alexander, M.D., is certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery and certified in cardiovascular/thoracic surgery by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Alexander attended medical school at St. John’s Medical College Bangalore University in Karnataka, India. He completed his general surgery residency and cardiovascular and thoracic surgery fellowship at New York University Medical Center. Dr. Alexander has developed numerous skills including total arterial coronary revascularization (TACR), endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), thoracic endovascular aortic/aneurysm repair (TEVAR), minimally invasive valve surgery and robotic cardiac surgery.
“My partners and I are excited and committed to working with Silver Cross Hospital to develop a structural heart program in New Lenox. Silver Cross has the facility, staff and quality to not only support a structural heart program, but to thrive,” Dr. Pappas said.
Structural Heart Program
Silver Cross Hospital will add two state-of-the-art operating rooms, a “hybrid room” equipped with advanced medical imaging devices to support minimally invasive surgery, and two recovery rooms. It will be housed in the hospital’s soon-to-be-expanded Procedural Care Unit (PCU) on the second floor. In addition, a cardiac care unit will open on the first floor directly below the PCU to care for patients after heart surgery, and will be serviced with a dedicated elevator between the two units.
Silver Cross currently has the eighth largest cardiac catheterization program in the State of Illinois and leads the local market for outpatient cardiac procedures performed annually. In 2017 alone, Silver Cross performed more than 3,500 diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterizations, an 11 percent increase over the previous year. And between 2015 and 2016, diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterizations performed at Silver Cross Hospital increased by 13%.
Through the future structural heart program, minimally invasive catheter-based technology will be used to treat life-threatening valve disorders and structural heart defects. Minimally invasive approaches translate to better outcomes for patients, including a lower risk of infection and complications, reduced trauma to the chest (since the chest doesn’t have to be opened), a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery.
“This project is about innovation,” said Silver Cross President/CEO Ruth Colby. “It’s about the least invasive way to repair hearts. We are partnering with Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgical Associates, a group of highly skilled surgeons that are known for innovation, outstanding outcomes and very high patient satisfaction scores. Just like we have done with our other partnerships in oncology, pediatrics, neurosciences, and rehabilitation, we are bringing the best of the best to Silver Cross.”
