At UVA Health, we strive to be your trusted resource when your patients need specialized, high-acuity cardiothoracic surgical care. That starts with building a strong team of surgeons with diverse areas of expertise working together to offer the best possible outcomes for patients in Virginia and beyond.
“Having specialists who excel in specific domains ensures patients are matched to the right expert for their specific condition, whether that’s aortic disease, mitral disease, heart failure, or cardiac arrythmias,” says Ourania Preventza, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery.
Since joining the UVA Health team, Preventza has also made collaboration with referring providers a top priority for the program.
“The patient always comes first. This collaborative approach is key to optimizing patient outcomes and enhancing their overall healthcare experience,” she says. “Open communication ensures everyone is aligned in providing the best care possible.”
An Experienced Team of Experts
Our CT surgery team’s surgical expertise covers the entire scope of patient needs. When you send your patients to us, you can rest assured they’re in the care of someone specialized and deeply experienced in that patient’s specific condition or surgical need.
Four of our heart treatment services have been named "high performing" by U.S. News & World Report, including aortic valve surgery and heart bypass surgery. Additionally, Becker’s Hospital Review named our heart center in its 2024 list of 100 hospitals and health systems with great heart programs.
Through partnership with national and international heart care associations and organizations, we’re involved with refining cardiac care approaches by helping to establish guidelines and leading clinical trials.
Advanced Cardiac Valve Treatment
We have a long history of performing valve repairs and replacements. Many minimally invasive repair techniques were developed at UVA Health. We continue to participate in a number of NIH clinical trials seeking new valve treatments.
We took part in the clinical trials that led to FDA approval of MitraClip.
Our surgeons also perform the most transcatheter aortic valve replacements in the region.
U.S. News & World Report named our aortic valve repair program “high performing,” the highest possible rating.
Preventza is co-chair of the 2022 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) aortic disease guidelines.
“The last time this document was updated was in 2010, so it is a crucial document for generations to come,” she shares. “It was endorsed and approved by every cardiac and vascular surgical society, as well as cardiology and radiology societies.”
Preventza also co-authored the 2022 European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) guidelines.
Expert Aortic Aneurysm Care
Our surgeons have extensive experience in making critical decisions concerning when and how to treat an unruptured aortic aneurysm. We also offer the full range of procedures for aneurysms that need surgical intervention, including minimally invasive endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and open surgeries.
UVA Health was one of the first hospitals in the U.S. to offer fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (FEVAR), also called branched endovascular aneurysm repair (BEVAR). About 10% of patients aren’t candidates for traditional EVAR because they have an abdominal aortic aneurysm that is too close to the arteries branching off the kidneys. FEVAR gives these patients a minimally invasive option.
Ensuring Convenient Access to High-Quality Care
Through our outreach clinics, patients can receive much of their care close to home.
In addition to treatment in Charlottesville, we have clinics in Augusta County and eastern Virginia. And we plan to open more throughout Virginia to expand access for patients.
Referring Your Patient to UVA Health for Heart & Vascular Care
When you refer a patient to us, you can expect:
- Timely consultations and sub-specialty referrals
- Prompt scheduling of tests, procedures, and visits
- Full test results and reports following appointments and procedures
- Communication regarding your patient’s ongoing care