Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cardiothoracic surgery is a surgical specialty treating diseases affecting organs inside the thorax (the chest) including the lungs, heart and thoracic diaphragm.

Notable Cardiothoracic surgeons in Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice

 * Dr. Preston Burke (Former Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital)
 * Dr. Erica Hahn (Former Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital, Former Surgeon at Seattle Presbyterian Hospital)
 * Professor Colin Marlow (Visiting Professor from Stanford Medical School, Candidate for Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital)
 * Dr. Virginia Dixon (Visiting Surgeon)
 * Dr. Noah Barnes (Attending Surgeon at St. Ambrose Hospital)
 * Dr. Teddy Altman (New Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Former US Army Surgeon)
 * Dr. Samuel Bennett (On Call Cardiothoracic Surgeon at St. Ambrose Hospital)

Surgical Procedures

 * Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (Also known as CABG): Artieries and veins from elsewhere in the body (most cases the leg) are used to replace or used alongside the coronary vessels in the body (the vessels that supply oxygen and energy to the heart)
 * Thoracotomy: Cutting into the chest to gain access to the thoracic organs. Usually performed by a surgeon as the start of their procedure, but sometimes performed in the ER or in the field by ER physicians or paramedics to clamp the aorta to prevent major blood loss.

Season 2

 * Thorocotomy following a G.S.W to the Chest in a lift (Bring The Pain): Due to the elevator being stuck between floors caused by a powercut, O'Malley has to open up the chest to resolve the bleeding and 'plug' any holes until the patient can be taken to an OR and Dr. Burke.

Season 4

 * Ectopia Cordis Repair (Piece of My Heart): Addison returns to Seattle Grace to deal with a pregnant women who's child is diagnosed with ectopia cordis - his heart has grown outside his body. Addison delivers the child, Hahn works to place the heart inside the chest and Sloan closes using a skin flap grown from the child's own skin.