Pat Robertson, 79, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), is recovering after 10 hours of heart surgery. Robertson was treated Aug. 19tb at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital for atrial fibrillation, and was released last Thursday,

Possible neurological complications of heart surgery, ranging from headaches to strokes, are detailed in a new report in the online journal MedLink Neurology.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the main cause of nosocomial infection in patients undergoing major heart surgery. An international study of 25 hospitals from 8 European countries, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care, has confirmed the degree of danger posed by VAP and identified the main risk factors.

Robin Williams announced on his website Thursday that the well-known comic and actor needs heart surgery and must cancel the remainder of his one-man comedy show, "Weapons of Self-Destruction.".

Open-heart surgery should remain a viable treatment option for people in their 80s, according to experts at the MUHC

Patients are not the only ones at risk during cardiac procedures. Doctors performing heart surgery also face health risks, namely to their eyes.

A study reveals today that inadequate blood sugar control in patients having heart surgery is associated with a four fold increase in post-surgery death and major complications - and that the blood sugar disturbances occur in patients with and without diabetes.

Heart surgeons at Johns Hopkins have evidence to support further tightening rather than easing of standards used to designate hospitals that are best at performing heart transplants.

Women die and get infections more often than men after heart surgery because they tend to receive more blood transfusions, which boost the risks of bad outcomes, according to a study published in the December Journal of Women’s Health.

Doctors said Monday that women with heart problems may need to be treated differently than men. Research presented at the annual European Society of Cardiology meeting in Vienna suggested that surgeries that typically save men's lives can actually be deadly for women.

Contrary to recent studies, proper use of a drug called aprotinin to reduce bleeding during heart surgery does not increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, according to a study in the June issue of The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

A novel catheter technique for patching holes in the heart may make it possible for many patients to avoid surgery altogether and others to regain enough strength to safely undergo surgical repair at a later date, according to a study reported at the 30th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, May 9-12, 2007, in Orlando, FL.