Cardiothoracic surgery

• Please report to the Emergency Department of the RHH in case of emergency. The surgeons work on a 1:2 rota to provide 24/7 cover.
• The cardiothoracic surgical registrar could be contacted through RHH switch 03 6166 8308.

The Tasmanian Cardiothoracic Surgical unit is the tertiary referral unit for the Tasmanian population to provide a wide range of adult cardiothoracic surgical services.

The clinic provides timely response for the:

• Assessment and management of people with a wide range of cardiothoracic problems
• Provision of preoperative workup, operative facility, postoperative management
• Cardiac rehabilitation services including nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietician, cardiology and Cardiothoracic surgery follow up
• Long term record keeping and registry records

There is an array of surgical procedures provided by the unit as mentioned separately in the conditions section below. The scope of practice involves:

• Adult cardiac surgery: CABG, valve repairs and replacements, aortic aneurysms, dissections and other complications, cardiac tumours, pericardial procedures. We can offer minimally invasive incisions, off pump surgery, maze procedures, all sorts of redo procedures. All patients except those needing transplantation/ventricular assist device or those paediatric patients needing heart surgery.
• A wide range of procedures including pacemaker, defibrillator, loop recorders, CRT devices; implantation, explantation and generator box changes are performed.
• Thoracic problems: a wide variety of thoracic surgery procedures including surgery for lung cancer, empyema, mediastinal tumours, thymic problems including myasthenia gravis, both open and VATS approach.
• Chest wall procedures: pectus excavatum, fractured ribs, diaphgragmatic eventrations
• Adult congenital procedures: ASD, VSD, patent ductus, coarctations, redo surgeries for Tetralogy of Fallot are all performed.
• Miscellaneous procedures: VATS sympathectomy, pericardial window, mediastinoscopy, cervical rib excision, sternal rewiring/plastic procedures, VATS biopsies, pleurodesis etc.

A referral (preferably faxed) is required for all new appointments and must conform to the referral standards.

Specific requirements are detailed in the individual clinic and condition referral guidelines.

Please fax referral for RHH clinic to 03 6231 3055.

Urgent (Category 1)

We will endeavour to see urgent referrals within one to two weeks.  If you have any trouble obtaining an urgent appointment please contact our secretary on 03 6166 8999.

Semi-urgent (Category 2)

Patients will be given an appointment between one to six weeks depending upon reason for referral.

Primary conditions treated include:

• Adult congenital heart disease
• Aortic diseases including dissections, aneurysms etc
• Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease
• Cardiac tumours
• Cervical rib
• Chest trauma
• Chest wall deformities
• Degenerative valvular heart disease
• Disease associated with syndromes e.g. Marfan's, bicuspid aortic valves
• Heart failure
• Hyperhidrosis
• Mediastinal tumours
• Myasthenia gravis related thymic surgery
• Pericardial diseases
• Pleural/lung infections and complications
• Pleural/pericardial effusions
• Rheumatic valvular heart disease
• Thoracic malignancies

For more information please see the following websites:

• Tasmanian Health Pathways
• Heart Foundation
• Cancer Council