Take A Guess: How Many Annual Open Heart Surgery Operations?

July 29th, 2008

Do you know how many open heart surgeries were performed in the United States during 2005?

Want to take a guess? Go ahead… Close your eyes and think about it. Okay. Now open your eyes.

(Scroll down for the answer.)

According to the American Heart Association, the number of annual open heart surgeries performed in the United States was approximately 699,000 during 2005. The break-down of some open heart surgeries, by procedure, was:

Bypass (cardiac revascularization) – 469,000
Heart transplants – 2,200
Valve replacements – 106,000

Why did I write about this?

Well. I am hopeful that it will help future patients and caregivers better understand that open-heart surgery, while complex and risky, is a relatively routine procedure. Click this link to further dispel your fear of heart surgery.

Keep on tickin!

About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates clinical research with the personal experiences of 135 former patients to help future patients and their caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.