The Cardiac Surgery Department of the Acad. G. Chapidze Emergency Cardiology Center is a highly specialized surgical unit that has been providing modern, internationally standardized treatment of cardiovascular diseases since 2001. Since its establishment, the department has been headed by Professor Zviad Bakhutashvili.

The department operates in accordance with evidence-based medicine principles and uses modern surgical technologies, ensuring high precision and patient safety.

To date, more than 4,500 coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operations have been performed. Soon after, surgical treatment of valvular pathologies was introduced and progressively fully developed, including valve repair and replacement, mitral annuloplasty, aortic valve replacement with biological prosthesis, tricuspid valve repair, and others.

Since 2012, operations have been performed using a ministernotomy approach, while from 2013 a minithoracotomy approach was introduced. To date, approximately 200 procedures have been performed using the minithoracotomy approach, characterized by smaller surgical incisions, shorter hospitalization, and faster postoperative recovery.

Since 2004, complex aortic surgery has been actively performed, including the Bentall procedure in cases of acute dissection. In addition, modern valve-sparing procedures such as the David and Yacoub operations have been introduced, aiming to preserve the patient’s native anatomy and improve long-term outcomes.

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery techniques (ministernotomy and minithoracotomy) are also implemented, providing reduced surgical trauma, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery. Approximately 200 such procedures have been performed, including valve reconstruction, combined interventions, removal of atrial masses, and correction of congenital heart defects.

One of the modern directions of the department is the Ozaki procedure - a bioreconstructive technique using autologous pericardium, characterized by high biological compatibility, immunological safety, and functional stability.

Today, combined surgical approaches are widely used in the department, integrating coronary bypass surgery, valve reconstruction, aortic surgery, and modern bioreconstructive techniques, allowing for highly effective clinical outcomes.

The main focus of the department is not only survival, but also improvement of patients’ quality of life — restoration of physical activity, social reintegration, and safe postoperative management, including anticoagulation control and individualized follow-up.