Departments
Cardiovascular Medicine
At Yale Medicine, our cardiovascular physicians specialize in all types of heart conditions. Our expert teams focus on heart-related health issues, such as heart disease genetics, heart rhythm problems, heart failure, heart and blood vessel conditions, and heart transplants. Our cardiologists do more than just see patients; they also conduct research to learn more about the complexities of various heart diseases and investigate better ways to treat them. Through their work in five research centers at Yale our cardiologists participate in major research initiatives focused on all aspects of heart health. Our research teams are comprised of experts from all over the world—eight different countries and four continents, to be exact! Specialized care is offered in the following areas: Adult congenital heart disease Arrhythmia Cardiac imaging Cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure Coronary heart disease General cardiology (including stress tests and holter monitoring) Peripheral vascular heart disease Vascular heart diseasePerioperative & Adult Anesthesiology
Our providers are dedicated to providing anesthesia care to patients in the following subspecialty surgical areas: Pre-admission testing:We review what testing is necessary for patients prior to surgery. Our section collaborates with biomedical imaging specialists and the Department of Laboratory Medicine to reduce the costs of unnecessary tests. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) anesthesia:We provide state-of-the-art care for our patients and perform preoperative endoscopic exams. Orthopaedic anesthesia:We routinely care for patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery, as well as elderly adults suffering from severe co-existing cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases. As an alternative to a general anesthetic, many procedures for orthopaedic patients may be better managed with regional (local) anesthesia or with combined regional/general anesthetic techniques. Our anesthesiologists are familiar with such regional anesthetic procedures as spinal, epidural, and major nerve blocks, as well as other anesthetic techniques, such as fiber optic intubation for complex airway problems and special patient positioning to avoid intraoperative nerve injury. Transplant anesthesia:Our specialized group works closely with the multispecialty transplant team to care for pediatric and adult cardiac, liver, and kidney transplant recipients.Cardiac Surgery
About Us At Yale Medicine, our cardiac surgery team consists of internationally recognized heart surgeons who provide personalized, compassionate care for adult and pediatric patients. We understand the challenges of living with a heart condition and are committed to partnering with patients and their families to find the best treatment plan and offer ongoing support after surgery. Our team includes highly experienced, board-certified cardiac surgeons along with an expert group of cardiologists, cardiac-focused nurses, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. Our cardiac surgeons collaborate with Yale's cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and internists to manage heart-related issues such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, heart valve conditions, and heart rhythm disorders. Our surgeons perform the latest, most advanced techniques in minimally invasive and traditional surgeries to treat a full range of cardiac diseases and conditions, including: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) Valve repair and replacement (aortic and mitral) Aneurysm repair (aortic, thoracic aortic, left ventricular) Arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm), including hybrid ablation heart failure and artificial heart or ventricular assist devices Heart failure, including artificial heart or ventricular assist devices Heart transplantation Congenital heart diseases in children and adultsSports Cardiology Program
Sometimes, an athlete—seemingly in peak physical condition—experiences sudden cardiac arrest on the playing field due to an undiagnosed heart condition. Yale Medicine’s Sports Cardiology Program is dedicated to preventing such tragedies through comprehensive screening, evaluation, and management of cardiovascular disease in athletes. The Sports Cardiology Program brings a multidisciplinary approach to the identification and treatment of potentially life-threatening cardiac abnormalities in athletes. The program provides two distinct services: Pre-participation screening of college and university athletes to detect any potential abnormalities before they compete Consultation and care for athletes of any age who either have known cardiovascular disease or who have symptoms that could be related to cardiovascular disease Yale Medicine specialists begin with an electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the electrical activity of the heart, to check for a variety of cardiac conditions. When screening college and university athletes, Yale experts interpret the ECG, offer recommendations for follow-up care, if needed, and work closely with the school to monitor and advise the athlete going forward. Yale physicians have been performing ECG screenings for Yale University athletes since 2015. With the launch of the Sports Cardiology Program, Yale Medicine is now performing screenings for athletes at three local universities, as well as the Connecticut Whale women’s professional hockey team. In addition to a pre-participation screening of college athletes, the Sports Cardiology Program provides ongoing clinical care for athletes of any age (including children) who have a known cardiac condition or symptoms that may indicate cardiac abnormalities, such as passing out or palpitations. In both cases, the goal is to develop an effective diagnosis, treatment, and management strategy for the athlete and provide recommendations on whether and how the athlete can safely participate in competitive sports. The foundation of Yale Medicine’s program is its multidisciplinary approach to these issues. A team of experts from many specialty areas works together to provide comprehensive, integrated services and holistic care for athletes. The program’s director, Rachel Lampert, MD , is a sports cardiologist, electrophysiologist, and arrhythmia specialist who frequently writes and speaks on preventing sudden cardiac arrest in athletes. Dr. Lampert has conducted extensive research in this area, including studies on whether athletes with implanted defibrillators can safely participate in sports. The Sports Cardiology Program also features imaging teams that use highly specialized diagnostic tools such as cardiac MRIs and echocardiography. The team also includes experts in adult and pediatric arrhythmia, cardiac channelopathies, cardiomyopathy, genetic cardiovascular diseases, and more. In addition, Dr. Lampert and her team frequently partner with Yale’s Sports Medicine ProElectrophysiology & Cardiac Arrhythmia Program
Our highly skilled and experienced team specializes in electrophysiology, or the diagnosis and treatment of heart-rhythm abnormalities, also known as arrhythmias. We treat complex arrhythmias and structural heart disease at Yale New Haven Hospital and through several outpatient office locations. At Yale New Haven Hospital, our physicians operate Connecticut’s largest and most comprehensive program for ventricular tachycardia ablation, a procedure that eliminates the heart tissue that causes arrhythmia. Our Complex Ablation Program offers epicardial ablation to treat ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation that originates from the outer surface of the heart. Our operating suites are equipped with cutting-edge technology, including three-dimensional mapping systems, intracardiac ultrasound, and robotics. We offer a full range of device therapies, including pacemakers, defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We routinely monitor implantable devices using remote technology to ensure patients’ safety, wherever they are. We also offer a clinic in which doctors from electrophysiology and geriatrics work together to manage patients with recurrent falls and syncope, or fainting caused by low blood pressure. Additionally, Yale New Haven Hospital runs the only Atrial Fibrillation Support Group in the state. The group is for all patients and their families and aims to help individuals and their loved ones cope with the psychological and emotional burdens of their disease. For patients at Yale New Haven Hospital, an advanced nurse practitioner dedicated to arrhythmia management is ready to assist, working closely with physicians to ensure a seamless inpatient to outpatient transition.Anesthesiology
The Yale Medicine Department of Anesthesiology is a national leader in its field, and is dedicated to providing the highest quality anesthesia care to both children and adults. We provide pain management care to patients before, during, and after surgery, and work in a variety of clinical and specialty areas. We care for patients undergoing a wide range of procedures, whether they are healthy or gravely ill. We are committed to providing cutting-edge, safe, and short-acting anesthetic medications to patients. Our expert care teams include certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), APRNs, PAs, RNs and technicians, and specialist physicians. In our clinical research, we focus on developing technologies to improve patient safety and reduce perioperative care costs. Our translational research efforts are particularly strong in areas of regenerative medicine and vascular engineering. Our comprehensive care includes: Consulting with surgeons, providing pain control, and monitoring life functions during surgery Ambulatory care anesthesia Anesthesia for procedures outside the operating room (catheterization, CT scan, MRI, interventional radiology, neuroradiology) Cardiac anesthesia (including assist devices) Presurgical evaluation Supervising care after surgery Comprehensive inpatient and outpatient pain management Pediatric anesthesia and pain management Regional (local) anesthesia Adult pre-admission testing facilities Pediatric pre-admission testing service 24/7 in-house obstetrics coverage, and outpatient high-risk consultations