Heart and vascular surgery
If your heart or blood vessels have been damaged — by conditions such as heart failure or congenital heart abnormalities — cardiovascular surgeons work to repair them. They may use traditional surgery or minimally invasive approaches, which can enable a faster recovery for you.
JFK Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute in Palm Beach County
Comprehensive cardiovascular care with a national reputation for excellence
At HCA Florida JFK Hospital, our prestigious team of heart and vascular specialists work together to offer the most advanced treatment options for all types of heart disease. We are committed to staying on the forefront of medical advances and are typically among the first facilities in Florida to perform innovative treatments and techniques.
How healthy is your heart?
Taking a moment to learn about your heart health is a great way to start taking better care of yourself. Our online assessment tool will help you understand your risks and give you information you can take to your doctor.
Taking a moment to learn about your heart health is a great way to start taking better care of yourself. Our online assessment tool will help you understand your risks and give you information you can take to your doctor.
JFK Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute
JFK Hospital is home to the largest cardiovascular program in Palm Beach County. In collaboration with HCA Healthcare Research Institute, JFK is an active site on investigational device trials for the treatment of structural heart disease, advanced heart failure, coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation (Afib). JFK Hospital has been named one of America's 250 Best Hospital's by Healthgrades including Five-Star recognitions in defibrillator procedures (11 years in a row), pacemaker procedures (8 years in a row), and treatment of heart failure (3 years in a row.)
- 1st hospital in Palm Beach County to perform TAVR, TMVR, LACC and BASILICA procedures
- Palm Beach County’s only comprehensive heart failure/advanced heart failure and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) program
- Among the top 10 percent of all cardiovascular programs in the country
- Certified cardiac rehabilitation program by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Proud to be one of the Nation's 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by Premier, presented by Modern Healthcare.
- 17K+Cardiac and vascular
patients treated - 20K+Open heart
procedures performed - 2K+Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures performed
- 700+Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedures performed
- 400+Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) procedures performed
HCA Florida JFK Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute
Dr. Alex Paya, Chief Medical Officer of HCA Florida JFK Hospital, talks about the hospital's premier Heart and Vascular.
Our cardiovascular services and specialties
Our cardiovascular specialists are among the country’s leading experts in the fields of cardiac imaging, electrophysiology, heart failure, as well as atrial fibrillation management, interventional, endovascular, open heart surgery and more. Many of our physicians were trained at top institutions in the country and are the first to be trained in new techniques and technology.
Our cardiovascular services:
- Advanced imaging
- Atrial fibrillation detection, management and ablation
- Carotid artery disease including stenting
- Electrophysiology and pacing
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
- Invasive cardiology
- Medical cardiology
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Rehabilitation
- Research
- Valve clinic
- Vascular/endovascular surgery
- Ventricular fibrillation detection and implantable
Surgical specialties:
- Coronary revascularization
- Valve replacement and repair (aortic, mitral and tricuspid)
- Complex re-operative surgery
- Video thoracic surgery
- Complex thoracic lung surgery
- Minimally invasive lung surgery
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm procedures
- Minimally invasive cardiac surgery
- Percutaneous valve surgery
- Endovascular surgery
- Beating heart surgery
- Sternal reconstruction
- Maze (atrial fibrillation surgery)
- Mini-Maze
- Bentall procedure (involves composite graft replacement of aortic valve, aortic root and ascending aorta)
- Minimally invasive hybrid procedure for A-Fib
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy surgery (HOCM)
- Valve-sparing procedures for the aortic root
- Minimally invasive mitral valve program
- Aortic valve replacement program
Our cardiovascular program
Cardiac catheterization
As an extension of our cardiology services, our Cath Lab offers a range of minimally invasive procedures. Our interventional cardiologists provide minimally invasive procedures for structural heart diseases and 24/7 STEMI coverage for JFK's Accredited Chest Pain Center.
Our services
- High-risk PCI patients
- Transradial approach
- Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
- Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR)
- Chronic total occlusions (CTO)
- Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC)
The Valve Clinic
Multidisciplinary valve clinic
Our multidisciplinary valve clinic provides assessments and treatment options for patients with complex valve disorders. This includes mitral and aortic valve repair, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR), catheter-based interventions, as well as minimally invasive and open surgical interventions.
We are proud to be the first hospital in Palm Beach County to perform innovative structural heart procedures, such as TAVR and TMVR. The team at JFK has performed over 2,000 TAVR procedures.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
TAVR offers a minimally invasive treatment option for patients with aortic stenosis who may be too high risk for traditional heart valve replacement. This procedure involves replacing the damaged aortic valve with a catheter. As a result, it helps increase blood flow and reduce aortic stenosis symptoms. Since our program’s inception in 2012, we have performed over 1,000 TAVR procedures.
Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR)
Minimally invasive option for patients with mitral regurgitation. Unlike surgery, the TMVR procedure does not require opening the chest and temporarily stopping the heart. Instead, doctors access the mitral valve with a catheter that is guided through a vein in the leg to reach the heart.
The TMVR device is a small clip attached to your mitral valve. It treats mitral regurgitation by allowing your mitral valve to close more completely, helping to restore normal blood flow through your heart.
Hybrid procedures
There are numerous options for non-operative candidates with critical aortic stenosis. Hybrid procedures, which combine what might traditionally necessitate multiple operations into one customized procedure, minimize the need for additional procedures, lower morbidities and mortalities and improve patient recovery time. Hybrid procedures offer potentially less invasive solutions and are slowly replacing the conventional surgical approach to aortic disease.
Complex aortic surgical procedures
For more critically ill patients requiring surgery, our complex aortic disease specialists perform expertly complex aortic surgical procedures including:
- Aortic root reconstruction
- TAVR
- TMVR
- Aortic arch
- Endovascular stent grafting
- Hybrid procedures (open/endovascular)
Without therapy, the diagnosis of severe aortic stenosis carries a 50% two-year mortality. We have available treatment for the spectrum of aortic disease.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an advanced life-support treatment used when a patient’s heart or lungs need additional help to function effectively. ECMO machines provide oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the blood, supporting breathing and circulation when medications or ventilators are no longer enough.
During ECMO treatment, flexible tubes (cannulas) connect the machine to the patient’s body. These tubes may be placed in both an artery and a vein, or in a vein alone, depending on the patient’s condition and the type of ECMO being used. The ECMO system then delivers oxygen-rich blood back into the body, allowing the heart and lungs time to rest and heal.
Our hospital is proud to have earned the Silver ELSO Award for Excellence in Life Support from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO). This recognition highlights our commitment to exceptional ECMO care, high-quality standards, and continuous improvement in patient outcomes.