National Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Heart and Lung Transplantation

The Mater Hospital is the national centre for cardiothoracic surgery and heart and lung transplantation. 

The department provides highly specialised treatment for patients with diseases of the heart, lungs and chest. These services include cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery, heart and lung transplantation, adult congenital heart disease and the Irish heart valve bank. 

Cardiac surgery

The cardiac surgery service provides treatment to patients with diseases of the heart such as coronary artery disease, aortic disease, or valvular heart disease.

Thoracic surgery

The thoracic surgery services provides treatment to patients with lung conditions such as cancer, fibrosis or emphysema. 

Heart and lung transplantation

This department performs heart and lung transplantation for patients whose heart or lungs are failing. Read more about this service on our heart and lung transplant page.

Perfusion department

The perfusion department is part of the cardiothoracic department. The perfusion department provides circulatory and respiratory support for patients during surgeries and procedures including heart and lung transplantation, coronary artery bypass, heart valve surgery, adult congenital surgery, and Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS). 

The department also runs a training programme for perfusionists, providing on-the-job training and education in the Mater Theatre Department, in conjunction with a Masters Degree programme at the University of Bristol. 

Adult congenital heart disease service

The adult congenital heart disease service is a speciality service that provides medical and surgical treatment to patients who were born with heart disease. This may include, for example, abnormalities such as ventricular or atrial septal defects, anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, single ventricle, congenital mitral valve disease, bicuspid aortic valve disease in young patients and Marfan's synfrome.

Irish heart valve bank

The Irish Heart Valve Bank (IHVB) collects, processes and stores human heart valves. The valves are donated by patients who have received heart transplants, multi-organ donors or neonatal donors. The tissue can then be used to repair congenital heart defects in other patients. Some examples of the types of surgeries that can be done using the donated tissue include:

• Norwood operation - the initial surgery of palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome
• Ross Procedure – the surgery to replace a diseased aortic valve with living tissue
• Pulmonary valve replacement
• Aortic root replacement – endocarditis patients

The IHVB is the body lisenced to collect, process and release human vascular tissue in Ireland. The IHVB is lisenced under Irish and European law to perform this service. The Health Products Regulatory Authority (www.hpra.ie) are the licensing body in Ireland.

Patient Information

Please see our helpful patient booklets for information on our pre-assessment clinic and preparing for heart surgery
 

• Pre-Assessment Clinic Information
   
• Preparation for Heart Surgery Guide

Related services

Heart and lung transplantation Critical care medicine Cardiology Respiratory medicine

Cardiothoracic forms