Cardiovascular Surgery

Arkansas Heart Hospital’s cardiovascular and thoracic surgery department is among the best in the region. More than 60 years of combined, state of the art experience equips our team to perform all kinds of procedures, from traditional surgeries to new, groundbreaking therapies. To learn more about your heart surgery options or to schedule an appointment, call (800)264-5722.

Heart Surgery

Open heart surgery is any type of surgery where the chest is cut open and surgery is performed on the muscle, valves or arteries of the heart. There are a number of different procedures your surgeon can perform, and they will thoroughly evaluate your medical history to determine how to proceed.

Thoracic Services Offered

  • Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery (CABG)
  • Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR)
  • Mitral Valve Repair or Replacement (MVR)
  • Tricuspid Valve Repair or Replacement (TVR)
  • Ascending Aortic Aneurysm Repair
  • Left Atrial Appendage Clip or Resection
  • Surgical Ablation (MAZE)
  • Surgical Atrial Septal Defect Closure
  • Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
  • Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS)
  • Diaphragm Plication

Non-Thoracic Services Offered

  • Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
  • Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair
  • Carotid Endarterectomy
  • Peripheral Bypass Grafting Surgery
  • Open Abdominal Aneurysm Surgery
  • Aortobifemoral Bypass Grafting Surgery
  • Peripheral Amputation

Meet our Cardiovascular Surgeons

Dr. Michael T. Nolen, cardiothoracic surgeon and director of cardiovascular surgery, has interests in minimally invasive surgery, coronary bypass and valve surgery, aortic aneurysm repairs and peripheral vascular surgery. He completed his medical degree and general surgery internship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and completed the cardiovascular and thoracic fellowship at the Texas Heart Institute.

Dr. Kristofer Freeland cardiothoracic surgeon and assistant director of cardiovascular surgery, has interests in coronary vascularization, structural heart disease including the TAVR procedure as well as aortic pathology. He attended medical school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and completed his general surgery residency at Louisiana State University in Shreveport.

Dr. Mark Hardin is a cardiothoracic surgeon with an interest in coronary bypass and structural heart disease. He earned a degree in business economics from Wheaton College before graduating from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He completed a residency in general surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center, including a year as a research fellow at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research.

To learn more about your heart surgery options or to schedule an appointment, call (800)264-5722.


Resources (PDFs)

Cardiac Surgery Booklet

Aortic Aneurysms

Coronary Artery Disease

Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery

Post Surgery Blood Pressure/Heart Rate/Weight Log

Strong Hearts

Valvular Disease

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