Cardiothoracic surgical services at Flinders Medical Centre

The Cardiothoracic Surgical Unit (CTSU) provides surgical management of a variety of different cardiovascular and thoracic conditions including ischaemic heart disease, valvular disease (both valve replacement and repair, including for rheumatic heart disease), aortic disease (including valve-sparing aortic surgery), adult congenital heart conditions, some paediatric procedures (at Women's and Children's Hospital) and both benign and malignant lung and other chest disease.

CTSU is co-located within Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) and Flinders Private Hospital and undertakes over 500 cardiac and 200 thoracic surgical procedures each year. CTSU works closely with the Cardiology, Respiratory Medicine, Anaesthesia, Vascular Surgery, and Intensive Care departments to provide a complete process of care for cardiac and thoracic patients within Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN). CTSU also provides care for patients from the Northern Territory and has a particular expertise in cardiac surgery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

CTSU also supports the highly regarded transcatheter and structural heart program at SALHN. The surgeons in the unit are extensively involved in a number of multidisciplinary teams across SALHN for management of coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, aortic disease, structural heart disease, adult congenital heart disease, and lung cancer. FMC CTSU is the provider of support for Paediatric ECMO at Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and heart and lung organ donation across metropolitan Adelaide.

CTSU provides a 24 hr emergency service in addition to elective surgery.

Cardiac Surgery Quality and Outcomes Department

The Cardiac Surgery Quality and Outcomes research team is widely recognised for its commitment to high quality evidence-based practice in cardiac surgery. The department performs investigator led and commercial studies in device, pharmaceutical and quality improvement/quality control research. The department also provides projects for surgical audit, peer review and quality assurance opportunities for surgical registrars and surgeons for continual improvement and excellence in clinical care. Particular interests include the psychological impact of cardiac surgery (and associated depression and anxiety states), benefits of off-pump coronary surgery, cardiac surgery in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, blood transfusion minimisation, quality improvement and expertise in data collection and management.

The Cardiac Surgery Quality and Outcomes Department manages the FMC Cardiac Surgery Registry, a Cardiac Surgery procedural database collecting cardiac surgical procedures performed at FMC CTSU since 1991. This data is contributed to the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons’ national databases for cardiac and thoracic surgery. The department also established the Australia New Zealand Collaborative Perfusion Registry (ANZCPR), a collaborative database for cardiac surgical procedures performed throughout Australia and New Zealand. The registries allow multicentre benchmarking and quality improvement initiatives that result in improved practice.

Clinics

Specialist new consultations (by referral) are arranged through the Cardiothoracic Surgical Unit. Patients are seen in private clinics, there is not currently a public cardiothoracic surgery clinic at SALHN.

Staff

Surgeons

  • Dr Greg Rice – Head of Unit
  • Dr Gareth Crouch
  • Dr Stephanie Wayne
  • Dr Damian Gimpel

Clinical Perfusion

  • Dr Annette Mazzone – Co-Director
  • Mr Richard Newland – Co-Director

Quality and Outcomes Department 

  • Professor Robert Baker – Director

Nurse Unit Manager Cardiac Theatres

  • Ms Meghan Allen

Nurse Unit Manager Ward 6B

  • Mr Ashley Le Poidevin (Acting)

Contact details

Director - Dr Greg Rice
Telephone: (08) 8204 5623 or (08) 8204 5618
Fax: (08) 8404 2019