Vivek B. Patel, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
It’s not every hospital that has a surgeon trained to address the complicating illnesses of today’s heart patients. Cardiothoracic Surgeon Vivek Patel of St. Luke’s Health -The Woodlands Hospital is one of the few surgeons who perform not only heart surgery but also thoracic and vascular surgery, offering critically ill patients a fighting chance.
“Heart disease goes hand in hand with vascular disease, and as our population ages, we are seeing sicker and sicker patients suffering from a mix of heart disease and also lung disease, liver, and/or kidney issues,” the assistant professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine said.
Dr. Patel provides patients with the latest advancements in cardiothoracic surgery, with minimally invasive robotic surgery and endovascular procedures performed through small incisions to access the heart. “We also provide temporary mechanical circulatory support options for patients who need it until they can tolerate surgery,” he said. “For example, if a patient has suffered a heart attack, there are devices to support the heart and lungs to allow the patient to recover so we can perform the intervention they need. There are very few places that offer all of that in one place.”
In 2024, Dr. Patel performed St. Luke’s – The Woodlands’ first robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass graft surgery. He is the only surgeon in north Houston performing robotic-assisted bypass surgeries, a less invasive procedure than traditional surgery, which may require fewer blood transfusions, present less risk of stroke, promote faster recoveries, and return to normal activities. While robotic-assisted surgeries have been performed in other areas of the body for decades, such as the abdomen, those involving the heart are less common. With Dr. Patel at the controls, robotic instruments provide more dexterity in small areas with better visualization. It is a promising option for patients who would otherwise not survive open-heart surgery.
It is just one example of the high level of cardiac care offered at St. Luke’s-The Woodlands, on par with that of major medical centers, and a tremendous convenience for patients in north Houston. Heart transplant patients are referred to Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center, where Dr. Patel has staff privileges.
Dr. Patel has published several research articles and is particularly interested in the field of cardiac gene therapy. He is proud to participate in the training and mentorship of future cardiothoracic surgeons. His team recently welcomed a general surgery resident to his team through a program at Baylor College of Medicine.
He is excited about the future of cardiac care and the latest technologies on the horizon. For now, he finds it gratifying to have so many advanced tools at his disposal to help his patients.
“We often have to think out of the box to find the therapies our patients need. Sometimes it involves surgery, sometimes it doesn’t,” he said, “but either way we are figuring out ways to help patients recover better. Especially when they’re critically ill.”
