Skills and Duties/Equipment used
Skills and Duties
There are certain skills which must be present to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. Some of these skills include communication skills (must be able to effectively talk to patients), leadership skills (have to manage staff effectively), organizational skills (must be able to keep records), stamina (must be able to withstand long hours of standing in surgery), dexterity (must be good at using sharp equipment), ability to work under pressure, and problem solving skills (must be able to correctly analyze patient's problems and must come up with right medication). These surgeons must also have the skill of recognizing both cardiac and thoracic abnormalities to correctly diagnose a patient and operate on them. Duties include diagnosing of cardiac and thoracic abnormalities and using open-heart surgery to fix these abnormalities in the given regions. Other duties include inserting pacemakers, bypassing blocked arteries, and perform on heart diseases and aortic aneurysms. These surgeons are also in charge of providing the patient with anesthesia, cutting up and stitching the patient, and providing the patient with pain medication. |
Equipment Used
The equipment used by cardiothoracic surgeons include forceps, scalpels, aortic clamps, needle holders, rib and sternum retractors, titanium micro instruments, sternum saws, and anesthesia. |