The Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital has received the highest possible three-star recognition in all of the cardiac surgery categories in the 2020-2023 Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) report.

The STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database is the current national benchmark to assess excellence in cardiovascular surgery outcomes. It uses a three-star scale (3=better than expected, 2=as expected, 1=worse than expected) to rate institutions across five common cardiovascular procedures: coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG); aortic valve replacement (AVR); AVR and CABG; mitral valve replacement/repair (MVRR); and MVRR and CABG. The registry’s risk-standardized results for each category reflect 30-day outcomes for mortality, stroke, major or life-threatening bleeding, acute kidney injury, and prolonged ventilation.

The Department of Cardiovascular Surgery has achieved three stars in a number of surgical categories—particularly mitral valve, aortic valve replacement, and coronary bypass—since the STS ratings were initiated in the last decade. “In the most recent ratings, however, we had the highest three-star ratings across all measurable categories,” says Julie Swain, MD, Vice Chair and Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “This all-inclusive achievement is a powerful commentary on the competence level of our entire team, our high surgical volume, and our excellent performance in all types of operations.”