OSF Cardiovascular Institute runs the Heart Transplant Program at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, the only one of its kind in downstate Illinois.

Follow-up care can require multiple visits per week for several weeks. Having a care option in Peoria provides a more convenient option than going to Chicago or somewhere else.

The surgeons, advanced heart failure cardiologists and a transplant coordinator on call 24/7, guide you through this journey of referral to transplant and beyond.

Some hearts rely on innovative technology to work properly. OSF Cardiovascular Institute makes it a priority to stay up-to-date on the latest developments that can help our patients.

Among our newest technology:

• Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is implanted in the chest and helps pump blood from the lower left heart chamber to the rest of the body.
• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) pumps blood from your body to a machine that oxygenates your blood and circulates it throughout your body.

Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease. It is the result of plaque build-up in the arteries, hindering the supply of blood to the heart.

This procedure threads a small catheter (a long, narrow, flexible tube) through a blood vessel in the groin to the artery to open up a blocked or narrowed vessel. A balloon is inflated to place a stent – a wire mesh – across the blockage.

This is often used in patients considered at high risk for problems with more traditional surgery.

OSF Cardiovascular Institute offers a variety of innovative electrophysiology services to evaluate, understand and correct the electrical function of pediatric and adult hearts, helping to keep heartbeats healthy, constant and strong.

A strong electrophysiology program like ours requires not just expertise, but also a wide range of treatment tools. The heart is a complex muscle, so you need a program that has the specific tools available to meet your unique needs.

If there is something wrong with the shape or strength of any one part of your heart – interior walls, valves, arteries or veins – it can lead to your heart not working correctly. Some structural heart conditions are with you when you’re born; others develop as you age.

For the treatment of structural heart disease, we work to control the symptoms and stop the disease progression to lower the risk for heart attack, stroke and other possible complications.

Heart failure is a chronic medical condition requiring careful monitoring and frequent treatment modifications. People with heart failure tend to be admitted to hospitals often. We help them understand and monitor their condition to avoid hospitalization.

The team at OSF Cardiovascular Institute are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure. We also help patients deal with the lifestyle modifications for living with heart failure.

Many people don’t realize they have heart disease until they suffer a heart attack. Fortunately, a heart CT scan can provide an early warning.

The scan checks for early stages of heart disease by measuring plaque buildup along the artery walls. This buildup narrows the arteries and slows the flow of blood to the heart. If blood flow becomes completely blocked, a heart attack can occur.

With Fractional Flow Technology – FFR – we can even calculate how much each blockage is limiting blood flow without needing an extra scan.

Cancer survival rates continue to improve due to better treatment options. However, cancer treatment can damage your heart, especially if you are at risk for heart disease prior to the cancer diagnosis.

Our cardio-oncology program works to prevent, monitor and treat cardiovascular disease in cancer patients and survivors to ensure long-term health. We have invested in state-of-the-art imaging technology for our cardio-oncology program to ensure our patients receive the best treatment possible.