Cooper University Hospital has received “3 Star” rankings from the prestigious Society of Thoracic Surgeons in two separate cardiothoracic surgery categories: Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery (AVR). “3 Stars” is highest quality ranking granted by the organization.

This is the fourth year in a row that the Society of Thoracic Surgeons recognized Cooper for outstanding performance in CABG procedures, placing it among the top 14 percent in the country. The AVR ratings, which were just initiated by Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery this year, ranked Cooper in the top 5.9 percent nationally. The AVR rating is based on Cooper’s excellent results over the last three years.

Earning “3 Star” ratings places Cooper in the highest quality tier of the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery’s comprehensive rating system, which measures the quality of cardiac surgery among hospitals across the country. Multiple aspects are measured, including compliance with recommended quality measures during surgery, adherence to appropriate medication usage before and after surgery, and patient outcomes.

“These are outstanding achievements that could not have been accomplished without the team approach to care that we take with each patient,” said Michael Rosenbloom, MD, head of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. “We share credit for these achievements with our colleagues in cardiology, cardiac anesthesia, critical care medicine and the nurses, techs and perfusion staff.” Cooper’s Cardiothoracic Surgery team also includes Frank W. Bowen, III, MD, and Richard Y. Highbloom, MD.

Last year, more than 65 percent of CABG surgeries at Cooper were performed off-pump, which means patients’ hearts were not stopped or placed on heart-lung machines. This approach promotes more rapid recovery and fewer complications for patients. Nationally, only 19.2 percent of patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery have their procedures performed without the use of the heart-lung machines.

The Cooper Valve Center offers patients access to the most advanced care in the region for aortic valve disease and mitral valve disease. Cooper was the first in NJ — and is one of only a handful of hospitals nationwide — selected to bring transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a revolutionary procedure for patients who are not candidates for surgical repair, into more widespread patient use.

“These statistics reflect the superior level of expertise we have at Cooper,” added Dr. Rosenbloom. “We’re especially pleased that the Society of Thoracic Surgeons has added AVR to its measures this year, and are proud that we scored higher than 94.1 percent of hospitals across the country for three consecutive years.”