The goal of cardiac surgery (often referred to simply as heart surgery) is to improve the overall health of the heart. Heart disease often involves clogged or constricted arteries as well as other hindrances to healthy circulation.

Heart valves facilitate one-way blood flow; and valve covers can become loose over a lifetime. Surgeons may treat a faulty heart valve by strengthening or tightening the existing valve and its cover. In some cases, a faulty heart valve may need to be replaced, in which case biological or synthetic materials may be used.

Arrhythmia is a heart condition brought on when a heart follows an irregular rhythm. When medicine is not effective in treating arrhythmia, doctors may perform cardiac surgery and generate a new electrical network to establish a more regular heartbeat.

In severe cases of heart disease, the coronary artery fails to deliver enough oxygenated blood to the heart. This inevitably leads to angina; and when bypass surgeries are deemed ineffective or too risky, surgeons may opt to use lasers instead to gouge channels into the heart itself. This revascularization technique is usually used as a last resort.

As plaque accumulates along the coronary artery, the heart struggles to deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the body. To compensate, the heart will become enlarged and beat more intensely, ultimately wearing itself out. If this occurs, the patient may have no other choice than to seek a replacement heart. While medication and treatment of the existing heart is preferred, a heart transplant may become necessary in some cases.

Recovery after cardiac surgery depends on the level of invasiveness. Modern heart surgeries often utilize robotic implements that can operate with minimal incisions, meaning patients are back on their feet in less than a week.