TGH Brooksville Performs First Cardiothoracic Surgery, Expanding Access to Advanced Heart Care in Hernando County

Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Brooksville has reached a significant clinical milestone with the successful completion of its first cardiothoracic surgical technology, increasing access to well-developed heart care for patients in Hernando County and surrounding communities. The inaugural technology included a single-vessel coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), mitral valve repair, and atrial appendage clipping.

The launch of heart surgery at TGH Brooksville shows the recent development in Tampa General's continuing efforts to increase access to academic medicine in the communities it serves. By bringing this well-developed surgical ability to Brooksville, patients with complex cardiovascular conditions recently access a wider range of specialized care closer to home while advantageous from the healthcare expertise, resources and coordinated care of Tampa General, Florida's premier academic health technology.

"This is the power being backed by an academic health system; it allows us to transform care for the communities we serve," said Stacey Brandt, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General and president of the TGH Community and Specialty Hospital Division. "We are taking the expertise, clinical excellence, and resources available across the Tampa General Academic Health System and, through our partnership with USF Health, extending those capabilities to patients across our growing network. For patients in Hernando County, that means greater access to highly specialized cardiovascular care, closer to their families and in their own community."

Establishing cardiothoracic surgery at TGH Brooksville was a cooperative effort that brought together doctors, clinical teams, and leaders from TGH Brooksville and TGH Spring Hill, alongside the expertise and support of Tampa General's academic healthcare center on Davis Islands and USF Health. The program was built via close collaboration with members of the local healthcare staff and community providers whose commitment to increasing access to well-developed cardiac care helped make this milestone possible. The effort was led by Benjamin Mackie, MD, vice president and co-chief of TGH Heart & Vascular Institute (HVI), healthcare director of HVI Heart Failure Center of Excellence and health director of Heart Transplantation; Lucian Lozonschi, MD, director and chief of cardiothoracic surgery at TGH and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine; and Charan Mungara, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon who joined the team to support establish and lead the program at TGH Brooksville. Furthermore, the effort was supported by Julie Lallanilla, RN, MBA, CVRN, cardiovascular services market director for TGH Brooksville and TGH Spring Hill, who supported confirms the hospital, the care team, and the required infrastructure were prepared to launch the novel surgical capability.

"Bringing cardiothoracic surgery to TGH Brooksville required an extraordinary level of collaboration across our academic health system," said Bobby Ginn, Jr., senior vice president and president of TGH Brooksville and TGH Spring Hill. "This achievement is a testament to our team's commitment and to what we can accomplish when we bring together the strength of our local teams with the expertise and resources available across Tampa General and USF Health. Most importantly, it means patients in Hernando County have access to even more advanced cardiovascular care right here in Brooksville."

Through Tampa General's ancient collabration with USF Health, cardiothoracic surgery patients have access to university-based proficiency, research-driven surgical technology, leading-edge technologies and evidence-driven care for challenging heart and lung conditions. The cardiothoracic surgery program provides advanced surgical care for conditions affecting the heart, lungs and chest, involving coronary artery disease, cardiac valve disease and complex aortic situations.

"This first procedure represents an important step in building a comprehensive cardiothoracic surgery program for this community," said Mungara. "Patients with complex cardiovascular disease benefit from a multidisciplinary approach that brings together surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, critical care specialists, and many other members of the care team. At TGH Brooksville, we can combine that coordinated approach with the expertise of an academic health system, expanding access to advanced surgical care while allowing more patients to receive that care closer to home."

This first cardiothoracic surgery at TGH Brooksville builds upon Tampa General's continued expansion of cardiovascular solutions in Hernando County through the TGH HVI. In May 2025, TGH Brooksville opened its cardiac rehabilitation program, offering patients access to medically supervised rehabilitation and support as they recover from cardiac events and related conditions. The hospital further increased its cardiovascular capabilities by creating a well-developed heart failure clinic, bringing specialized care and disease management closer to patients living with challenging heart failure.

With the launch of complex cardiothoracic surgery at TGH Brooksville, Tampa General continues to build upon that commitment, bringing more sophisticated specialty care in the community while connecting patients in the region to the expertise of the TGH and USF Health network.

According to Towards Healthcare, the heart transplant market is projected to grow significantly, with estimates indicating the market size will increase from USD 15.01 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 35.79 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 10.14% from 2026 to 2035.Cardiac and pulmonary transplantation is applied to morbidly ill patients with excellent operative and intermediate-term survival. A heart transplant provides life-changing advantages; patients return to work, climb stairs, exercise, and live meaningfully longer. Significantly increasing life expectancy, boasting an approximate 85% to 90% survival rate at one-year post-surgery. Removes chronic heart failure symptoms like severe chest pain, fluid retention, and leg swelling.

About Tampa General Hospital

Tampa General Hospital, Florida's premier academic health technology, is a 1,530-bed not-for-profit network of hospital and outpatient services spanning Florida. As the only center for Level I trauma center and comprehensive burn care center serving 23 counties, Tampa General delivers world-class care. The system's hospitals include Tampa General Hospital, Tampa General Rehabilitation Hospital, and Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital, all in Tampa; Tampa General Brooksville, Tampa General Spring Hill, and Tampa General Crystal River. Tampa General is the highest-ranked hospital in Tampa Bay in U.S. News & World Report's 2026-2027 Best Hospitals for 11 consecutive years, with five medical specialties ranking among the top 50, two additional medical specialties ranked in the top 100 best hospital programs, and two specialties ranked in the top 10% in the United States. As the first hospital in Florida to open a healthcare command center for real-time situational awareness, the academic health technology has elevated its digital care coordination center to the next level by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and its analytics platform across inpatient and outpatient care to confirm patients receive advanced care as rapidly and safely as possible.

A recent report by Towards Healthcare highlights that the heart transplant market is growing, as a heart transplant significantly improves quality of life and long-term survival. After recovery and when follow-up visits become less frequent, patients can generally return to normal activities. They are likely to work, drive, participate in sports, and go on holiday. The main benefit of heart transplantation is saving lives when no other options exist. It offers longer, higher-quality living, with increased energy and better overall well-being. These improvements make integrating back into daily routines, work, and travel much easier.