Advancing Cardiothoracic and Vascular Care at Rio Grande Regional Hospital

By Dr. Jaime Villarreal
Board Certified Cardiothoracic Surgeo

At Rio Grande Regional Hospital (RGRH) our goal is to provide adult patients with comprehensive services for preventing, diagnosing, and treating cardiovascular disease. Our commitment is to continue expanding our cardiovascular services by not only developing a new structural heart program but also by integrating key physician specialists such as cardiothoracic surgeons who perform cutting-edge procedures that can safely improve a patients’ quality of life.

Cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons play different and equally important roles in the care of a patient with heart disease. Cardiologists will generally handle the diagnosis and medical treatment or nonsurgical procedures like balloon angioplasty, coronary stents, or implant devices like pacemakers or defibrillators. While a cardiothoracic surgeon is a medical physician who specializes in surgical procedures of the heart, lungs, esophagus, and other structures in the chest.

Dr. Jaime Villarreal, Board Certified in both General and Cardiothoracic surgery will work hand in hand with our cardiologists and the rest of the cardiovascular care team at the hospital to provide unparalleled service to our patients.

Dr. Villarreal graduated from la Universidad de Monterrey, Mexico and completed post-graduate work at Hospital San Jose de Monterrey. In 1982, Dr. Villarreal continued his post-graduate work at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, and completed General, Vascular and Cardiothoracic surgery residencies at Baylor College of Medicine also in Houston, Texas. In 2001, Dr. Villarreal moved to the Rio Grande Valley and has worked as a Cardiothoracic surgeon having performed over 2,000 cardiovascular and thoracic procedures.

To learn more about the services offered at Rio Grande Regional Hospital please visit RioHealth.com.