Being the first in the state—in some cases, the U.S.–to perform a new procedure says a lot about the skill of the physicians who work at your hospital. Over the years, we've been home to numerous "firsts" performed by physicians of The Care Group and surgeons of CorVasc, MDs. Milestones include:

	1952:		St.Vincent opens its first heart clinic
	1963:		St.Vincent opens Indianapolis's first coronary care unit
	1973:		First open heart surgery at St.Vincent
	1987:		First heart transplant at St.Vincent Nation's first laser-assisted thermal coronary angioplasty
	1995:		Abdominal aortic aneurysm endograft Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB)
	1996:		Videoscopic saphenous vein removal Transmyocardial laser revascularization Ventricular reduction
	1997:		Multi-vessel off pump coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG)
	1998:		Research to use radiation to reduce or eliminate restenosis in stented patients Extensive study of ReoPro with stenting
	1999:		Clinical trials using distal protection devices in conjunction with angioplasty of saphenous vein grafts Clinical trials involving gene therapy in patients with severe peripheral artery occlusive disease and patients with stable angina
	2000:		Cryoplasty to inhibit restenosis in patients who receive PCI with stent
	2001:		Percutaneous transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) Video-assisted thoroscopic lobectomy Video-assisted thoroscopic thymectomy Placing of drug-eluting stents
	2002:		Robotic-assisted excision of mediastinal mass Carotid artery stenting—first national clinical trial Intracoronary radiation therapy for stent restenosis Systemic cooling for acute MI Aqueous oxygen in AMI patients during PTCA/stent intervention
	2003:		MRI Adenosine stress test
	2004:		Minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgeries: Mitral valve repair and replacement Repair of internal cardiac defibrillator Esophageal Thymectomy for myasthenia gravis Cool laser revascularization for peripheral artery therapy PolarCath system for treatment of critical limb ischemia
	2005:		Thoracic aortic aneurysm endograft Heart Mate II™ ventricular assist device Drug-eluting stent superficial femoral artery Stereotaxis magnetic navigation system for biventricular defibrillator implantation
	2006:		First in U.S. to perform a pediatric Stereotaxis magnetic navigation procedure Delivery of a mitral clip through a stent for mitral valve repair
	2007:		VentrAssist™ left ventricular assist device