Dr. Harmuth Bittner is a member of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and a diplomat of the National Academy of Sports and Sports Science. A doctor at Cardiac Surgery Associates S.C., Dr. Harmuth Bittner has extensive experience in the healthcare industry and performs lung and heart transplants.

Heart transplants are surgical procedures that replace a patient's failing heart with a healthy one as a last resort. Common causes for heart failure and heart transplants include coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, or congenital heart problems.

Patients that don't qualify for a heart transplant can opt for a ventricular assist device. The device helps the heart pump blood throughout the body. It's a temporary tool for patients waiting for a heart transplant, but the device has become a long-term solution for patients who can't handle a transplant for age or health-related reasons.