The surgical options of Baby Boomers may sharply decline over the next 15 years, thanks to a severe shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons coupled with a health demands of a growing, aging population, according to a new study.

Simply put, experts believe a boom in retirements -- the number of Americans turning age 65 will double to 70 million over the next two decades -- will coincide with a diminishing supply of physicians -- a minimum 21 percent drop in the number of available heart surgeons -- by 2025, creating an increased demand for surgeons nearing 50 percent.

Why the shortfall? Medical residents with training in cardiothoracic surgery had difficulty finding jobs as the number of heart bypass surgeries dropped by 28 percent and the use of stints -- procedures done by cardiologists -- dramatically increased by 121 percent.

Even worse, an immediate increase in cardiothoracic professionals wouldn't be enough to prevent a dire shortage, taking into account the anticipated increase in patients over age 65, because it takes a decade of training to become a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Circulation, Vol. 120, No. 6, pp. 488-494, August 11, 2009

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