Teppo Numminen Heart Surgery Update - Recovery Starts Now!
(This blog is a follow-up to Teppo Numminen - Heart Valve Surgery For NHL Hockey Star)
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Teppo Numminen had successful open heart surgery on Thursday at the Cleveland Clinic. He had surgery to repair a faulty heart valve. He’ll stay at the Cleveland Clinic for the next few days according to Sabres doctor William Hartrich.
Numminen’s agent, Donald Baizley, told 2 On Your Side that the operation went “extrememly well” and “as well as can be expected.”
Numminen expects to be back on the ice within three months. The 39-year-old learned of the problem during a routine check-up earlier this month and is expected to continue living a normal life after the surgery. It is not the first heart problem Numminen has had, and he has undergone operations previously, although this one was regarded as more serious.
Back at home ice, his teammates expressed joy and relief that the surgery was a success.
“Thats huge. I’m happy to hear that for him and his family. Thats the most important part, his wife and everything. That’s huge,” said fellow defenseman Brian Campbell.
“He’s a great leader in the dressing room. He’s liked by every single guy in here. We’re just moving forward. Thats great news for us. Now we can put our mind towards hockey,” said Sabres forward Derek Roy.
Source: Associated Press
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October 5th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
i had a mitral valve repair in 2000 after endocarditis destroyed one of the valve leaflets. i am lucky to be alive. the first 80% will come back quickly but the next 20% will be hard, and i hope that teppo doesnt get down, which often happens after these operations. its worse than the surgery itself. december seems pretty optimistic to me, but i wish the guy all the luck in the world. im fine now and life is better than before.