Leukemia, Then Mitral Valve Surgery For Charles… Amazing!!!

April 30th, 2009

First, Leslie Lafayette was featured on television during her robotic surgery.

Now, another one of my readers, Charles, from Hollywood, Florida was featured on CBS news for his inspirational battle against leukemia and mitral valve disease. I thought you might like to read more about Charles’s incredible story or watch the video, so here it is:

More than 100,000 people each year undergo surgery to have a heart valve repaired or replaced for disorders including aortic valve stenosis (narrowed valve) and mitral valve regurgitation (leaking valve). Traditionally, this type of procedure has been invasive and riskier for certain patients because of religious or health constraints.

Now, a new procedure is making valve surgery a viable option for more people who may have not considered it in the past.

Charles, 33, had just conquered leukemia then he learned he had another obstacle to overcome. “After coming out of chemotherapy for leukemia the oncologist found a murmur that seemed to be very loud and needed some attention,” explained Charles.

The Hallandale Beach father was told he would need heart valve surgery which presented a major challenge for surgeon Gary Allen, chief of cardiac surgery for Memorial Healthcare System.

“He had a very rare type of leukemia. And that was already treated but it does have an affect on the body’s ability to clot during surgery which is an important effect of course. And the other thing is Charles is a Jehovah’s Witness and he has chosen not to accept any blood products,” said Dr. Allen.

Dr. Gary Allen – Charles Heart Surgeon

Because Charles didn’t want a blood transfusion, Dr. Allen suggested he undergo minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. “In the case of mitral valve surgery, it’s an incision anywhere from two to two and a half inches. Traditional open heart incisions are anywhere from 8 to 15 inches,” added Dr. Allen.

Other benefits of mitral valve surgery over traditional methods include minimal blood loss, less pain, a shorter hospital stay and a quicker recovery. After undergoing the mitral valve procedure, Charles said he has more energy and is hopeful his good health is here to stay.

“The tissue valve should be good for another 20 years or so,” Charles said smiling. That long lasting tissue valve inserted into Charles’ heart is actually pig tissue (porcine valve) sterilized for human use.

Keep on tickin’ Charles!

About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates clinical research with the personal experiences of 135 former patients to help future patients and their caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.