While the patient benefits of attending cardiac rehab after heart valve surgery are well documented, the utility of these post-operative programs remains disappointing — as only 20% of patients who could benefit from cardiac rehabilitation are referred to outpatient facilities.

For this reason, I contacted Dr. Ram Dandillaya, a cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, to learn more about the benefits and the issues that surround the use of cardiac rehab after heart valve surgery. (As you might recall, Dr. Dandillaya was instrumental in Kato Pomer’s MitraClip procedure.)

I thought you might want to review the highlights from my interview with Dr. Dandillaya so I provided them below.

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I just received a great question from Kate about heart valve replacement surgery.

Kate writes, “Hi Adam, I’m going in for surgery next week and I have a quick, follow-up question about the size of a heart valve replacement. It might sound silly, but… During the operation, how will the surgeon measure my valve? Do they have some kind of sterile tape measure? Thanks, Kate”

While we might think that a “surgical tape measure” would determine the diameter of the mechanical or bioprosthetic replacement valve, the reality is a bit different.

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As difficult as the memories of today can be, I always end up smiling in Scotty’s memory – his bubbly laugh, constant high fives and ability to see the good in everything around him.

There will be a tomorrow that exists without me. And I know that. When that day arrives, I want this world to have seen greater beauty because I existed. I want my life to have meant something. I want this world to be brighter. I want this world to be happier. I want people to have smiled more and to have laughed more because I’ve spent time here. I want others to have seen and felt the uniqueness of my spirit. And if I accomplish that, when my soul does move on and my gift stays here and makes just one ripple, I will look down and I will smile. I will smile wide.

To learn more about my friend, please visit the Scott Weingard memorial.

Every once in a while I see a product that makes me think, “Huh?”, “What?”, “No way!”, “Can’t be!” and “Really?” The last time I had that thought was when the marketeers at Chia America released… Chia Obama.

Today, I find myself thinking, “Huh?”, “What?”, “No way!”, “Can’t be!” and “Really?!” once again.

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Here’s a great question from Bruce about mitral valve repairs, annuloplasty rings and post-operative complications.

Bruce writes, “Hi Adam, I read your book about a year ago, before my surgery, and have faithfully read your newsletter. What have you ever heard about patients who had mitral valve repairs via open heart surgery and afterwards find the repair ring was a bit tight resulting in irregularities showing up in treadmill stress echocardiograms and shortness of breath? Thanks, Bruce”

While Bruce raises a great question, I didn’t have a great answer. That said, I contacted Dr. Paul Massimiano, from Inova Heart & Vascular Institute, in Falls Church, Virginia.

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