Chemical Engineer, Ray, Gets Ozaki Procedure for Valvular Flow Dynamics
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: June 21, 2023
As a follow-up to our post, “Ozaki Procedure: New Research for Aortic Valve Patients”, I wanted to share the wonderful patient story of Ray Poole from New York. Ray is an aortic valve patient and chemical engineer who recently underwent the Ozaki Procedure.
Ray Says This About The Ozaki Procedure…
In his email to me, Ray shared the following:
I love your heart valve newsletter. I am celebrating my one year anniversary after having my aortic bicuspid valve replaced / repaired using the Ozaki Procedure at Cleveland Clinic. The surgery went very well. At my 6-month checkup, Dr. Joanna Ghobrial, my Cleveland Clinic cardiologist, said one word to me… Perfection. I have no aortic regurgitation (or leakage) and my gradient was 4mm Hg.
I feel 10 years younger.
Obviously, I am a huge fan of Dr. Hani Najm, my heart surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Justin Tretter, my cardiologist and imaging specialist at Cleveland Clinic.
As you know (and I am sure you have heard from other patients), information gathering during the planning process is overwhelming. All the doctors I consulted with said, “Mechanical valve is they way to go. One and done.”
I am a chemical engineer. So, I know valves and flow dynamics. The more I read, the more I wanted something different.
Interestingly, I had two alumni from my high school who are cardiologists. I talked with them about my bicuspid valve. As a result of those discussions, I had a video call with Dr. Najm and Dr. Tretter. We talked about all the options including the Ozaki Procedure. The doctors described the Ozaki Procedure. We talked about flow dynamics and the future outlook. I immediately said, “Thats it! That’s the operation I want.”
Dr. Tretter stated that it was critical for patients to find right surgeon to do the Ozaki Procedure. Dr. Najm was one of the best at the Ozaki Procedure. At the time, Dr. Najm had done about 60 Ozaki Procedures, which is also called the AVNeo Operation.
The rest is history. Six weeks later, on April 28th, the Ozaki Procedure was done. Three days later, I was walking around my hotel. Five days later, I was home in Canandaigua, New York.
Sorry this is a long email. It’s a serendipitous thing that a high school alumni led to my Ozaki Procedure. I would not hesitate to have the Ozaki Procedure done. I have my own tissue in my aortic valve. Fyi, I have a 33-year old son who was born with a bicuspid valve. He had surgery at 9 weeks of age. He is ready for the Ozaki Procedure if he needs another operating in the future.
Related Links:
- Ozaki Procedure: New Research for Aortic Valve Patients
- Congenital Heart Surgeon and Heart Anatomist-Imager Team Up To Improve Surgical Success
The beats go on!
Ray Poole
Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder
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Dr. Marc Gerdisch is a heart valve expert having performed over 4,000 heart valve repair and replacement operations during his career.
