This patient community is fantastic. The questions I’ve received lately are wonderful and very detailed. I know that you, or the loved one you care for, are taking patient advocacy to a new level!
As we saw in this patient success story, many patients are doing their homework specific to mitral valve repair and the various techniques used by surgeons and cardiologists used to treat mitral regurgitation. Recently, I had a phone call with Diane. She said, “Adam, I want to learn more about robotics for mitral valve repair?”
To educate Diane and our community, I jumped at the opportunity to connect with Dr. Vinay Badhwar, who is the Professor and Executive Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. Dr. Badhwar is a community favorite that has cared for our patients and supported our educational initiatives. Here’s what Dr. Badhwar shared with me:
I received a phone call from Harolyn, an aortic stenosis patient, from Springfield, Missouri. Like so many patients I speak with, Harolyn was a bit nervous, a bit concerned and a bit apprehensive about the possibility of heart valve surgery in her life. So you know, Harolyn was no stranger to disease. She already had 3 bouts with cancer that required radiation and chemotherapy.
As we spoke, I did my best to calm her fears and educate Harolyn about potential treatment options. The more we spoke, the more I learned that Harolyn was her own best advocate. She had already spent time on HeartValveSurgery.com – educating herself about aortic stenosis and the minimally invasive therapies that might treat her narrow aortic valve.
On behalf of his patients, their families and our global community…
I wanted to extend a mighty “CONGRATULATIONS!!!” to Dr. David Adams who was just announced as the 99th President of the American Association of Thoracic Surgery (AATS). As you may know, Dr. Adams, who is the Cardiac Surgeon-in-Chief at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, is a mitral valve repair guru. He’s written books on mitral valve repair. He’s invented mitral valve repair devices. He’s ran conferences about mitral valve repair. And, he’s even started the Mitral Foundation, a unique philanthropic organization that has taken him all over the world to teach mitral valve repair techniques.
In our community, patient interest specific to mitral valve repair surgery continues to grow. To support that educational interest, I’ve attended workshops, traveled to conferences and published free eBooks dedicated to mitral valve reconstruction techniques.
During a recent trip to Chicago, I was super lucky to connect with Janet, a long-time member of our patient community. Janet, Bill (her husband), and I had actually met at Patient Day a few years back. As we sat together, it was very interesting to hear Janet’s story and the reasons she was so committed to having a mitral valve repair procedure. Here’s what Janet had to say…
We’ve learned together that there are several different approaches for surgeons and cardiologists to treat heart valve disease. There are open heart techniques and there are transcatehter approaches for heart valve replacement and repair. Specific to this spectrum of approaches, I received a great question from Dennis about minimally-invasive access through the ribs.
Dennis asked me, “Hi Adam, Does aortic valve replacement – through the rib cage – have any advantages or disadvantages versus open heart and/or TAVR? Thanks. Dennis”
Harolyn, TAVR Patient, with Dr. Brown & Dr. Mack
Dr. David Adams
