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Brett Kurtzgot a new guestbook post

1758 days ago

Ron Weaver posted a note for Brett that says:

Hi Brett. I was thinking I might have my surgery for bicuspid aortic valve Ana aortic aneurysm done at Northwestern. Did they have to do a full sternotomy? ...Read more

Hi Brett. I was thinking I might have my surgery for bicuspid aortic valve Ana aortic aneurysm done at Northwestern. Did they have to do a full sternotomy? Or did they do something else. Thanks.

Brett Kurtz Hi Ron. They did a full sternotomy. I know from other people I've spoken to that both Dr. Malaisrie a ... Read more

Brett Kurtz Hi Ron. They did a full sternotomy. I know from other people I've spoken to that both Dr. Malaisrie and Dr. McCarthy can do a smaller cut if you qualify for it.

Brett Kurtz Hi Ron. They did a full sternotomy. I know from other people I've spoken to that both Dr. Malaisrie a ... Read more

Brett Kurtz Hi Ron. They did a full sternotomy. I know from other people I've spoken to that both Dr. Malaisrie and Dr. McCarthy can do a smaller cut if you qualify for it.

Brett Kurtz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdJpQDZL1rY&t=164s

Bicuspid Aortic Valve: John's Story

See how 4D MRI is advancing bicuspid aortic valve diagnosis and therapy in this patient success story with John Pascarella and Dr. S. Chris Malaisrie, cardia...

Ron Weaver Thanks Brett. I was hoping I’d be able to get less invasive surgery but I think now I’m accepting ... Read more

Ron Weaver Thanks Brett. I was hoping I’d be able to get less invasive surgery but I think now I’m accepting the reality that I will have to have a full sternotomy. I have a bicuspid valve and ascending aortic aneurysm.

Brett Kurtz If you are having it at Northwestern I can not say enough good things about Dr. Malasrie. After the s ... Read more

Brett Kurtz If you are having it at Northwestern I can not say enough good things about Dr. Malasrie. After the surgery, he came by my room each day and his team is great. The ICU and step-down units where also great. zi was in the hospital for 5 days. Only thing I wish they worked with me a little more on was the PT. They came by my room only when I asked.

Ron Weaver My aneurysm is a 4.7cm now. When the time for surgery comes I plan to have my surgery at Northwestern ... Read more

Ron Weaver My aneurysm is a 4.7cm now. When the time for surgery comes I plan to have my surgery at Northwestern or maybe Cleveland clinic. I’ll have to travel from San Francisco. I hope that won’t be too much of a problem. Thanks for your personal feedback. It makes such a difference knowing you had a good experience. Do you remember waking up with the breathing tube in? That’s my main fear.

Brett Kurtz I do and that was a big fear for me also. They removed it very fast though and I just kept telling my ... Read more

Brett Kurtz I do and that was a big fear for me also. They removed it very fast though and I just kept telling myself that the doctors are there, everything will be ok. It is scary but if you try and focus on who is in the room with you, for me, that helped a lot

Ron Weaver Yikes. I’ll remember to focus on that. Thanks so much for the advice.