Jonathan's Profile

I have been a practicing emergency medicine physician for 35 years. My Aortic regurgitation was diagnosed in 2009 on an echo I had for palpitations. It had been stable since then- always mild. I had some abnormal air hunger while scuba diving in April and my follow up echo showed that the mild AR was now severe with mild LV dilation. Time for surgery! I searched within my health plan (UPMC) but was told no one did a minimally invasive SAVR. I read about Dr Koprivanac and his transcervical approach so I paid him a visit. I read all that I could about the surgery from various medical journals When I met with him we went over his outcomes, complications (very very few) and he spent so much time talking with my wife and I. I decided then and there this is the procedure I would have. Done July 29th, 2026. I left the hospital on July 31st. 2 day hospital stay. Unbelievable. And no sternal surgery! Small neck incision and then two small incisions in my right axilla. One for a chest tube and one for the aortic cross clamp. Lastly, a small incisions in my right anterior 2nd intercostal space for one other access site. I was extubated in the operating room and was up walking 8 hours post op. Did I mention NO sternal surgery! I believe I was somewhere around patient 15-25 to have this procedure. If you need an SAVR by I highly recommend Dr Koprivanac at CCF!!