My daughter, Ana age 16, is currently getting treatment for endocarditis. Long story short, she now has mitral valve regurgitation from the infection and doctors ...Read more
My daughter, Ana age 16, is currently getting treatment for endocarditis. Long story short, she now has mitral valve regurgitation from the infection and doctors are looking at open heart surgery to repair the valve. We live in South Florida and I'm desperately looking for a surgeon who will consider minimally invasive repair as opposed to open heart. We are willing to travel if needed. HELP.
Susan Lynn Dr. Joseph Lamelas is in your area and should be among your surgical consultations. He performed ... Read more
Susan Lynn Dr. Joseph Lamelas is in your area and should be among your surgical consultations. He performed a minimally-invasive heart valve procedure on one of our HVS heart warriors a few years ago and he enthusiastically recommends him. You want to find a surgeon who does a large number of mitral valve repairs with a solid track record of success. If you feel like traveling, there are many other choices throughout the country, including my surgeon, Dr. Scott Goldman at Main Line Health just outside of Philadelphia. Good luck with your research! https://doctors.umiamihealth.org/provider/joseph+lamelas/867364
Find information about and book an appointment with Dr. Joseph Lamelas, MD in Miami, FL. Specialties: Cardiac Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Structural Heart Disease Cardiology.
Beth Peterson Susan Lynn, thanks for the recommendation. I will contact Dr Lamelas office again. Since Ana is 16 th ... Read more
Beth Peterson Susan Lynn, thanks for the recommendation. I will contact Dr Lamelas office again. Since Ana is 16 they were not keen on seeing her (they take 19+yrs old patients). My parents live in Philadelphia, main line, I'll look into Dr Goldman as well. Thank you so much for your suggestions. I am very thankful for this site. The stories are so encouraging. Can't wait to share Ana's complete story ;)
Susan Lynn Beth - If you want to chat, please let me know. Just an fyi - I know you're just beginning your r... Read more
Susan Lynn Beth - If you want to chat, please let me know. Just an fyi - I know you're just beginning your research, the only difference between minimally-invasive mitral valve repair and a sternotomy or mini-sternotomy is the method of accessing the heart, the surgery itself is the same and minimally-invasive is considered open heart.
The minimally-invasive entry also requires connection to the bypass machine through the femoral artery above the thigh. As a result, a CT with contrast of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis is required to ensure the path is clear before a patient can be approved for this entry. Also, during my surgery, I had the nerves near the incision frozen - I didn't have any pain after surgery, but I had numbness, pins and needles sensations, and occasional sharp pains on my right side and back for about a year afterward. They were tolerable, but it is part of the process.
I would choose minimally-invasive mitral valve repair again, but you should know all the pros and cons. The most important thing is that your daughter gets a good repair. The entry is much lower on the priority list.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I'm happy to answer them.
Dr. Scott Goldman and his team lead one of the most experienced mitral valve repair centers in the country, with superior patient outcomes. For more informat...
Susan Lynn Just a couple more things, Dr. Goldman hid the entry scar in the crease of my right breast. For a 1 ... Read more
Susan Lynn Just a couple more things, Dr. Goldman hid the entry scar in the crease of my right breast. For a 16 year-old girl, a good cosmetic result can make this process much easier in the long-term.
Also, Lankenau's Heart Pavilion has all spacious, private rooms - patients are taken to their own rooms right after surgery, not a noisy CICU ward. Also - my sister was allowed to stay 24/7. I'm sure your daughter will want you there, too. https://youtu.be/74YxA0EaU2E?feature=shared
Lankenau has committed to staying at the forefront of cardiovascular medicine by investing in our most ambitious renovation and expansion project in over fif...
Ana Kelton-Brand Hi Beth, I had minimally invasive surgery with Dr. Lamelas on Dec. 29, 2023. He did a mitral valve r ... Read more
Ana Kelton-Brand Hi Beth, I had minimally invasive surgery with Dr. Lamelas on Dec. 29, 2023. He did a mitral valve repair because of severe regurgitation and replaced my stenotic aortic valve and replaced my ascending aorta due to an aneurysm. He is an excellent surgeon and he has a top-notch team. He can do amazing things through a minimally invasive approach. I'd be happy to talk to you about my experience.
Michele Renee Dr . Joanna Chikwe at Cedar Sinai. She is amazing, kind sensitive and brilliant. Head of cardiac surg ... Read more
Michele Renee Dr . Joanna Chikwe at Cedar Sinai. She is amazing, kind sensitive and brilliant. Head of cardiac surgery as well. I had my mitral valve repaired minimally invasive. She makes the entire experience positive and her staff is amazing.
I am from: Delray Beach, FL
The minimally-invasive entry also requires connection to the bypass machine through the femoral artery above the thigh. As a result, a CT with contrast of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis is required to ensure the path is clear before a patient can be approved for this entry. Also, during my surgery, I had the nerves near the incision frozen - I didn't have any pain after surgery, but I had numbness, pins and needles sensations, and occasional sharp pains on my right side and back for about a year afterward. They were tolerable, but it is part of the process.
I would choose minimally-invasive mitral valve repair again, but you should know all the pros and cons. The most important thing is that your daughter gets a good repair. The entry is much lower on the priority list.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I'm happy to answer them.
Also, Lankenau's Heart Pavilion has all spacious, private rooms - patients are taken to their own rooms right after surgery, not a noisy CICU ward. Also - my sister was allowed to stay 24/7. I'm sure your daughter will want you there, too.
https://youtu.be/74YxA0EaU2E?feature=shared