Truddy's Journal

Joshua Nowack  Hi Truddy. I just read through your profile and appreciate your nerves. First - duh statistic. Everyone you see on here has been through or is going through your same thought pattern. We have all been scared and anxious and whatever you want to call it...AND we are here to tell the tale.

Now I live in OC and am very fresh off my research. I’m going to assume you mean robotic mitral repair and not mitraclip. USC and Cedars do these all day long. I believe UCLA does it too. Aidan Raney does it at Hoag in Newport. I personally saw Alfredo Trento at Cedars and can’t say enough about it. It’s worth dealing with the 605. Vaughn Starnes is an excellent choice as well at USC. I wouldn’t bother with Hoag as they do one a week. Starnes and Trento can do two robotic mitral repairs a day. I’m here to assist in any way. I’m day 9 post op. I feel amazingly well - the best I have in months. I’ll give you whatever knowledge or help you find useful. But just know you’ve got this and we will all see you through.

Susan Lynn  Truddy - as Joshua advised, it is critical to find a surgeon who does a high volume of your chosen entry to access your mitral valve. In CA, there are many choices, but if you can travel to LA, Dr. Trento is one of the most experienced surgeons in valve repair. Don't worry about the initial travel and slight inconvenience. The right surgeon is worth the trip. Good luck with your choice! ❤