Dr. Joseph Schmoker, Heart Surgeon Dr. Joseph Schmoker
Heart Surgeon

"I found myself in need of a 3rd open heart surgery this year when my last mechanical valves failed much earlier than expected. This was a complex surgery and I needed someone with the experience and confidence that they could do it successfully.

Though I was initially referred to a local hospital by my cardiologist which was much more conveniently located for me, I had an upsetting consult with a top surgeon there who left me feeling hopeless that I would even survive this surgery. So I reached out to Dr. Castro because of his glowing reviews here and his extensive experience.

At at our first meeting, Dr. Castro thoughtfully sat with my husband and I and explained all aspects of my heart issue, the risks of surgery, and what his plan would be. He is very easy to talk to and allows plenty of time for patients and family to ask questions.

The surgery was successful and I was thrilled that he was able to do a mini-sternotomy this time, as opposed to the two full ones I had before. This surgery took 1/2 the time as my last one, despite all the complexities.

Dr. Castro and his team were amazing and they visited me daily in the hospital. He was very comforting to my family when they had concerns and questions. I fully recommend Dr. Castro and his team, especially if you have a complex heart condition or if it's a re-do surgery."