About Dr. Melita Viegas,
Heart Valve Surgeon

"I had known since my mid-twenties that I was born with a leaky, bicuspid aortic valve. I was in Europe last summer when my heart felt like it was missing beats. That’s when my cardiologist told me “it’s time for surgery.”

At first, I thought that my options were a metal valve or cow or pig valve. But both would require re-operations within a certain number of years, and mechanical valves require blood thinners. Then I learned about the Ross procedure, which replaces the aortic valve with a patient’s own pulmonary valve, and then replaces the pulmonary valve with a donor valve. Not many surgeons perform the Ross because of its complexity. But its success rate is very high, and it often restores full life expectancy for younger patients like me.

The reputation of Cedars-Sinai helped lead me to Dr. Kim. My overall take on Cedars was how on top of patient communications they are. All the schedulers not only got me in for consultation and surgery faster than other hospitals, but they took the initiative to contact my cardiologists to get my records for me. Even after my surgery with Dr. Kim and Dr. Viegas, other hospitals were calling saying that they could finally give me just a consult. Full open-heart surgery is scary. And waking up with a breathing tube is not an experience I’d care to repeat. But I got better fast. And Dr. Kim came to visit me in the ICU daily after my surgery. Both Dr. Kim and Dr. Viegas were very attentive when talking with me. Their NP, Nicole Berndsen, was also terrific. Six months after surgery, I’m 95% back to normal.

Dr. Kim and Dr. Viegas performed a complex operation brilliantly. I can now look forward to the rest of my life knowing that I most likely won’t need heart valve surgery again. I can only recommend this feeling 100%!"

-- Douglas Smith, Aortic Valve, Pulmonary Valve, Valve Replacement, Ross Procedure, 10/01/2025

"Our baby girl, Savannah, was born with a heart murmur. Echoes showed a congenital defect called “supravalvular pulmonary stenosis,” a narrowing of the pulmonary artery just above the valve obstructing blood flow. When the cardiologist sent the echo results to Dr. Zahn at Cedars, he tried to avoid surgery by repairing it via catheter. When that didn’t work, it was time for surgery. Savannah’s pulmonary vein was working too hard.

Dr. Zahn sent my wife and I to Dr. Melita Viegas and Dr. Richard Kim – two superbly skilled pediatric cardiac surgeons at Cedars. Drs. Viegas and Kim walked us through the surgical steps. We opted for immediate surgery, as healing for a baby is easier than at age of three or four. The surgery was complex, with Savannah going on a form of life support called “ECMO” to do the work of both her heart and lungs. Seeing your baby have open heart surgery — especially when a baby’s heart is only the size of an egg which demands heroic surgical skill — is nerve wracking.

My wife was scared. And although my medical background calmed me, I was still nervous. But everything progressed well during surgery, and someone called hourly from the OR with updates. When it was over, Dr. Viegas said everything had gone well. Throughout our three-month period between April and June 2025, the entire care team was supportive and made us feel like family. Nicole, the NP, called constantly and was amazing. From echoes to cardiac infusion to surgery — the doctors and nurses in the CICU were incredible. The nursing was phenomenal as they could explain to my wife and I what worked and what didn’t and why.

Savannah’s first day after surgery was a bit rough as she was restless and wanted to crawl. But her recovery went well, and she started moving more each day. Savanah was in the CICU for a week and never went to the regular floor. She was back to normal within three months. Do my wife and I recommend Drs. Viegas and Kim? Oh, yes! We’ve already referred a cousin whose baby has a heart murmur and fortunately does not need surgery. But it’s comforting to know that these incredible surgeons are there – just in case. Meanwhile, our Savannah is back to walking, talking, running around, and playing. And that’s the most comforting thought of all."

-- Jacob Bradbury, Pulmonary Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, 05/28/2025