Home > Adam's Blog > Surgeons & Hospitals > Dr. Marc Gillinov Gets 12 Thumbs And 2 Paws Up!

Dr. Marc Gillinov Gets 12 Thumbs And 2 Paws Up!

By Adam Pick on June 17, 2010

Over the past few months, Dr. A. Marc Gillinov, a leading heart surgeon from The Cleveland Clinic, has been incredibly supportive of our patients and caregivers. Not only did Dr. Gillinov host an exclusive Internet chat with our community, but he quickly responds to many of your questions that I forward to him.

Dr. Marc Gillinov And Don Spencer
Don Spencer with Dr. A. Marc Gillinov

Most importantly, Dr. Gillinov is performing successful surgery on our growing family. As a result, my inbox is flooded with patient praise for Dr. Gillinov. That said, I have provided pictures of six patients – Don, Fran, Sandy, William, Sam (and Slater, the dog), and Anita – that have had successful heart valve repair and heart valve replacement surgery at the hands of Dr. Gillinov.

Fran Zilko, shown below, traveled to Cleveland from Bonita Springs, Florida.

On April 13, Sandy Gilbert from New Mexico had aortic valve replacement surgery.

William Thune, traveled to the Cleveland Clinic from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Here is Sam from Oregon, with his dog Slater:

Saw Swerdlow Uses Guided Imagery CDs Before Aortic Valve Replacement

And, here is the one-and-only Anita Devine, who had mitral valve repair.

Anita Devine - Mitral Valve Repair Patient

On behalf of this community, our thanks and appreciation go out to Dr. Gillinov and his team!!!

Keep on tickin’ Dr. Gillinov!
Adam

Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

Dr. Bernard Loewenthal says on June 17th, 2010 at 3:28 pm

Hi Adam,
Dr. Gillinov performed an AVR & a one vessel by-pass for me on 7/17/09. He is not only, in my opinion one of the world’s finest cardio-thoracic surgeons, but a world class caring person as well!
He is one of a kind, and the world should be thankful that he is practicing what he does.
Dr. Bernard Loewenthal

Sandy Gilbert says on June 17th, 2010 at 4:34 pm

Adam,

I feel honored to have my picture included in this blog. I can’t say enough about Dr. Gillinov and the outstanding staff at the Cleveland Clinic. When you are confronted with this type of surgery you may have some choices. I choose Dr. Gillinov and the Cleveland Clinic. Best life decision I’ve made lately.

Fran Zilko says on June 17th, 2010 at 9:09 pm

Thank you Adam. I echo Sandy’s words. I have not stopped praising Dr Gillinov and the Cleveland Clinic to people on the Heart Valve Journal site and to people i know and meet. A big thank you also to his team, they are all awesome. I am blessed.

Sam Swerdlow says on June 17th, 2010 at 10:29 pm

Hi Adam,
The best decision I ever made was to travel from Oregon to The Cleveland Clinic and have Dr. Gillinov and his team replace my bicuspid aortic valve on February 22nd. I can’t say enough about the incredible care that I received and the “proof is in the pudding”. It has been only 4 months since my surgery and I have been running and working out for the last 60 days. My windpower is already far better than it has been in a couple of years. My muscles are getting stronger every week and my body is getting toned and looking better all the time. Looking back the only difficult time I had was prior to surgery from anticipation. The procedure was painless and my recovery was a “cakewalk”. Slater, Matay (my toy aussie), and I will be camping in our BigFoot Camper for 4 months beginning right after July 4th. We’ll be in the mountains of Southern Oregon at 6500 feet running, hiking, and climbing till the leaves begin to fall. Then its back to Mt. Bachelor for a winter of awesome skiing. That’s some pretty awesome “pudding” from where I come from. My surgery almost seems like a dream especially when I look in the mirror and can’t see any scar.
Hope to see you on the slopes Adam. Take Care and Thanks for all you do. We love you!!!

Carole Wiley says on June 18th, 2010 at 7:23 am

I had aortic value replacement June 11. I returned home on June 17th. It is amazing I have not had to take any pain meds since day 4. I feel extremely fortunate in that the only after effects so far have been the feeling of being tired and a slight tightness in the chest. Dr. Arvind Agnihotri was my cardic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. The care on Ellison 8 was wonderful.

Best wishes to everyone who has or is contemplating heart value replacement.

Don Spencer says on June 18th, 2010 at 8:28 am

Hi Adam.
The date stamp on the picture with Dr. Gillinov is wrong, my wife didn’t know how to change the settings on the camera, the correct date is Feb. 18, 2010. It is four months to today, that I had surgery. I did go through cardiac rehab, and today I’m riding my bike and swimming 200 meters every day. One piece of advice I would give anyone after having heart surgery, start walking as soon as you can, and keep moving.
Not only is Dr. Gillinov a great surgeon, but a real person you can talk to, who will answer all your questions, and let you know everything will be OK.

Michael Worten says on June 19th, 2010 at 12:34 am

I have only heard good things about Dr. Gillinov and the Cleveland Clinic, but as I live in the west coast I did not nor could I travel as far. I had my Mitral valve repaired and aortic valve replaced by Dr. Jacob DeLaRosa in Pocatello, Idaho. I read about his work and his carring hands and I made the trip from Phoenix to Idaho.
He was amazing and I am glad I went there! All my friends in my community suggested Cleveland or Mayo Clinic, but I had others that suggested Dr. DeLaRosa at Idaho State University. Dr. Gillinov might be a great surgeon, but Dr. DeLaRosa was my West coast Dr. Gillinov!! Worth traveling to be taken care of…

Marti says on June 24th, 2010 at 9:54 am

Yes, Dr. Gillinov walks on water. He is an extremely gifted surgeon and has put together a top notch team. It was a very good decision to travel from Denver to the Cleveland Clinic last August. I am doing fine, gardening 7-8 hours a day, and having much for energy than I did before my aortic valve replacement.
I highly recommend Dr. Gillinov!!