Adam's Heart Valve Surgery Blog – Page 8
Today Is Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: February 22, 2023
Today is National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day! It’s a special day to raise awareness to this under-diagnosed, under-treated, and deadly form of heart disease.
Surgeon Q&A: How Are Enhanced Recovery After Heart Surgery Protocols Helping Patients?
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: February 16, 2023
The recovery from heart surgery can be a bit like a roller coaster. While some patients recover quickly, other patients struggle with issues related to pain management, cardiac depression, opioid overuse, and complications including fluid retention, infections and atrial fibrillation.
For these reasons, many physicians and medical teams have come together to establish a uniform protocol known as Enhanced Recovery After Heart Surgery (ERAS). To learn more, I interviewed Dr. Judson Williams, a leading heart valve surgeon from WakeMed Heart & Vascular in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Click here to see my interview with Dr. Judson about Enhanced Recovery After Heart Surgery (ERAS).
Research Update: Early Surgery for Aortic Stenosis Patients That Have No Symptoms
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: February 15, 2023
I just received a great question from Carrie about timing aortic stenosis surgery for patients who do not have symptoms. In her email, Carrie asked me, “I’m 75 years old. I was diagnosed with aortic stenosis five years ago. I’m in the ‘waiting room’ and starting to dial down my life. Not fun! My cardiologist still thinks that I don’t have symptoms. What is the latest research on timing aortic stenosis surgery for patients who are mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic?”
To answer Carrie’s questions, I interviewed Dr. Joanna Chikwe, the Chair of Cardiac Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, who has successfully operated on many patients in our community.
“Advances in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement” Webinar Now Available!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Medical Experts: Howard Herrmann, MD, and Robert Li, MD from Penn Medicine
Published: February 8, 2023
Great news! Our live patient webinar, “Advances in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)”, was downright amazing with over 300 patients connected in real-time!
The webinar touched on many important patient considerations for the treatment of aortic valve disease using the newest advances in minimally-invasive TAVR. Featured speakers on the webinar included Dr. Howard Herrmann and Dr. Robert Li, interventional cardiologists and TAVR experts from Penn Medicine.
If you missed the webinar… No problem! Here is a video playback of the live event.
“What About Tricuspid Valve Surgery for Patients with Pacemaker Leads or ICDs?” asks Henry
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: February 22, 2023
I just received an email from Henry who writes, “I’d like to see some articles on tricuspid valve repair and tricuspid valve replacement (aka the “Forgotten valve”) especially for those of us with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrilators (ICDs) or pacemaker leads passing through the valve. There are current tricuspid valve repair trials. But, they all seem to balk at patients with leads. Just a thought. Thanks, Henry”
Join 650 Heart Valve Patients On Today’s Webinar!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: February 8, 2023
Webinar Update: Thanks to our community for an incredible TAVR patient webinar with Dr. Herrmann and Dr. Li. To watch the TAVR webinar video or download the free TAVR webinar eBook, please click here.
I’m excited to announce that our FREE and LIVE patient education events continue today, February 2, at 6pm EST, with a special webinar, “Advances in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement”. Featured speakers include Dr. Howard Herrmann, Director of Interventional Cardiology, and Dr. Robert Li, Co-Director of the TAVR Program, at Penn Medicine Heart and Vascular Center.
“What About Ross Procedure Reoperations for the Aortic & Pulmonary Valves?” asks Joe
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: January 26, 2023
Given the renewed interest for the Ross Procedure – from patients in our community – I’m getting lots of excellent questions about this advanced form of aortic valve replacement. For example, Joe asked me, “Is it more common for the aortic valve or pulmonary valve to fail?” and “If the aortic or pulmonary valve fails, can a transcatheter valve replace the failing valve without an open-heart procedure?”
To answer Joe’s questions, I interviewed Dr. Michael Ibrahim, a leading heart surgeon at Penn Medicine Heart and Vascular Center, who has performed over 2,000 heart valve operations.
Click here to watch my interview with Dr. Ibrahim about Ross Procedure reoperations.
Heart Valve Experts Reunite at STS Conference!!!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: January 23, 2023
For the first time since 2020, the world’s leading heart valve experts gathered “in-person” this weekend for the 59th Annual Meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) in San Diego, California. The STS Conference brought together thousands of doctors, medical companies and researchers to discuss the latest advances in heart valve surgery and other cardiac conditions.
“Can Dacron Grafts Calcify After Aortic Valve & Aneurysm Surgery?” asks Nikki
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: January 19, 2023
I just received several great questions form Nikki about the Dacron grafts that may be used during heart valve surgery to replace a life-threatening aortic aneurysm. Nikki asked me, “Hi, Adam. My son had a bicuspid aortic valve repair and an aneurysm repair with a Dacron graft. Will this graft last forever or does it eventually calcify? Will he eventually require another operation during his lifetime?”
To answer Nikki’s questions, I interviewed Dr. Kevin Accola, a leading heart surgeon at AdventHealth in Florida who has performed over 14,000 cardiac procedures.
Janet Gets Successful Mitral Valve Repair Surgery!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: January 17, 2023
I love hearing patient success stories from our community!
For example… I just interviewed Janet Peterson, a retired accountant from Wadesville, Indiana, about her successful, minimally-invasive mitral valve repair surgery. It was great to learn why and how Janet got a mitral valve repair surgery given her severely leaky heart valve.
Surgeon Q&A: Atrial Fibrilation & Amiodarone After Heart Surgery
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: January 10, 2023
I just received a great question from Claudia about atrial fibrillation and the use of Amiodarone after heart valve surgery. In her email, Claudia asks me, “Hi Adam, I had mitral valve repair surgery two weeks ago. I had an atrial fibrillation episode after the operation. What is the usual amount of time patients stay on Amiodarone?”
To answer Claudia’s question, I just interviewed Dr. Douglas Johnston, the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. Click here to see my interview with Dr. Douglas Johnston.
Did Heart Valve Disease Cause Damar Hamlin’s Cardiac Arrest?
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: January 6, 2023
My thoughts and prayers remain with Damar Hamlin, 24, defensive back of the Buffalo Bills. As you may have seen, Damar experienced a cardiac arrest while making a tackle during Monday’s football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.
The great news is that the latest medical reports suggest that Hamlin’s condition is improving. According to CNN, doctors say Hamlin has shown “remarkable improvement” in the last 24 hours and is “neurologically intact”. Hamlin has been in the intensive care unit since he was taken from the field.
Happy Holidays!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: December 23, 2022
Dear Patients and Friends,
On behalf of Robyn, my wife, and Ethan, our son, I want to wish you a very safe, healthy and happy holidays!
All the best in 2023!
Adam
Mike Mussallem, CEO of Edwards Lifesciences for 22 Years, Announces Retirement
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page last updated: January 2, 2023
On behalf of our patient community, I would like to extend an extraordinary “Congratulations!” to Mike Mussallem, the CEO of Edwards Lifesciences, on the announcement of his upcoming retirement in May, 2023. I also need to extend a mighty “Thank You!” to Mike for his life-long commitment and dedication to advancing heart valve disease treatment.
Mike Gabler, Heart Valve Specialist, Wins Survivor!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: December 15, 2022
Congratulations to Mike Gabler, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) specialist at Edwards Lifesciences, for winning Survivor 43!!!
Heart Valve Surgery Complications: What Should Patients Know?
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: December 13, 2022
Complications after heart valve surgery can be confusing, scary and frustrating for patients, their family members and friends. For this reason, we just interviewed Dr. Joanna Chikwe, the Chair of Cardiac Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
Click here to see the “Top 5 Complications After Heart Valve Surgery”.
We Help Johann Get a Healthy Heart!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: December 8, 2022
Dear Patients and Friends,
Thanks to your support of the HeartValveSurgery.com community, I am happy to share that we just sponsored the life-saving heart surgery of Johann, a courageous 7-year-old boy from the city of Cebu in the Philippines.
Breaking News: U2’s Bono Reveals Life-Saving Heart Valve Surgery In New Book!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: November 30, 2022
U2 is my favorite rock band.
So… As a die-hard fan, I think I know a good amount of trivia about Bono, U2’s singer. However, my eyebrows just shot to the top of my head when I learned that Bono had heart valve surgery!
Click Here to See Bono’s Heart Valve Surgery Story.
Keep on tickin’ Bono!
Adam
Saint Alphonsus Heart Institute Joins Our Community!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: November 29, 2022
I am very excited to announce that Saint Alphonsus Heart Institute in Boise, Idaho just became the newest sponsor of HeartValveSurgery.com.
Surgeon Roundtable: 6 Mitral Valve Surgery Myths Busted!
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: November 16, 2022
When diagnosed with mitral valve disease, patients can be confused and misinformed about how to get the best treatment. To make matters worse, many cardiologists DO NOT know the latest research and techniques used to treat broken mitral valves.
For this reason, I hosted a “Surgeon Roundtable” with Dr. Michael Acker, Dr. Pavan Atluri and Dr. Michael Ibrahim from Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During this special interview, these leading cardiac surgeons debunked 6 mitral valve surgery myths to help you get the best outcome!
Click here to watch the “6 Mitral Valve Surgery Myths Busted!”.
Surgeon Spotlight
Dr. Doolabh is a leading cardiac surgeon at UT Southwestern who specializes in minimally-invasive heart valve surgery.
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