Anyone know.........

[Mileena46]

anything about a Dr. McGiffin at UAB Birmingham Al?

I have a friend who is talking with him (I think she wasn't sure about the spelling) about doing a maze on her. She is in a constant state of fast heart rate and a-fib.

AlCapshaw...I tried to private message you but your box is full. Please let me know if you know this doctors track record or anything at all about him. My friend is really worried. She has an artificial mitral valve already. She got it almost ten years ago, and now is starting to have trouble with the Aorta Valve.

I don't know if this Dr at B'Ham thinks she needs to have an AVR but he is going to do a Maze Procedure on her...probably before the end of the year. Thanks in advance for any info you can give me.

Mileena

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Mileena -

Do a Search (see the Blue Line at the top of the page) for keyword "McGiffin" and you will find many posts about him.

He is considered to be a Very Good (Excellent) High Risk Surgeon and is a delightful person with a pleasing Australian accent. I was very impressed with how he treated patients and staff alike when he made rounds while I was at UAB. It was clear that there was a Lot of Respect, going Both Ways.

Several of our members have used Dr. McGiffin, some with complex issues and all have done well. I believe he has experience with the Maze procedure.

Remember to ask the Key Question (to any and all surgeons) which is: "How much experience do you have doing the procedure I will need and what were your results?"

You should be able to find his contact information from a Google Search. If not, I can give you a number to call by e-mail.

That said, has anyone tried treating your friend's A-Fib medically?
Has s/he been on Amiodarone (which is the Sledge Hammer of anti-arrhythmics)?

Several of our members have had good results controlling A-Fib with Sotalol (the Generic form of BetaPace). It is recommended that patients be started on this drug while hospitalized 'just in case' any dangerous arrhythmias are triggered while the body adjusts to the medication.

 

[Mileena46]

Thanks so much for the reply Al. Yes, she is on Amiodarone now...and to my HORROR she has been on it for the entire 10 years since surgery. Since I am on it myself and have a constant fear of a-fib...that worried me.

I told her about this site (and you) and felt like I could get some kind of good review that might help put her mind a little at ease. She has been in and out of the hospital for weeks now...and they are telling her that none of the doctors at Huntsville can do the Maze. That kind of surprised me since I believe my own surgeon (Richard Clay) could walk on water!

Mileena

 

[ALCapshaw2]

WOW ! Ten Years on Amiodarone.... I hope she has been checked for the usual Long Term Side Effects (eyes, lungs, etc.)

YEP, with that history, it sounds like a MAZE procedure may be her next best option.

The HSV Surgeons have a good track record with ByPass Surgery. I have been unable to get any of their staff to tell me how many Valve Surgeries they do per year but I'm guessing it is a not a high number.

The UAB Surgeons seem to get the more complex Heart Surgeries (pediatric, valve, transplant, and re-do's which require dealing with Scar Tissue issues from previous surgeries) and have a good record performing them. UAB is a Heart Transplant Facility which has it's own pluses and minuses (i.e. non-Heart Transplant surgeries can be Bumped if/when a heart becomes available for transplant).

I believe your friend will be in Good Hands with Dr. McGiffin.
Your friend Dr. Clay has been known to refer some of his more complex cases to Dr. McGiffin and I know that Dr. Clay holds Dr. McGiffin in High Regard.

'AL'

 

[catwoman]

Thanks so much for the reply Al. Yes, she is on Amiodarone now...and to my HORROR she has been on it for the entire 10 years since surgery. Since I am on it myself and have a constant fear of a-fib...that worried me.

Why would any doctor keep a patient on a sledge-hammer med like amiodarone for 10 years? I wonder if any other treatment ever been considered before now.

 

[Mileena46]

Catwoman,
I don't think my friend completely understands Amiodarone. At least I know what issues I might be facing taking this drug (BTW ALL my test to keep taking it came out good! Even my thyroid levels are almost back to normal).

I believe she has never discussed changing it with her doctor or had a big involvement in her own health. In other words....she does what they tell her to do, no questions asked! I am fighting my Cardio to stay ON the drug until I FEEL I am ready to come off......as in: if I have to be in the hospital for a-fib again, then we could switch to the other one Al was talking about.

I learned just a few minutes ago that she will also have an AVR at the same time as the Maze. I will let you all know more when I know more.

Thanks again!

Mileena

 

[Lynlw]

Catwoman,
I don't think my friend completely understands Amiodarone. At least I know what issues I might be facing taking this drug (BTW ALL my test to keep taking it came out good! Even my thyroid levels are almost back to normal).

I believe she has never discussed changing it with her doctor or had a big involvement in her own health. In other words....she does what they tell her to do, no questions asked! I am fighting my Cardio to stay ON the drug until I FEEL I am ready to come off......as in: if I have to be in the hospital for a-fib again, then we could switch to the other one Al was talking about.

I learned just a few minutes ago that she will also have an AVR at the same time as the Maze. I will let you all know more when I know more.

Thanks again!

Mileena

That makes sense she will also be having an AVR with the Maze, since it is OHS, I was going to ask if they suggested tryong an ablation before they did the maze.
Who did her first surgery?

 

[Mileena46]

Hi Lyn,

She doesn't recall his name. I know she had the first one done at Huntsville Hospital. I believe she told me her surgeon was no longer there. (Retired? Moved on? Dont know).

She is now waiting for a call from Dr McGiffin to find out when he might be able to do it. I believe he has been out of town, and now that he is back she is ready to get it over with! I can't say I blame her!

Mileena

 

[6 for Sarah]

Dr. McGiffin did my AVR in 2004. When the time comes for a redo (I had a human valve put in) I will most definitely use him again. I cannot say enough good things about him. I also live in the Huntsville area but did not even think about asking the surgeons up here to do it. I knew I wanted it done in Birmingham where they have more experience.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hi Lyn,

She doesn't recall his name. I know she had the first one done at Huntsville Hospital. I believe she told me her surgeon was no longer there. (Retired? Moved on? Dont know).

Mileena

Do you know when she had it done?

I'm betting it was Dr. Riley who has retired from Surgery and went back to school at Harvard. I'm thinking he went for a degree in Business Administration but may be wrong. Dr. Riley did the First ByPass Surgery at HSV Hosp. He liked to tell how the Power went out just as he was beginning the surgery and they had to start up the emergency backup power unit.

There was another surgeon (Scheply? Scheffley? or something like that) who moved to the Florence area.

For many years, Dr. Riley and Dr. Clay were the only Heart Surgeons in HSV. Now there are 4.

 

[Mileena46]

Hi Sarah,

I am glad everyone has good things to say about Dr. McGiffin! It makes me feel better about my friend!

No Al, I don't know which one did her surgery, all she really told me was none of the surgeons there now did it and it was 10 yrs or so ago.

I recall seeing/meeting only one of the other four surgeons and that was Dr Charles Newton. He had done a by-pass on my cousin just a couple weeks before my own surgery.

Dr.Clay came to me when I needed surgery. I was in the hospital already and he came to talk to me. I had no idea that they might not do a lot of valve replacements! I didn't ask(I was very sick)

I did ask one of the nurses how many they had done, or how often they had people in the hospital like me....(I am 46 but ALL others on the floor were much older). Her answer was that she wasn't sure how many replacements they do in a year but she would guess it to be in the hundreds. I doubted it then as I do now....but am still pleased with Dr.Clay!

Mileena