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LeeJRoush

Hi to Everyone...

My name is Lee, I am 62 and have just found out via doppler echo that my mitral valve regurgitation is a +4. EF is approx 40% via echo. My physician will do a cath and we will then discuss where and who will do surgery. I am from the NY-NJ metropolitan area and have Aetna insurance (HMO). :confused:

Does anyone know of good physician in this area? And what I can expect with this surgery. I really appreciate your help and support. I have a site myself called HeartBeats (http://www.geocities.com/msleeroush) but this diagnosis has left me feeling a bit overwhelmed and I'd really like to talk to some folks who have been thru this.

Thanks so much....
Lee
 
This is the right site for you, Lee

This is the right site for you, Lee

Hi Lee-

You've come to a wonderful site. There is so much support here. Everyone here "gets" it. We've all either experienced it or had loved ones who've gone through valve replacements.

In my case, my husband Joe has an aortic valve replacement and a mitral valve replacement. He's currently awaiting a date for surgery to correct a leak in his mitral valve and to also make a determination on a leak in his own tricuspid valve.

Can't help you out with surgeons in your area, I'm from upstate New York, but in the area where you are I'm sure you have some fine surgeons. Your cardiologist can help you out there, and there might even be some others from that area that can recommend.

It's normal to be nervous about the prospect of valve surgery, but it's a wonderful life saving process, and you'll feel so much better afterwards.

All the best to you.

Nancy :)
 
Hi Lee,

Welcome to the site. There are several people here that are from your neck of the woods. Look for Bob Gleason. I think he can provide you with some good local information. Also Steve W. Lives up there and can help out.

From the sunny south....

Rob
 
Hi Lee

Hi Lee

I live in Princeton, New Jersey andhad my surgery in New York City at Columbia Pres. Hospital. Surgeon who performed my aortic valve replacement, aortic arch and root replacement on Nov 4, 1999 was Dr. Eric Rose who is the head of surgery at Columbia. I had total confidence in him, his attending staff and had great care during my stay at the hospital.

My brother-in-law is a thoracic (heart) surgeon at Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick and my sister was head of cardiac care at that hospital so I had a lot of help with recommendations and help evaluating the surgeons I went to see. Two other surgeons that I had considered were Randal Grieff at Mt Sinai and Grant Parr at Morristown. (The Parr Group at Morristown Memorial also impressed me quite a bit.)

One of the contributing factors to my choosing Eric Rose was the cardiologist that I saw prior to my surgery at Columbia. His name is David Sherman and his office is right in Columbia and every patient Eric Rose works on (I think) sees David Sherman. I still see him every 6 months although I have a local Princeton Cardio (whohas the personality of a fig...but is good) who I am seeing quarterly. But David Sherman is THE MAN!!!!

If you need to discuss this with me I would gladly give you more info, phone numbers, etc. Anyway I can help, just ask.

Bob Gleason
 
Hi Lee.

I checked out your website - Nice Job. I am located in the south (Ga) so can't help you out with Doctors in your area. But I am sure you will get some input from others.
I wanted to welcome you to Valvereplacement.com - It is a wonderful site and you will find all the answers you need here as well as some much needed emotional support.
I had my Mitral valve replaced 12 years ago when I was 26.

Take Care.

Tammy :)
 
Thanks soooo MUCH

Thanks soooo MUCH

Hi and Thx to Nancy, Rob, Bob & Tammy...

Ok guys, guess I am on my way.

Thanks so much for your timely replies--this certainly seems like a great forum. The next step looks like a cath that'll be done at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ but that will not be where surgery is done. My physician has suggested Cornell/Columbia (and I will definitely talk to him about Eric Rose at Columbia--thx Bob for the great recommendation, that really helps--and I will also look up Grant Parr at Morristown).

I'm sure I'll have questions...and will check in and get to know you all...thanks again for your responses! Bestest, Lee
:)
 
Lee - Glad to have you with us, but sorry to hear you will need surgery. I can't help you with your physician question even though I work in central NJ. I went out of town to Cle for my surgery in Jan 2001.
 
Lee.....Give me a call

Lee.....Give me a call

My home phone is 609-924-4520 and my work number is 800-965-2758...........If you ever need to talk, please feel free to call me.

Bob Gleason
 
Welcom to Site

Welcom to Site

First welcome to the site. Make sure what ever Doc you get he is a Cardiologist not just a physician. I did not get proper care for my condition until I went to a Cardiologist. If you are concerned about your local doc you might check with Cleveland Clinic for a second opion. Good Luck.:)
 
Right on Fred!!!

That was my problem, by the time my wacko PCP thought I needed to see a cardiologist.... it was a waaaaay past the time I should have had surgery!!

Needless to say I have Ryan seeing a cardio regularly.

Rain
 
Hi Lee,

There is an interesting website for the Mid Atlantic Surgical Associates (?) MASA at HeartSurgeons.com

They report better numbers than Mayo Clinic in the claims so they may be worth looking into also. They are somewhere in New Jersey. You will be glad to know that survival rates are VERY GOOD for valve replacement surgery, especially when performed by surgeons who do this regularly (>200 / yr) at hospitals that also do high volume heart procedures (>1000 / yr).

A couple of good reference books are the new Heart Book by the Cleveland Clinic (number ONE rated heart center in the world) and
Coping with Heart Surgery and Bypassing Depression by J. Jude.
The latter book was previously published as The Heart Surgery Handbook and has an excellent chapter on what to expect during recovery on a week by week basis.

Good Luck and Best Wishes,

'AL'
 
Lee,
New York University Medical Center is #1 in the country for the number of port access valve surgeries performed. From reading much info on this minimally invasive surgery (thoracotomy through the ribs, no cutting of the sternum), it is ideally suited for mitral valve surgery. The recovery time for this surgery is listed as 2 to 3 weeks. You may want to check out the NYU website for more info if you have any interest in this approach to valve surgery.
 
Some good News

Some good News

To all of you who replied to me and were so kind...I appreciate it so very much. My doctor called me today after he checked out the echo which was done by a Jr. partner and a tech and said it is a +3 for now and I do not need surgery at this time. They will follow it for now. I suspect sooner or later I'll be back here but it was nice to have a reprieve for a while.

To Bob...I had called Dr. Eric Rose and made an appointment for a consultation, which is now cancelled, but they asked how you were doing and I told them about the web site and all the help you guys were giving to "new" folks. My best wishes to all of you and thanks again. Hugs from Lee in NJ
 
Hi Lee, our cases are quite similar except I was 72 when I had my surgery, a mitral valve replacement, 9/17/98. My surgeon found no repair feasible and replaced with a mechanical St. Jude. I did well and left the hospital the morning of the fourth postop day. I gradually continued to gain energy and now feel about like I did when I was 50.I take Coumadin daily, check my protime with a Coaguchek finger stick monitor, and find it only a minor inconveniece. If you have specific questions feel free to contact me at [email protected]/ Marty
 
Hi Lee. Welcome to our home - it is a very pleasant place to visit. You will meet lots of new friends and heart pals. As you can see already, the help is here and all you have to do is ask your questions and as if magically, you are soon given lots and lots of answers - all of them heartfelt and sincere. So stick around and we will go right along with you as you travel the road to your very own personal miracle. God bless.
 
Hi Lee,

I was scheduled for avr and root replacement on 4/5/01. Based on Bob Gleason's recommendation, I saw Dr. Eric Rose of Columbia Presbyterian. As a result of the appointment, the surgery was scheduled. I went for a 2nd opinion (more to confirm my cardiologist's opinion that the surgeons) and went to the Cleveland Clinic in Feb 2001. My echo pictures were better, but the docs @ Cleveland also recommended surgery. A week before my surgery, I went into Columbia for pre-admission testing. Part of this testing is that you see a cardiologist. I had my choice of cardiologists there, but based on Bob's suggestion, I asked to see Dr. Sherman. Once he saw my Cleveland test results, he told me I did not need the surgery and he called Dr. Rose and had the surgery cancelled. Dr. Sherman is now my cardiologist and I have been seeing him regularly. He is a great doctor.

I have sought out a lot of opinions and also have Aetna US Healthcare. If you have any questions or want to speak further, you can email me at [email protected].

Good luck,

Steve W.
 
Hi Lee,

I live in Jersey City, but work in Manhattan. Steve recommended Dr. Valentin Fuster at Mt. Sinai. He is head of cardiac surgery and I remembered Steve was extremely impressed with him.

I am glad you are better than was first thought and that you don't have to face surgery right away thus giving you time to research and find someone you are comfortable with.

For future reference; every year New York magazine lists the best doctors in NY, NJ and Connecticut. I think it is the first week of June. It lists their specialties and sub-specialties. (If you would like to see it, I will send you this year's copy). There are many valve specialists in the New York area. Many cardiologists don't deal with valve disease on a large scale and valve problems may only be a small percentage of their patients. If you have had the disease a long time and meet one who hasn't dealt with many you can spot it in a "New York Minute".


Best of luck,
Francesca
 
Hi Lee,

I live in Jersey City, but work in Manhattan. Steve recommended Dr. Valentin Fuster at Mt. Sinai. He is head of cardiac surgery and I remembered Steve was extremely impressed with him.

I am glad you are better than was first thought and that you don't have to face surgery right away thus giving you time to research and find someone you are comfortable with.

For future reference; every year New York magazine lists the best doctors in NY, NJ and Connecticut. I think it is the first week of June. It lists their specialties and sub-specialties. (If you would like to see it, I will send you this year's copy). There are many valve specialists in the New York area. Many cardiologists don't deal with valve disease on a large scale and valve problems may only be a small percentage of their patients. If you have had the disease a long time and meet one who hasn't dealt with many you can spot it in a "New York Minute".


Best of luck,
Francesca
 
Lee:

I too am in the pre-surgery mode and looking for a surgeon to do my mitral valve repair. I have been researching for the past few months.

In NYC, take a look at Stephen Colvin at New York University. As mentioned elsewhere in these replies, they use a minimally invasive approach known as a mini right thoracotomy. Dr. Colvin seems very skilled with this approach and has done literally thousands of valve repairs. According to his staff, Dr. Colvin "doesn't believe in valve replacement."

I would recommend you contact Colvin's nurse practitioner Julie Delianides who is a wonderful person to talk to. Julie's phone number is 212-263-7585. You can also gain a lot of information at the NYU website at http://cvsurg.med.nyu.edu/news.

Beware that many very reputable surgeons do warn against the right thoracotomy method, though Colvin seems to do very well with it. I was very interested in traveling to NYU for my surgery, but am becoming somewhat hesitant because of the number of warnings I have been given about that approach. Still, there are a lot of happy patients out there who have had their surgeries done by Colvin.

Another excellent surgeon for valve repair whom you might want to consider is Dr. Lawrence Cohn at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He uses a mini-sternotomy surgical approach.
Dr. Cohn had his own aortic valve surgery done by Dr. Cosgrove at the Cleveland Clinic and is known to quip "I had my surgery done by the second best surgeon in the nation." Dr. Cohn's phone number is (617) 732-7678.

Jennifer Olson
 
hi lee!
welcome to this wonderful site; it's a great find! everyone here is so supposrtive and giving.
Columbia pres has wonderful surgeons. besides eric rose, there's dr. oz and others too.
at nyu, dr. colvin has an amazing reputation and comes highly recommended as well.
beth israel, wehre joey had his rp done, also has an amazing cardiothoracic staff. you have tons of choices...
why don't you meet some of these people , when the time comes, and see which one you "click" with.
i was glad to read that you are in no rush to have your surgery. please keep us posted.
be well,
sylvia
 
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