Tracking the Patient for Life
weakness, fatigue, palpitations, irregular heartbeat-all the way to heart failure.
"We've learned that you can wait too long, but then the repair didn't add much to people's lives if the heart were allowed to become thick and stretched out and lose its function. Our studies found that people should be referred sooner and not wait for people to get so sick and have the muscle lose its pumping ability. Repair is always better than replacement and the icing on the proverbial cake is that since 1995, most mitral valve repair procedures we do are through a minimally invasive incision. We're not cracking the sternum; it's just a four-inch incision and a one-inch incision through the groin. The length of stay is three or four days and it's a return to activities."
Since the outcome and quality of life is up paramount importance to the NYU cardiothoracic surgeons, Mrs. Carl will have to endure her lack of sympathy and enjoy the incredulity of her friends, not to mention her renewed good health.
For more information or referrals: (212) 263-2920.
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Med Update is a publication of Lionheart Ventures, L.L.C. and is distributed by The New York Times. Lionheart Ventures, L.L.C., does not endorse the physician opinions expressed in Med Update. Lionheart Ventures, L.L.C. encourages discussion with your personal physician prior to seeking additional medical advice. The New York Times did not participate in the writing, editing, or photography of Med Update. Lionheart Ventures, L.L.C. exclusively owns all rights to Med Update. Photography is by Keith Weller. Please direct all inquiries regarding being featured in future issues of Med Update to Scott Simpson at (630) 718-9600 or (888) 962-4500
| NYU has two clinical research nurses who answer the queries from around the world that come into the facility. Julie Delianides and Patricia Ursomanno establish relationships with the patients and maintain a follow-up database for the minimally invasive surgeries. "It's mostly the adult children of elderly patients that find us on the Internet," said Ursomanno, who has been at NYU since 1982. "The research we maintain is applicable and of interest to the patients." Delianides says that NYU has maintained a database of more than 2,000 patients on mitral valve repairs. The patients cooperate in annual post-op echocardiograms that allow the surgeons to track how the patients carry on with their lives and how well they are doing. "No other place has this set-up and on-going study," said Delianides. "It's pretty remarkable. We've learned that it's better to do procedures before symptoms become worse. In the old days, people would sit around with greater leakage, for instance and not do anything if the person was asymptomatic." These symptoms, according to Delianides, would include shortness of breath, |
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"We've learned that you can wait too long, but then the repair didn't add much to people's lives if the heart were allowed to become thick and stretched out and lose its function. Our studies found that people should be referred sooner and not wait for people to get so sick and have the muscle lose its pumping ability. Repair is always better than replacement and the icing on the proverbial cake is that since 1995, most mitral valve repair procedures we do are through a minimally invasive incision. We're not cracking the sternum; it's just a four-inch incision and a one-inch incision through the groin. The length of stay is three or four days and it's a return to activities."
Since the outcome and quality of life is up paramount importance to the NYU cardiothoracic surgeons, Mrs. Carl will have to endure her lack of sympathy and enjoy the incredulity of her friends, not to mention her renewed good health.
For more information or referrals: (212) 263-2920.
Last Page || Next Page
Med Update is a publication of Lionheart Ventures, L.L.C. and is distributed by The New York Times. Lionheart Ventures, L.L.C., does not endorse the physician opinions expressed in Med Update. Lionheart Ventures, L.L.C. encourages discussion with your personal physician prior to seeking additional medical advice. The New York Times did not participate in the writing, editing, or photography of Med Update. Lionheart Ventures, L.L.C. exclusively owns all rights to Med Update. Photography is by Keith Weller. Please direct all inquiries regarding being featured in future issues of Med Update to Scott Simpson at (630) 718-9600 or (888) 962-4500