Dr. James Snow, Jr.
I'm Jim Snow, a retired physician living in Easton, Maryland. I've had a long and happy career serving as the Chief of Otorhinolarygology (Ear, Nose, and Throat) at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Pennsylvania and, most recently, as the Director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, one of the National Institutes of Health. In 1988, I developed an infection inside my heart involving the mitral valve. The infection was brought under control with antibiotics; however, my physicians advised me that I had severe mitral regurgitation. Their advice was to repeat an echocardiogram every six months. The echocardiograms were fine until July 2001, when it was found there was some enlargement of one of the heart's chambers. The decision was made at that time to repeat the echo in another six months, which would be January 2002. If further enlargement of the heart were revealed, then the valve would need to be either repaired or replaced.
I began reviewing the literature on mitral valve surgery and learned that Dr. Alaine Carpentier, a cardiac surgeon in Paris, France, had pioneered the original techniques for repairing the mitral valve. I also learned that Dr. Stephen Colvin, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Medical Center, had studied with Dr. Carpentier in France and had developed one of the premier centers in the United States for mitral repair. I consulted with an old friend, Dr. Frank Spencer, the former Chairman of Surgery at NYU, and he recommended that I see Dr. Colvin.
In January 2002, I developed atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat, caused by the stretching of one of the chambers in the heart. It became apparent to me that I needed to move ahead to have the valve repaired as soon as possible. There are many advantages to having the valve repaired instead of replaced. There is less long-term care, and it returns the heart to a more normal physiologic condition. Additionally, Dr. Colvin used a minimally invasive technique, an approach performed through the interspaces between two ribs without the need to cut or fracture any bones in the chest. This certainly reduces the pain and healing time.
I contacted Dr. Colvin's office, and his staff arranged for me to come to NYU Medical Center on February 4, 2002.
On February 5, two days before my surgery, I had some preliminary laboratory work, a chest x-ray, and an electrocardiogram. The next day I underwent a cardiac catheterization to determine whether or not there was any problem in my coronary arteries. The study revealed that the coronaries were fine, so that they could proceed with the valve repair.
I was fortunate to have a superb repair. Dr. Colvin used the C-G Future Band, a new annuloplasty band developed by Dr. Colvin and Dr. Aubrey Galloway. Before the operation, I had a very severe murmur, which disappeared, indicating that the valve is working at maximum efficiency. I was discharged on the third day after my operation.
The surgical team at NYU Medical Center is wonderful. It involves senior surgeons like Dr. Colvin, fellows, residents, nurse practitioners, and, of course, NYU's marvelous nursing staff. I have worked in some fine hospitals, and this one compares very favorably with the best I have ever seen.
I wanted to share my own personal experience in hopes that it may be helpful to others who may be facing similar surgery.
I'm Jim Snow, a retired physician living in Easton, Maryland. I've had a long and happy career serving as the Chief of Otorhinolarygology (Ear, Nose, and Throat) at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Pennsylvania and, most recently, as the Director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, one of the National Institutes of Health. In 1988, I developed an infection inside my heart involving the mitral valve. The infection was brought under control with antibiotics; however, my physicians advised me that I had severe mitral regurgitation. Their advice was to repeat an echocardiogram every six months. The echocardiograms were fine until July 2001, when it was found there was some enlargement of one of the heart's chambers. The decision was made at that time to repeat the echo in another six months, which would be January 2002. If further enlargement of the heart were revealed, then the valve would need to be either repaired or replaced. I began reviewing the literature on mitral valve surgery and learned that Dr. Alaine Carpentier, a cardiac surgeon in Paris, France, had pioneered the original techniques for repairing the mitral valve. I also learned that Dr. Stephen Colvin, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Medical Center, had studied with Dr. Carpentier in France and had developed one of the premier centers in the United States for mitral repair. I consulted with an old friend, Dr. Frank Spencer, the former Chairman of Surgery at NYU, and he recommended that I see Dr. Colvin.
In January 2002, I developed atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat, caused by the stretching of one of the chambers in the heart. It became apparent to me that I needed to move ahead to have the valve repaired as soon as possible. There are many advantages to having the valve repaired instead of replaced. There is less long-term care, and it returns the heart to a more normal physiologic condition. Additionally, Dr. Colvin used a minimally invasive technique, an approach performed through the interspaces between two ribs without the need to cut or fracture any bones in the chest. This certainly reduces the pain and healing time.
I contacted Dr. Colvin's office, and his staff arranged for me to come to NYU Medical Center on February 4, 2002.
On February 5, two days before my surgery, I had some preliminary laboratory work, a chest x-ray, and an electrocardiogram. The next day I underwent a cardiac catheterization to determine whether or not there was any problem in my coronary arteries. The study revealed that the coronaries were fine, so that they could proceed with the valve repair.
I was fortunate to have a superb repair. Dr. Colvin used the C-G Future Band, a new annuloplasty band developed by Dr. Colvin and Dr. Aubrey Galloway. Before the operation, I had a very severe murmur, which disappeared, indicating that the valve is working at maximum efficiency. I was discharged on the third day after my operation.
The surgical team at NYU Medical Center is wonderful. It involves senior surgeons like Dr. Colvin, fellows, residents, nurse practitioners, and, of course, NYU's marvelous nursing staff. I have worked in some fine hospitals, and this one compares very favorably with the best I have ever seen.
I wanted to share my own personal experience in hopes that it may be helpful to others who may be facing similar surgery.