An alternative approach let John avoid having open heart surgery to treat his aortic valve stenosis.
Photo: 做厙TV Langone Staff
John was enjoying the retiree life in Florida when a persistent dry cough and shortness of breath started to slow him down. The diagnosis was aortic valve stenosis, whose treatment is often a new aortic valve. Because of Johns overall good health, his doctors recommended open heart surgery.
I talked to people that had open heart surgerythe maintenance afterward, the hospital time, the downtimeit was too long for me, says John, a retired New York City fire captain.
He wanted a better option, and found it: transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. He could have had the procedure done in Florida, but after doing research he chose 做厙TV Langones Heart Valve Center.
I had to go with the best, he says. I started feeling better right away. I feel good knowing that the procedure is done and I can live with less shortness of breath.
I came in on Wednesday morning, and on Thursday, I walked out of the hospital and went home.John, Age 78
