Duke or UNC??

[mtmom]

Has anyone had any experience with Duke Heart Center or UNC-Chapel Hill? Any surgeon recommendations? Thanks for any info.

 

[kfay]

I had surgery at Duke about a million years ago, so I'm sure my experience wouldn't be relevant today, but, for what it's worth, they were great and I did well. We've had a couple of members who have had surgery there, so hopefully they'll be along to share their experiences with you although I'm not sure they come on here that often. I can't say I recall someone having surgery at UNC.


Kim

 

[Glen Swan]

My son had his at UNC, but that's a different set of surgeons of course in terms of PED. Duke I hear is top ranking over UNC for heart treatment, but I'm sure both are good.

 

[Mentu]

MT, I have no direct experience with Duke, however, I know that surgeons there conduct research into innovative surgical techniques. The hospital trials for the Talons used to close my sternum were conducted primarily at Duke. To me, this indicates that it is, perhaps, a more forward looking institution; it is certainly one of the centers of cardiac surgery in the U.S.

Larry

 

[mtmom]

Thanks everyone. Maybe someone will see this post that knows of a surgeon at one of these medical centers that is wonderful!

 

[scg]

Duke experience.

Duke experience.

Am currently considering Duke for my mitral valve repair due to their less invasive approach and not only extensive experience and surgical skill set, but also for their advanced techniques. If you are looking at mitral valve repair them Don Glower is who I'm considering. Surgery likely next month.

 

[Bryan B]

Has anyone had any experience with Duke Heart Center or UNC-Chapel Hill? Any surgeon recommendations? Thanks for any info.

Between Duke and UNC for valve replacement/repair and/or aorta replacement I would have to say Duke without question and would recommend Donald Glower...Chad Hughes if you have aortic disease in addition to valve issues. If Duke wasn't in the equation I would look at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center as my second choice and would recommend Neal Kon as a surgeon. My third choice would be Pitt County Memorial Hospital and I would recommend Randolph Chitwood as a surgeon. This isn't to say UNC isn't a good heart hospital, but the best heart surgeons in the state (IMO) are the ones mentioned and are located at the hospitals I mentioned above.

BTW I'm not dissing James Jaggers, my first surgeon. I probably would have had him do my 2nd surgery but he is no longer there. He now works for Children's Hospital in Denver, CO.

 

[mtmom]

Thank you so much. I have decided to go to Duke. I just felt more comfortable knowing they are 7th in the country and have such a volume of surgeries. I will look into Glower or Hughes.