Suggestions for doctors at Brigham and Women's Hospital or MGH for MVR redo?

[frank10b]

Well my surgen at CCF is more than just a little reluctant so I guess I must find a new surgen for my complicated case. Any suggestions for experiences good or bad at these (MGH=Mass General Hospital) two Boston area hospitals? Mine is a difficult and scary case thus I am open to other locations too even while I am in SoFL and know MA. I was very impressed with the hospital care at CCF/OH but I dont think that my visit there is to be so I should start looking elsewhere. Thanks.

 

[BDMc]

Sorry...

Sorry...

Frank, Sorry I don't know any of the surgeons these days. I was born at The Women's Lying Inn, now the Brigham and Women's, but had my surgery at the Deaconess. My doc is long since retired. I am familiar with both hospitals due to friends and family being patients at them. They both have good reputations, but I'd lean towards the Brigham. This is strictly a "vibe" thing that I can't back up with facts. If there is anything I can do to help, I am in the area. All the best, Brian Mc

 

[Mb]

Frank:

Call Dr. Gus Vlahakes at Mass General. He is the man.

Mb

 

[Praline]

Kathy Canistro had her second surgery done at Mass general and the other doctors had given up on her. I can try to find out who her surgeon was. She does not post very often.
I will do a search. Maybe she mentioned his name in one of her posts. She is doing great now.

 

[frank10b]

Thank you for your replies. Is there any list at all of best doctors/top surgeans?

I dont really like the vibe at MGH either, I really believe that you get better care away from the coasts and I am willing to travel, while I still thnk I can.

Thanks!

 

[brd]

Gus Vlahakas at MGH is the person I will have for my surgery. He has been recommended to me by many medical personnel both within and outside of MGH.

Good luck in finding a good fit for yourself.

Best wishes, Barbara

 

[njean]

Frank,

I was recommended Dr. J.M. Duncan at St. Luke's Hospital in Houston, TX to do my Mitral re-do. He is one of Dr. Denton Cooley's top surgeons in Houston. I don't know if you are familiar with Dr. Cooley but he is world renowned; a pioneer in heart surgery. Unfortunately, Dr. Cooley is now 93 years old & does not perform surgeries but his knowledge & opinion of who might be the best surgeon in your type of situation might be worth looking into.

There is also a Dr. Joseph Coselli at St Luke's in Houston too that I hear is an expert in his field. That may be another surgeon you may want to talk to if possible.

Believe me, I know the uncertainties that you are going through but just try to find out as much as you can by calling around & talking to different doctors. I'm sure there's someone out there that would be able to tackle our situations!

Good luck & keep searching!

 

[cherbam]

Mgh

Mgh

Frank,
I also had Gus Vlahakes at MGH. He replaced three of my valves. He is awesome. The staff there is OUTSTANDING. My OHS was three yrs ago and (knock on wood) I have never had a problem!!!!!Good Luck Cheryl

 

[frank10b]

Does he do difficult redo cases?

 

[brd]

My understanding is that Dr Vlahakas IS the person to whom particularly difficult patients are referred.

I wish you well in making your decision.

Barbara

 

[frank10b]

thanks for your help. I am putting together an appointment for next week but I may not be well enough to travel. Hoping that I will be able to make it there and feel better next week.

 

[Jkm7]

I had CABG surgery at MGH by Dr. Alan Hildenberg. He and the staff took excellent care of me. I have no idea if he does valves and don't want to find out anytime soon as I far prefer remaining in the waiting room for MVR indefinitely. A very good friend of ours (considerably older than we are at 83 recently had valve repair surgery at MGH by Dr. Vlahakas and is doing very, very well.

I highly recommend CICU and Cardiac Surgical Floor at MGH. They saved my life without question. I went in very, very ill and now live a full active life inspite of my leaky Mitral Valve.

 

[frank10b]

If I am well enough I will be in MA at to see Gus Vlahakes, if I am accepted as a patient maybe next week. Guess that CCF had some mix up and they thought that I didn't want the surgery and so canceled my date.

 

[yankeeman]

Re: surgeons at Brigham & Women's

Re: surgeons at Brigham & Women's

Dr. Lawrence Cohn replaced my aortic value on July 3. (Installed St. Jude's artificial valve) He did a "mini" meaning that the breastbone was not completely cut

Mine was a simple case ... no coronary artery disease and I am in otherwise good health.

I had a smooth recovery and would not hesitate to recommend him. He's no spring chicken, but I've heard it said he has done 10,000 valve replacements.

Experience counts.

 

[TLB123]

Frank,

I highly recommend Dr. Vlahakes and MGH. If I ever have to have another OHS or any surgery for that matter MGH is the place. It's worth looking into.
Good Luck!!
Tara

 

[frank10b]

Decisions, Decisions Decisions

Decisions, Decisions Decisions

Well if I go to MGH then I am a little confuse about what surgen I should go with, with my situation should I be looking for minimally invasive MVR at MGH then I should go with another surgen, if I want conventional then Vlahakes is who I would go with. How do I decide? Will I run into problems, trying to decide, with offending the surgeons at MGH? Pretty upset at CCF for leaving me in the lurch this long and then passively trying to dissuade me from having the surgery there. So they didnt want my hight risk case to mess up their avg., or they thought I didnt want it? Whatever, confusion. To go to MGH where I know nobody and no-one is also difficult decision to make. I like their reputation, however I dont know the area anymore. However, I am steadly loosing ground, anemia, blood counts going down (HGB 9.9, HCT 29.7), white count slightly elevated 9.2, INR going crazy with Liver congestion, digi level sky high (5HH), potass slowly increasing 5.1, BUN 47, Creatine 1.5etc. I actually feel better today than any other day this week and I ate two meals already today!


Does anyone know of any studies on flying with CHF, low HGB (9.9), HCT (29.7) with O2? Have there been any studies on this situation? Thanks!

I did find these articles, however it seems like I am right on the line in determining whether or not if I can fly.
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asma/asem/2003/00000074/00000009/art00002
http://www.rtmagazine.com/issues/articles/2004-08_02.asp
www.aafp.org/afp/990901ap/801.html
http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/93/2/272
THE USE OF PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTING IN PILOTING, AIR TRAVEL, MOUNTAIN CLIMBING, AND DRIVING - all 3 versions »
TA Dillard, FW Ewald - Clinics in Chest Medicine, 2001 - Elsevier
... as lung disease, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, anemia, and other
illnesses. Considerably fewer studies related to air-travel hypoxemia have ...
http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/108/5/1292


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[Nancy]

You mentioned that you are going to be seeing a PH specialist. Why not ask that doctor to recommend someone for you. They would know the surgeons who specialize in high risk cases. And PH is one of your serious complications.
They are usually cardiologists or pulmonologist/critical care specialists anyway.

I think it would be virtually impossible for anyone here to know all the ramifications of your problems enough to recommend the right surgeon for you.

My husband was someone like you with terrible multiple co-morbidities. He had several doctors either outright tell him that they couldn't or wouldn't handle his case. He had some that just kept dragging their feet until he went somewhere else. He even had one that told him that he scared him medically. And that was when he needed this doctor the very most.

I recognize the situation you are in, and I think you are right that they are afraid of ruining their averages, as sad as that sounds.

I am absolutely flabbergasted that CCF has blown you off. They are noted for taking care of the worst of the worst. I don't understand what is going on there. Is it possible that it is just a misunderstanding, and that they really thought you didn't want surgery.

I have to also mention this, and it is blunt. But is there a chance that you are not a candidate for surgery? In which case, you will need the very best medical care possible, and would have to seek out a high rated team of doctors.

Joe was told that he was not a candidate for surgery.

Cases like this really need a high risk medical case manager. I don't know of any doctor that does this, do you? Maybe your PH specialist would be willing to do this.

Your PH may be a factor in flying. Many PH people need oxygen while flying. When do you have your PH appt.?

 

[Nancy]

http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/search.php?spec=ihqcard&results=detail&

You've probably seen this list, but just in case--

 

[frank10b]

Yes, it it posible it is a misunderstanding and nothing more. Howver, it does not seem likely as time goes on. Also, oddly I have been told that I am a canidate for surgery. The odds from the local surgeon in FL was 25 percent M&M, at CCF I was told 20 or below. Things are gettig complicated and I need a case mgn but where do I find one and at this stage? My PH doctor had to change my appointment that was today and there just was no way to make the new app. time. I have scheduled another one with another doctor tomorrow and maybe I can make that one but I have been told that this issue, MS, can only be resolved through surgery and no other way. I am setting up the O2 for the flight because I need O2 currently now 2 1/2L right now. I cannot breath on room air. What I am trying to figure out is if I can deal with commercial flight even with O2. Which in and of itself is a difficult issue, the studies I read are mixed, but with PH, valve disease, and CHF there is a definite risk, is it too much? This looks like a personal decision.

 

[frank10b]

Has anybody had any recent experience with Dr. Lawrence H. Cohen? Someone mentioned that he is getting more mature, however he is still practing. Is he considered the star at Brigham and Women? Thanks!