I am considering traveling to maybe Cleveland clinic or Mayo clinic because I think they handle these procedures a lot. I am in Texas and can’t find a single person that has this as an adult.
I travelled all over before deciding on where and how I would have my ASD closed. I live and work in London and saw doctors in London, NY (multiple trips), Boston and Cleveland and e-mailed with others around the US. I did six months of research/meeting with doctors before opting for robotic open heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. I can direct you to my contacts at the Cleveland Clinic. I had the most amazing experience there and it is the best heart institutes/hospitals in the US/one of the best in world.
My surgeon was great, the care was amazing and I was back in the gym three post surgery, full exercise clearance two months post surgery and ran a marathon less than six months post surgery.
Please let me/us know how we can help.
Wow, What made you decide on Robotic open heart? i am scheduled to see a Doctor at the Cleveland Clinic. Are they the best or one of the best when it comes to Congenital heart defects?
John said:
I travelled all over before deciding on where and how I would have my ASD closed. I live and work in London and saw doctors in London, NY (multiple trips), Boston and Cleveland and e-mailed with others around the US. I did six months of research/meeting with doctors before opting for robotic open heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. I can direct you to my contacts at the Cleveland Clinic. I had the most amazing experience there and it is the best heart institutes/hospitals in the US/one of the best in world.
My surgeon was great, the care was amazing and I was back in the gym three post surgery, full exercise clearance two months post surgery and ran a marathon less than six months post surgery.
Please let me/us know how we can help.
After I went to the Cleveland Clinic, I was nothing but impressed. The doctors and staff treat you like a person and not just a number. Having surgery under the care of my surgeon and at the Cleveland Clinic was an easy decision for me.
http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/cleveland-clinic-foundation-6410670
Which doctor or doctors are you meeting with? Can I help in anyway? I have a number of connections still there.
I passed on catheterization and was prepared for open heart surgery but opted for robotic heart surgery in the hands of the one of the heart surgeons in the world who does open heart, robotic open heart and heart transplants.
Robotic has same outcome as open heart just less invasive, less bleeding and less recovery.
Also check out the main page and scroll down http://www.asdsurvivors.org/ on the three options of heart surgery.
Links on robotic heart surgery
http://www.asdsurvivors.org/forum/topics/helpful-links-on-asd-closure
Thx John but I already contacted Dr Krasuski, I am waiting on him right now. Device closure scheduled for tommarrow hopefully. Wish me luck
John said:
After I went to the Cleveland Clinic, I was nothing but impressed. The doctors and staff treat you like a person and not just a number. Having surgery under the care of my surgeon and at the Cleveland Clinic was an easy decision for me.
http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/cleveland-clinic-foundation-6410670
Which doctor or doctors are you meeting with? Can I help in anyway? I have a number of connections still there.
I passed on catheterization and was prepared for open heart surgery but opted for robotic heart surgery in the hands of the one of the heart surgeons in the world who does open heart, robotic open heart and heart transplants.
Robotic has same outcome as open heart just less invasive, less bleeding and less recovery.
Also check out the main page and scroll down http://www.asdsurvivors.org/ on the three options of heart surgery.
Links on robotic heart surgery
http://www.asdsurvivors.org/forum/topics/helpful-links-on-asd-closure
Interesting!! I was thinking about goint to Cleveland Clinic too!.. I also made an appointment with Dr. Krasuski and ended up cancelling it and going with my doctor here at UPMC. I had a great experience too. I didn't want to deal with the traveling, but that's just me! hehe. I am curious, what made you choose device vs open heart surgery?
Hope you're recovering great! :D
Hey Jessi,
How are you? I saw more doctors than I would like to admit and travelled everywhere in order to find the answers to my case. I also have the blood disorder Von Willebrand's disease which adds a little twist to my case. If you do the math, there are only approximately 120 Americans with both ASD and my blood disorder. None of the doctors (catheterization and cardiologists) could give me comfort on how to handle the device during the six months post closure because you need to be on blood thinners and as I am sure you know, I can not take blood thinners due to the blood disorder. Some of the doctors said maybe we can do it via catheterization but none had any experience, others said don't worry about the blood disorder while the doctors I saw at Brigham and Women's and Cleveland Clinic said open heart heart was the safest route for me. I was impressed by both hospitals but Cleveland Clinic was a no brainer for a handful of reasons - surgeon had dealt with a couple of cases like mine, robotic open heart surgery (just like regular way open heart) but less bleeding and less invasive and the hospital was amazing and I had a great visit with my surgeon. Having surgery there was a no brainer for me at least .
Wow John, I am familiar with VWD and I see how that adds a twist to this. I am so glad everything has worked out so great for you and glad someone had experience with both! I would have also travelled a lot and asked around to find answers. I think one of the most important things, if not the most important, is for us, the patients, to feel comfortable and at ease with the choice of doctor/hospital/procedure we make. Do you have any marathons coming up?
Keep in touch!