Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Winter 2014 - (Page 8)

Matters of the Heart Two stories of how top-notch cardiac care at UM SJMC saves lives T here are two main reasons that to the University of Maryland St. Joseph pushed out to the ankles a person might need heart Medical Center's Emergency Depart- and legs, but in severe surgery: a diseased valve that ment, where he was immediately seen cases can go to the liver no longer opens and closes by emergency doctors, a cardiologist and lungs, which is very properly, affecting the heart's ability and cardiac surgeons. He was admit- dangerous," Dr. Salenger to pump, or coronary artery disease ted to the intensive care unit and soon that blocks an artery, thus preventing underwent valve repair surgery. murtaza Dawood, mD ValVe DiSeaSe enlargeS THe HearT of valve disease include shortness of proper blood flow through the heart. Here are the stories of two men with different types of heart disease and warns. See a doctor as soon as symptoms develop. Other signs breath, fatigue and chest pain. The heart has four valves, and the surgeries that returned them to "As valve disease good heart health. progresses, the heart's one that frequently needs repair is chambers enlarge and the mitral valve, which was the case the heart becomes a with Kaufman. Dr. Salenger describes TellTale HearT SympTomS less-effective pump, a diseased mitral heart valve as "a Computer professor Staton Kaufman causing fluid buildup," door frame and two doors that have returned from a vacation to Lake Tahoe, explains cardiac surgeon become enlarged and misshapen." Rawn Salenger, MD, a Kaufman's was repaired using Gore- clinical assistant pro- Tex to reconstruct the damaged cords Calif., feeling jet-lagged, and thought he had the flu. After his symptoms wors- rawn Salenger, mD ened and he noticed swelling in his arms fessor of surgery at the University of that open and close the valve. "We also and legs, he went to see his internist and Maryland School of Medicine, who per- restored the natural 'door frame' by was shocked to hear, "We're calling an formed Kaufman's surgery with cardiac sewing in a fabric ring sized to fit, so ambulance. You have a heart problem." surgeon Murtaza Dawood, MD, a faculty the valve is snug and can close fully," member of the University of Maryland Dr. Salenger says. When a valve cannot School of Medicine. "Most fluid gets be repaired, the surgeon may replace it "I probably had a bad heart valve for years," says Kaufman, who was rushed with an artificial valve. Did you know that the UMMC Heart Center and UM SJMC cardiac surgeons have come together under one program? To find out more about "One Program, Two Locations," go to stjosephtowson.com/cardiacsurgery. 8 Maryland's HealtH Matters "I can't say enough about the care I received from the doctors and ICU nurses," Kaufman says. "It was outstanding." There's a wealth of heart-health information at stjosephtowson.com/mhm. under "Be Well Videos," http://www.stjosephtowson.com/cardiacsurgery http://www.stjosephtowson.com/mhm

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Winter 2014

Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Winter 2014
Contents
Robotic Revolution
After the Fall
Recognizing the Unusual
Matters of the Heart
Back on the Beat
At a Glance
News and Events

Maryland's Health Matters - St. Joseph - Winter 2014