Testimonial

Mary Jo Robb Gardener, Traveler and Heart Valve Surgery Patient Midland, Michigan "I couldn't walk to the mailbox without huffing and puffing, but now I'm back on the go. The new heart valve surgery was amazing, and the scar is not going to show."

On the Go With Just a Minor Scar After New Heart Valve Surgery

Last year, Mary Jo Robb managed to gather her five grown children and their kids – 23 people – for a party at her home in Midland.

“It was a mother’s dream,” said the active 78-year-old. But she had a problem. “I would go into the house and rest, and then go out and pretend to be who I was–this person full of life.”

Mary Jo was so short of breath that she could not walk 50 feet to her mailbox without huffing and puffing; and the problem was getting worse. Her shortness of breath was caused by a failing heart valve – her aortic valve – that needed to be replaced with surgery.

Traditional heart valve replacement or repair leaves a long scar down the center of the chest and requires months of recovery. But thanks to a new surgical technique, Mary Jo’s experience would be different, and much better.

Smaller scar, shorter recovery

Among the first to receive the new surgery at MidMichigan Medical Center Midland, Mary Jo ended up with only a faint, nearly hidden 4-inch scar.

In addition, the new technique reduced the already low risk of infection and used less blood. The active grandmother was up and around much sooner than she would have been with the traditional surgery.

Hands-on, Not Robotic

The minimally invasive technique was brought to the Medical Center by Mary Jo’s surgeon, Robert Jones, M.D., who has performed more than 7,000 open heart surgeries and more than 3,000 other thoracic (chest) surgeries.

“Once Dr. Jones told me this was minimally invasive surgery, I could hardly wait to get home to my computer and check it all out,” said Mary Jo. “I felt this was on the cutting edge, and I like my doctors to be up-to-date.”

During the surgery, Dr. Jones was able to look directly at Mary Jo’s heart through a 4-inch incision made under her breast. He used specially designed instruments with handles4 to 6 inches longer than regular ones. According to Dr. Jones, being able to directly see and feel what is going inside the patient is always better than seeing indirectly through a scope or through a virtual procedure such as robotic surgery allows.

Excellent Care

Following surgery, Mary Jo was in the hospital four days. Heart surgery patients at MidMichigan receive One Stop Post Op care, meaning they remain in the same spacious, attractive patient room throughout all stages of recovery. This has been shown to provide faster and safer recovery.

“They treat you like royalty. If you have a question or need something, they take care of it. I can’t say enough about my absolutely wonderful nurse,” she said. “He just seemed to understand and know ahead of time what I would need.”

Since the surgery, her incision has become just a fine line.

“It’s not going to show,” she said.

Mary Jo said she was never nervous about the new surgery.

“It was just an amazing adventure. I really feel privileged that this happened to me,” she said. “I’m just very thankful that Dr. Jones chose me.”

Mary Jo is also grateful to her primary physician, Roschelle M. Houston, D.O., who discovered the abnormal heartbeat, and to cardiologist Dr. Rodney Diehl, D.O., who diagnosed it.

Active Once More

Now recovered, Mary Jo is returning to the active life she enjoys so much.

“I like to be on the go all the time,” she said. “My son who lives in New Zealand wants me to come and visit him. I try to go every other year. I’ve been there six times, and I’m not going to turn him down.”

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with a heart condition that may require surgery, ask your doctor for a referral to a MidMichigan cardiovascular surgeon, or call the MidMichigan Health Line for physician referral at (989) 837-9090 or toll free (800) 999-3199. To learn more about MidMichigan’s heart program, visit www.midmichigan.org/heart or call the number above for a free brochure.