Author: Sherry Farney
Although John Kanera spent the 2024 holiday season recovering from open heart surgery, he didn’t miss a beat, and he’s already planning for the future.
John found out last fall that a heart murmur he’d had for years was his aortic valve narrowing due to the build-up of calcium over time. Testing revealed he needed a valve replacement. John is one of the five million Americans diagnosed with heart valve disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“I first met with Dr. Ahmad Munir, the structural heart specialist I was referred to, and was hoping to be eligible for a minimally invasive procedure called a TAVR; that’s what I had my mind set on,” said John. “After some testing, I had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Munir and Dr. Fouad Azoury, and they explained to me and my wife that I should have open heart surgery. I must admit I was more worried about this option.”
At McLaren Flint’s heart valve institute, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, and structural heart clinicians discuss each patient's case during multi-disciplinary valve clinics. The team decides what option is best for each patient.
“We decided open heart surgery was the way to go for Mr. Kanera,” said Dr. Azoury, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon. “At age 71, we don’t expect to have to replace his aortic valve again in the future surgically, and his recovery would be quicker.
“Should he outlive this valve, then TAVR would be the way to go the next time around. In addition to replacing the valve, we did have to bypass one of his coronary arteries, which was narrowed, and we closed off a section of the heart called the left atrial appendage. This is a small out-pouching (sac) in the heart where blood clots can form if he develops an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation in the future. Doing this puts him at less risk for a stroke.”
John had surgery on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. He was home by the following Tuesday and relied on his wife’s help while abiding by restrictions not to drive for a month and not lifting anything over 10 pounds for several weeks.
“The entire experience was excellent, and I can’t say enough about all of the care I received,” said John. “Right from the beginning, Amy in the valve clinic at the hospital was so thorough and answered every question my wife and I had.
“While I was in the hospital, everyone gave great care. In December, I started cardiac rehab with wonderful staff, and that has really been helping.”
McLaren Flint’s Cardiac Rehab Program has five highly experienced exercise physiologists who work with patients recovering from heart attacks and heart procedures, including surgeries. The outpatient program consists of 18 to 36 sessions of telemetry-monitored exercise classes and education classes on risk factors and heart disease, nutrition, and cardiac medications.
In January, John was able to head to Florida to enjoy warmer weather and sunshine, and he will be ready to return to hitting the links closer to spring.
“I already feel like I’m back to my normal life,” added John.
You can learn more about McLaren Flint’s world-class heart care at mclaren.org/flintheart1.