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Officer's Life Saved by Complex 'Heart Musical Chairs' Surgery
21 Mar
Summary
- A police officer experienced chest pressure mistaken for his son's weight.
- Doctors discovered a rare bicuspid aortic valve condition.
- A complex Ross procedure saved his life and restored his activity.
A police officer, Paul DeGeorge, experienced an alarming sensation of pressure on his chest, which he initially dismissed. Upon seeking medical attention, doctors at Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center identified a rare congenital condition: a bicuspid aortic valve.
This condition, where the aortic valve typically has two flaps instead of the usual three, can lead to serious complications. DeGeorge, 49, faced a critical decision regarding treatment options, including valve replacement or a more complex procedure known as the Ross procedure.
Opting for the Ross procedure, a surgery involving the intricate rearrangement of the patient's own heart valves and a donor valve, DeGeorge underwent the complex operation. The surgery, described as 'musical chairs of the heart,' was successfully performed.
Eighteen months post-operation, DeGeorge reported feeling fantastic and has returned to his duties as a police officer and resumed his active hobbies, including coaching and jiu-jitsu, enabling him to keep up with his children.
