This Florida dad felt fit and healthy — until a doctor said he needed immediate surgery
Summary
Phil Passen, an active and healthy man, was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called bicuspid aortic valve after a routine checkup. After delaying regular checkups during the pandemic, he was told he needed urgent heart surgery and considered different surgical options, including a complex procedure called the Ross procedure.Key Facts
- Phil Passen was a healthy, active runner and boxer who worked in finance and raised a 9-year-old daughter.
- A yearly checkup found a heart murmur, leading to tests that diagnosed him with bicuspid aortic valve, a condition where the aortic valve has two leaflets instead of three.
- This condition can cause the valve to narrow and block blood flow, often requiring surgery.
- Initially, Passen’s condition required monitoring but no immediate surgery starting in 2016.
- During the early COVID-19 pandemic and after moving to Florida, Passen missed regular cardiology visits for three years.
- In April 2023, doctors told him he needed immediate surgery on his heart valve.
- He consulted with a cardiothoracic surgeon who explained common surgeries and a more complex Ross procedure, which uses the patient’s own valve for replacement and offers long-term benefits.
- The Ross procedure is more complicated but may avoid some downsides of other valve replacement options.
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