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First Patient Undergoes Open-Heart Surgery
at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital
Patient Leszek Gorski pictured with Betty Gonzales, RN, ACNP; Zbigniew Wojciechowski,
M.D., anesthesiologist; and
Mahesh Ramchandani, M.D., cardiothoracic surgeon. |
Leszek Gorski lives what some may
consider an unusual life for a 53-year-old grandfather. The Richmond
resident loves diving, flying private planes,
skydiving and in-line skating. He is so
active that he was surprised when he
started breathing heavily and even lost
consciousness after doing the activities
he's enjoyed for years.
"I thought it was my age and that I was
getting out of shape," Gorski says. "I
went to my doctor, and after many tests,
he found that my aortic valve was much
smaller than it should be. He said it was
probably something I was born with."
Sophisticated Cardiac Care
Close to Home
Gorski's condition was grave. His
doctor said without surgery to replace
his defective heart valve he had only
months to live. Mahesh Ramchandani,
M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon with
the Methodist DeBakey Heart Center,
talked with him about the new openheart
surgery program at Methodist
Sugar Land Hospital. Gorski decided he
wanted to have his surgery close to home.
"I had complete confidence in my doctor
and thought it would be easier for my
family to visit me if I had my surgery at
Methodist Sugar Land Hospital," he says.
In April, Gorski became the first patient to
undergo open-heart surgery in Fort Bend
County. Dr. Ramchandani and his
associate, Uttam Tripathy, M.D., replaced
his aortic valve. Zbigniew Wojciechowski,
M.D., was the anesthesiologist in charge.
"My surgery went great," Gorski says.
"I never needed pain killers. Three
weeks after surgery I was already
walking a mile on the treadmill. I'm
sure I'll be able to jog, swim, dive, fish
and do all the things I enjoy when I'm
completely recovered."
Performing World-Class
Heart Surgery Locally
The new open-heart surgery program
at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital means
that local residents who need valve repair
or replacement procedures or coronary
artery bypass surgery can now undergo
surgery right in their own community.
"Having world-class heart surgery
available at Methodist Sugar Land
Hospital is a significant benefit for the
residents of Fort Bend County," says
Janet Leatherwood, Chief Nursing Officer of Methodist Sugar Land
Hospital. "It means that patients no
longer have to leave the community to
receive a higher level of cardiac care."
Gorski gives the staff at Methodist
Sugar Land Hospital and the new
program
high marks.
"I had a very good experience. They
treated me like a king. I wouldn't
hesitate to go there again if I needed
to," he says.
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