“Although I knew my heart was at risk, on a random day before a pre-planned cardiovascular surgery I felt chest pains. After following guidelines for an impending heart attack, I drove myself to the JGH emergency.”
That’s when Ian Henriques found out his heart would not only be in the hands of his cardiac surgeon Dr. Emmanuel Moss but in the rotating arms of the Da Vinci robot.
“I was nervous but felt very reassured by the professionals at JGH, including my surgeon,” Ian said. “Technically 3 days post Robotic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), I was home and felt great.”
Robotically-assisted heart surgery, also called closed-chest heart surgery, is a type of minimally invasive heart surgery performed by a cardiac surgeon. The surgeon uses a specially-designed computer console to control surgical instruments on thin robotic arms.
“In the robotic surgery that we do, we just go through muscle which means we don’t have to break any ribs. This means recovery takes weeks instead of months,” said Dr. Moss. “They spend less time in ICU, less time on a breathing machine, less chance of needing blood transfusions and overall, the recovery is faster after the surgery.”
At the JGH Foundation ensuring the health and well-being of the JGH patients and team members, as well as its community as a whole, is our first and most important priority.
As one of the only surgeons in Canada routinely performing both robotic mitral valve and coronary bypass surgeries, Dr. Emmanuel Moss understands the value of the human and robotic connection in ensuring that comprehensive wellness
Now, Ian does too.
“Upon discharge, a flood of thoughts and emotions struck like a freight train passing through a station,” he said. “I was amazed at the level of expertise of the doctors, surgeons, the equipment used and the skill to complete human plumbing issues and all support services offered. I was reborn.”
During these unprecedented times, heart health is more important than ever. With 26 million worldwide heart failure patients, Dr. Moss doesn’t skip a beat when it comes to letting his patients know how important it is to take care of themselves.
“I usually tell people to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle which includes eating well, exercise and healthy life habits. If you ask people to do too much, they might not do anything at all. Unless they really need to cut something out for medical reasons, I tell patients to turn their attention to healthier things and just that will make a difference,” Dr. Moss added.
HELP DOCTORS, NURSES, SUPPORT STAFF AND PATIENTS #USEHEART TO MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES ON #WORLDHEARTDAY
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