MIAMI (WSVN) - A heart surgeon performed a landmark procedure here in South Florida, and now we’re getting a peek behind the curtain of a new life-saving surgery.
Dr. Allan Stewart is one of the first to perform the groundbreaking procedure. Stewart moved from New York City to South Florida, and is now the new Chief of Surgery at the Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute at Baptist Health South Florida.
“It’s really only done by about 12 surgeons in the U.S.,” Stewart said.
The operation is called a valve sparing aortic root replacement. It involves rebuilding instead of replacing the patient’s heart valve. 7News got a peek at the procedure that 57-year-old John Bakewell now has to thank for his life.
“You look for the people who have the expertise, who get the repeatable outcome in these marvelous advances in medicine, and there’s some fabulous specialists out here,” Bakewell said. “I’m so happy I found Dr. Stewart.”
The benefits of this unique method help prevent people like Bakewell from a lifetime of blood thinners.
“John’s operation, which involves essentially taking apart the whole center of the heart and rebuilding it, but rebuilding with the parts God gave him so that he is now cured,” Stewart said. “He has no restrictions. He can go on in his life with no blood thinners, no special medications and no limitations on his activity.”
Now, just days after the procedure, he’s back to say thank you to Dr. Stewart and the whole medical team for performing the successful surgery.
“It was an outstanding experience,” said Bakewell. “I mean, I just want to say thank you to all the caregivers and the providers who worked with me over the past week — just outstanding care.”
Stewart has also successfully performed surgery on former President Bill Clinton.
For more information on the Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute at Baptist Health South Florida, click here.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.