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James Maloney happened to glance at the calendar this month and realized he was approaching an important 10-year anniversary. In 1996, Maloney was the first patient in New England to undergo a minimally invasive cardiac surgery for an aortic valve replacement.
“I still feel great,” said 81-year-old Maloney, who maintains a full dance calendar with Elena, his wife of 59 years. The couple dances at least three times a week at senior centers or events near their Peabody home, and on days when they’re not dancing, they walk in a local mall for exercise.
“We’re always on the go,” he said.
On July 26, 1996, Brigham and Women’s Hospital became the first hospital in New England to perform a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. Lawrence H. Cohn, MD, and the cardiac surgery team performed the novel operation on Maloney.
Cohn replaced Maloney’s aortic valve through an eight-centimeter incision rather than opening up his entire chest. That was on a Thursday, and Maloney was home on Sunday and dancing within three weeks, he said.
In the decade since Maloney’s operation, BWH’s Cardiac Surgery team has performed more than 1,700 minimally invasive cardiac valve repairs or replacements—or “minis,” as they are called—making BWH one of the nation’s leaders in this procedure.
“The bottom line is this is the best procedure for many patients. It cuts down on recovery time and hospital stays, and the outcomes are equal to or better than more invasive alternatives,” Cohn said.
In 1996, the novelty of the procedure was met with skepticism, but minimally invasive procedures have proven extremely effective, said R. Morton “Chip” Bolman III, MD, chief of Cardiac Surgery. “The last decade is testament to the effectiveness and efficiency of this procedure, and it’s no surprise that BWH has been a leader since the beginning,” Bolman said.