Patient Stories

Healing Heart Disease, from the Inside Out

Greenwich resident William Cigal has had coronary artery disease for nearly 20 years. The condition causes narrowing of the coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart. He had a quintuple bypass operation about 16 years ago and, till recently,

was able to manage his occasional angina with medication under the care of cardiologist Edward Schuster, MD.

Dr. Schuster alerted Cigal that plaque had been building up on his aortic valve, however. Last fall he told his patient he'd need to have the valve replaced. It was done January 15 by Dr. Poa, who was able to replace Cigal's aortic valve with a natural (not

man-made) valve. The entire experience was a positive one, says Cigal. Dr. Schuster says his recovery has been impressive, especially for a 77-year-old man. "He's actually ahead of where most others would be at this point," Dr. Schuster says. Cigal has only good things to say about his experience at Stamford Hospital. "I was extremely happy with the whole set-up. The operating room just glistened. Dr. Poa is an amazing surgeon. The ICU staff was wonderful. Everything was just what it should have been and more. Stamford Hospital was efficient and personal, and it was much easier for my family, too. It worked out so well."

Surgical Skill Crafts a Finer Quality of Life with Aortic Valve Repair

Garfield Beckford, 30, father of two, loves sports and always has. But a childhood bout with rheumatic fever damaged his aortic valve, leaving him on medication to control his blood pressure. Though he wanted to be a football star, his heart condition kept him off the field completely while he was growing up.

Even then he knew he'd eventually need surgery to repair or replace the leaky valve. The time came in January, when his cardiologist, Dr. Keith Landesman, discovered Beckford's heart was enlarging. He referred his patient to Dr. Poa.

"When I met Dr. Poa, I knew he was the right surgeon for my operation," said Beckford. It was an excellent decision. With years of expertise and exceptional surgical skills, Dr. Poa was able to repair the valve so it wouldn't have to be replaced. To the young father, this means he most likely won't have to take blood-thinning medications, which drastically limit activities, for the rest of his life. For the first time, he can look forward to playing football…with his young son.

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