Written By: Adam Pick, Affected person Advocate, Creator & Web site Founder
Medical Professional: Raymond Singer, MD, Jefferson Well being Montgomery Hospital
Printed: June 7, 2025
When Jim Makovetz moved to East Norrtion, Pennsylvania in July 2024, he started feeling unwell. After visiting an area pressing care, Jim discovered that he had hypertension. Then, it was really useful that Jim get a transesophageal echocardiogram. The assessments revealed extreme mitral valve regurgitation as a consequence of Barlow’s syndrome, a situation Jim had no noticeable signs of on the time.
Given the severity of this harmful and probably life-threatening illness, Jim was referred to Dr. Raymond Singer, who carried out a profitable bileaflet mitral valve restore. Though the primary day after surgical procedure was powerful, Jim rapidly started to really feel higher, particularly after the chest tubes have been eliminated.
As a part of the process, Dr. Singer additionally positioned a clip on Jim’s left atrial appendage to scale back the chance of stroke if atrial fibrillation have been to develop sooner or later. Jim described the general restoration as smoother than anticipated, with solely gentle discomfort and some mobility changes throughout the early restoration.
Jim praised the care he acquired at Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital, calling it “phenomenal”. Regardless of the stress of discovering new docs after relocating, his analysis led him to Dr. Singer’s extremely regarded group. Now, recovering effectively with a repaired mitral valve and added safety towards future coronary heart rhythm points, Jim is able to return house and resume his regular routine.
Nice job to Dr. Singer and the complete group at Jefferson Well being Montgomery Hospital!
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Carry on tickin’ Jim!
Adam
P.S. For the deaf and laborious of listening to, I’ve offered a written transcript of the video interview of Jim performed by Dr. Singer.
Dr. Raymond Singer: Good morning. Your title is?
Jim Makovetz: I’m Jim Makovetz.
Dr. Raymond Singer: We have now your written verbal permission to tape you.
Jim Makovetz: Sure, you do.
Dr. Raymond Singer: And if I put it on my web site or social media for instructional functions, that might be okay.
Jim Makovetz: Completely.
Dr. Raymond Singer: Now, you lately moved right down to this space from my outdated stomping grounds up within the Lehigh Valley, right?
Jim Makovetz: That’s right.
Dr. Raymond Singer: You got here down right here and what occurred.
Jim Makovetz: In July, 2024, I felt horrible and went to a Affected person First pressing care. I ended up having very hypertension. On the time, I had not transitioned all of my docs. The advice from Affected person First was to place me on Amlodipine. I used to be already on Lisinopril for my hypertension.
Then, the physician coordinated that with my main care doctor at Lehigh Valley Hospital at the moment. He mentioned, “You haven’t had an echocardiogram in fairly some time. Why don’t we get you one – particularly along with your blood stress being so excessive. I had an echocardiogram and it was really useful that I see a heart specialist – which I did. He then really useful a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) to verify the outcomes.
Dr. Raymond Singer: What did they discover?
Jim Makovetz: Extreme mitral valve regurgitation.
Dr. Raymond Singer: And each leaflets have been prolapsed.
Jim Makovetz: Sure.
Dr. Raymond Singer: It was fascinating. Did you will have shortness of breath earlier than surgical procedure?
Jim Makovetz: No, I had no signs.
Dr. Raymond Singer: However you didn’t really feel effectively.
Jim Makovetz: That day I didn’t really feel effectively.
Dr. Raymond Singer: So general it was a shock to you?
Jim Makovetz: Oh, completely.
Dr. Raymond Singer: And it was actually torrential mitral regurgitation. I imply, it was 4 plus on a scale of coronary heart valve leakage that goes to 4. And, your coronary heart was enlarged.
Jim Makovetz: Sure.
Dr. Raymond Singer: 4 days in the past, we carried out mitral valve bileaflet restore surgical procedure. You have got a syndrome referred to as Barlow’s syndrome, the place each leaflets are thickened and prolapse. The restore appears to be like lovely. How do you are feeling?
Jim Makovetz: I really feel actually good. The primary day was powerful. I’ll inform all people I’ve some buddies which have had different valve repairs and so they warned me the primary day is hard.
Dr. Raymond Singer: Now, the second day we eliminated the chest tube drains.
Jim Makovetz: As soon as because the tubes are eliminated, you do really feel a lot better. So now I’m anxious to get house and simply get again into my common schedule.
Dr. Raymond Singer: We’re going to ship you house within the morning. And so now that it’s 4 days out and also you’re on the point of go house, do you will have a lot ache now?
Jim Makovetz: No, I actually don’t. , a slight discomfort studying which you can’t use your arms whenever you arise, whenever you stand up off a chair or one thing.
Dr. Raymond Singer: So it truly is a fast restoration?
Jim Makovetz: I feel it’s. I actually do.
Dr. Raymond Singer: We used the traditional strategy by means of the sternum.
Jim Makovetz: Sure.
Dr. Raymond Singer: It isn’t as scary as folks say. , after all, the primary day – even a small incision, I had just a little hernia sort incision and I used to be complaining for some time too.
Jim Makovetz: This isn’t my first main surgical procedure.
Dr. Raymond Singer: So have one thing to check it to? However you’re doing effectively now and also you’re going house.
Jim Makovetz: Sure.
Dr. Raymond Singer: With a superbly repaired mitral valve. We additionally positioned a clip on the left atrial appendage to stop the chance of embolic stroke should you ought to develop atrial fibrillation, however you’re in regular sinus rhythm.
Jim Makovetz: Sounds good.
Dr. Raymond Singer: How is the care right here at Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital?
Jim Makovetz: Oh, the care right here is phenomenal. Shifting to an space the place you might be. You need to decide a health care provider and you need to decide a observe. We got here right here as a result of quantity it’s very near my house but in addition from the advice and I do my homework. I have a look at web sites and I have a look at evaluations. It’s been wonderful care.
Dr. Raymond Singer: Good. Nicely, wonderful. We take pleasure in taking good care of you and congratulations. And, uh, it appears to be like just like the climate goes be good condition to go house on Memorial Day.
