Keep the Beat Going Strong

As the heart's four valves open and close, blood flows from the upper-right chamber of the heart to the lower-right one and into the lungs, and from the upper-left chamber to the lower-left one and into the body.

The mitral valve, located between the upper- and lower-left chambers of the heart, is susceptible to problems. When it doesn't close all the way, a small amount of blood might leak backward into the upper-left chamber, a condition known as regurgitation.

To correct mitral valve regurgitation, surgeons at Manatee Memorial may make an incision through the breastbone, where they can access the heart and repair the valve to create a tighter seal. This procedure may require a three- to five-day hospital stay.

Alessandro Golino, MD, Chief of Surgery at Manatee Memorial Hospital and cardiothoracic surgeon, has become known as a "superspecialist" in mitral valve repair. "Patients who have successful mitral valve surgery dramatically increase their life expectancy, so they're on par with someone with a completely normal heart," he says.

You might not have symptoms of potentially deadly mitral valve problems, which makes regular checkups with your family physician or cardiologist important.

Signs for Concern?
If you have the following symptoms and have been told you have a heart murmur, talk with your doctor.

• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Chest pain
• Light-headedness
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Migraine headaches

Alessandro Golino, MD Manatee Cardiac Surgery 623 39th St. West Suite 2 Bradenton, FL 34205 941-744-2640

The Heart of a Surgeon
Cardiothoracic surgeon Alessandro Golino, MD, Chief of Surgery at Manatee Memorial, has been recognized for his 94 percent repair rate for mitral valve surgery. Nationwide, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' STS Database reports a mitral valve repair rate of 59 percent, while the Mayo Clinic reports a 62 percent rate.

Dr. Golino has a medical degree from the University of Naples. After completing a cardiothoracic residency in Europe, he spent 18 months as a part of the surgical and transplant team at Texas Heart Institute in Houston. In collaboration with Texas Heart Institute, he implanted the first left ventricular assist device in Europe in 1992.

Recently, Dr. Golino attended the "Club Mitral" course in Paris, led by French heart surgeon Alain Frederic Carpentier, considered the world's foremost innovator of modern mitral valve repair. Dr. Golino also has traveled to medical facilities in the United States to work with mitral valve repair specialists.

GET TREATMENT TODAY
Please call Direct Doctors^sm Plus for a physician referral at 1-800-816-4145. Or, visit www.manateememorial.com and click Find a Doctor in the left menu.

206 Second Street East, Bradenton, FL 34208 941-746-5111 FAX: 941-745-6862