Fall 2023 5 surgery performed by cardiothoracic surgeon Philip Alexander, MD. Dr. Alexander bypassed four of the clogged arteries supplying blood to MacGilvray’s heart. “Dr. Alexander did a wonderful job,” MacGilvray says. MacGilvray left the hospital just four days later. Soon afterward, he started cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) at Riverside’s Bourbonnais facility. Cardiac rehab includes several weeks of monitored exercise to help people recover after major heart events or surgeries. “I feel pretty good,” MacGilvray says. “I think it’s working.” Places to be, things to do Halfway through his rehab, MacGilvray was looking forward to traveling with his wife, Darlene, and golfing again. “I’ve got four grandkids to keep up with,” he adds. He’s even working on improving his diet, with support from Riverside. heart bypass, Complete cardiac care Riverside offers 24/7 heart attack care as well as advanced cardiac procedures, including open-heart bypass surgery, minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement and the Watchman procedure to reduce the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation patients. “We have excellent outcomes,” says cardiologist Vikas Patel, MD. MacGilvray’s symptoms improved quickly, but he wasn’t out of the woods. A coronary angiogram revealed partial blockages and one complete obstruction of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. MacGilvray had a less-severe type of heart attack, known as a non-STEMI heart attack, Dr. Patel explains. Dr. Patel recommended coronary artery bypass surgery graft (CABG) to treat the narrowed areas of MacGilvray’s arteries and improve his heart’s blood supply. In CABG, healthy blood vessels taken from the chest, leg or arm are attached below and above the narrowed arteries so that blood can flow around the obstructions. Another option for improving blood flow is coronary angioplasty and stenting. In that procedure, mesh devices are placed in the arteries to keep them open after they have been widened with a balloon catheter. Dr. Patel explains that bypass surgery was a better option because MacGilvray was relatively healthy, and his blockages would have required several stents. “When you have that, it’s better to go for surgery, because the long-term results can be better,” Dr. Patel says. The following day, MacGilvray underwent quadruple bypass MacGilvray has a grateful heart when it comes to his Riverside team, whom he credits with saving his life. “Thank you for the wonderful care,” he says, adding that he experienced seamless, comfortable and informed care. “I felt like I was on the road to recovery five minutes into the process,” MacGilvray says. LEASE ON LIFE
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