On Feb. 15, 1999—the day after Valentine’s Day—hearts were still on the mind for McLaren Bay Region cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Ramesh Cherukuri. It was on that day that he and his team performed the region’s first open-heart surgery, starting the hospital down the path that would make it the most experienced program in the region.
Part of statewide McLaren Health Care, McLaren Bay Region, after more than 8,800 open heart surgical cases and 100,000 catheter-based procedures, is celebrating its 25th anniversary of that first surgery, reaching a milestone of being capable to provide this advanced level of care to the community.
“Having led that first procedure, I feel fortunate to be in the unique position to have witnessed the growth of the program firsthand and how procedures have evolved over time,” said Dr. Cherukuri, who is still with the hospital. “The experience this program has gained over the years, coupled with the minimally invasive nature of many of the current procedures, has opened the patient population eligible for what can be truly transformational procedures which greatly enhance our patient’s lives.”
Heart disease, in its many forms, are the leading cause of death in the United States—from conditions that limit a patient’s quality of life through chronic symptoms to others that increase their risk for potentially life-threatening attacks, such as a heart attack or stroke.
Over the program’s 25 years, the team at McLaren Bay Region has expand its care and treatment offerings by regularly adding additional advanced procedures featuring the latest techniques and technology. These procedures not only address these life-limiting conditions, but also, in many cases, may eliminate the symptoms.
These include: TAVR, TCAR, Watchman, and Mitraclip, along with other cardiovascular surgical procedures. When once heart surgery virtually assured a prolonged hospital stay—potentially in the intensive care unit—the minimally invasive nature of these procedures allows the majority of patients to leave the hospital after a night of observation.
“Seeing the steadfast dedication to the care of our community still on display by our cardiothoracic surgery team is a tremendous point of pride felt throughout our entire organization,” said Darrell Lentz, McLaren Bay Region President and CEO. “This was a program founded on compassionate care and proficiency, and we are very pleased those core principles have been maintained as the program has grown in experience, size, and scope.”
Common symptoms of heart disease include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, swelling in legs or ankles, chronic fatigue, and an uneven heartbeat.
Anyone experiencing symptoms related to heart disease should make an appointment with their primary care provider, who can evaluate a patient’s symptoms and determine if they require a referral to a cardiologist.
For those experiencing symptoms such as sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that does not go away, pain that spreads to your right or left arm, neck, jaw, back or stomach, or feeling sick, sweaty, or light-headed should always call 911.
About McLaren Bay Region
McLaren Bay Region is a 415-bed acute tertiary care hospital in Bay City, Michigan, providing specialty care, primary care, and preventive care. Services include cardiovascular, neuroscience, orthopedics, oncology, women’s health, and rehabilitation. McLaren Bay Region’s emergency department treats nearly 40,000 patients each year and is certified by the Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center. McLaren Bay Region is an integral part of the 13-hospital McLaren Health Care system based in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Learn more at mclaren.org/bayregion.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a $6.6 billion, fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 13 hospitals in Michigan, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 490-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 732,838 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S. McLaren has 28,000 full-, part-time and contracted employees and more than 113,000 network providers throughout Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Learn more at mclaren.org.