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After a deer hunting trip left Dennis feeling out of breath, he discovered he had severe aortic stenosis. With Dr. Doolabh’s mini-valve procedure, Dennis felt less pain and had a faster recovery than a traditional open procedure would have offered. "I breathe a lot better, I sleep a lot better, and I just live a better life, period."
When it comes to heart surgery, taking the time to heal is important. But for police officer Dennis McBride, time is a luxury he seldom has in his line of work or in his life.
“I’m a very active person. I discovered something was wrong when I was on a deer-hunting trip and couldn’t catch my breath. That’s when I found out I had a valve problem,” says Dennis. Young and active, he knew that a minimally invasive heart valve surgery by UT Southwestern’s Dr. Neelan Doolabh was his best option. “I get a good gut feeling about a person, and I put my trust in him,” says Dennis. And so he did, undergoing a surgery that took only two hours and one small incision.
For Dennis, less downtime meant he could get back to serving his community during the week and fishing with his son on the weekends.
After the surgery, Dennis spent only four days in the hospital. “Minimally invasive was awesome,” says Dennis. The effects on his health were obvious. “I breathe a lot better. I sleep a lot better. I just have a better life,” he says. And most importantly for Dennis, less downtime meant he could get back to serving his community during the week and fishing with his son on the weekends.
Clinical Heart and Vascular Center
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