In 2009, Sumner had been experiencing shortness of breath and difficulty walking up stairs for several weeks. He didn’t think much of it, until one day at work when his symptoms worsened.
“I was in a meeting and began experiencing a cold sweat and chest pain,” says Sumner. “A guy that I was meeting with recommended that I go to the hospital, so we drove to a nearby emergency care center.”
The team performed an electrocardiogram (EKG) to measure the electrical activity of his heart. They transferred Sumner to a nearby hospital for additional care, where he met Saul Silver, MD. Dr. Silver determined that Sumner had a mini heart attack and performed a cardiac catheterization and stent insertion to improve Sumner’s condition.
“After my initial visit with Dr. Silver, I attended regular follow up appointments with him to monitor my condition,” says Sumner. “When Dr. Silver joined the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, I followed him for my heart care. I didn’t want to lose him as my cardiologist.”
During a routine visit in 2021, Dr. Silver discovered that Sumner had a heart murmur. He then ordered an ECHO and stress test, which showed that Sumner’s heart murmur was caused by mitral valve regurgitation. This occurs when the valve between the left chambers of the heart don’t close properly and allow blood to leak backwards into the lungs.
“At this point, I didn’t have many symptoms and didn’t feel ill,” says Sumner. “But Dr. Silver told me that this condition wouldn’t improve or go away on its own, so I knew that something had to be done. Dr. Silver recommended a new procedure that the team at UPMC was performing for mitral valve repair using robotic technology.”
Robotic mitral valve repair is a minimally invasive procedure used to correct mitral valve regurgitation. These robotic tools allow for an efficient procedure that reduces surgical trauma and shortens the healing process.
Dr. Silver referred Sumner to Johannes Bonatti, MD, director of Cardiac Robotic Surgery at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute. Dr. Bonatti and the team met with Sumner to perform a series of tests to ensure the new, minimally invasive procedure was right for him. They also explained what Sumner should expect during the procedure and the benefits of robotic mitral valve repair.
After testing showed that Sumner was a candidate for the procedure, Dr. Bonatti and the team scheduled him for surgery.
Sumner’s Recovery and Follow-Up Care
Following the procedure in fall 2021, Sumner spent time recovering with the team at the hospital.
“After a few days of recovery, I was able to go home,” says Sumner. “I attended rehab appointments at UPMC Northwest for about 15 weeks to build up my strength.”
As Sumner was completing his rehab with the team, he began to feel a buzzing sensation in his chest. He called Dr. Silver for an evaluation in spring 2022.
“After performing several tests, Dr. Silver determined that I needed a cardiac catheterization,” says Sumner. “He performed the procedure and inserted a stent to improve blood flow to my heart. Since then, I’ve felt great and have not experienced any problems.”
Now, Sumner is back to golfing and enjoying time at his property in Venango County. Sumner continues to see Dr. Silver for regular appointments to monitor his heart function.
“I really value Dr. Silver as my cardiologist,” says Sumner. “When you go into Dr. Silver’s office, he takes the time and care to make you feel like you’re his only patient. The staff that he has accumulated are absolutely the best.”
Sumner’s treatment and results may not be representative of similar cases.
