Surgeon Q&A: Radiation Associated Heart Valve Disease with Dr. Douglas Johnston

www.Heart-Valve-Surgery.com - While the treatment of various cancers using radiation therapy for conditions including Hodgkin's disease is regarded as a "medical miracle", patients are often unaware that radiation can negatively impact organs including the heart, the lungs and the esophagus. Specific to the heart, there is a strong association among radiation therapy and heart valve disease, coronary artery disorders, ascending aorta defects and pericardium issues.
To learn more about the association between radiation therapy and heart valve disease, we interviewed Dr. Douglas Johnston, Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. During his extraordinary career, Dr. Johnston has performed over 3,000 heart valve repair and replacement operations.
Key questions answered by Dr. Johnston in this interview include:
1. What is the association between radiation therapy and valve disease (e.g. stenosis)?
2. How can radiation affect heart valves and the heart (e.g. fibrosis)?
3. Are therapies for radiation associated heart valve disease successful? Are outcomes different for different valves (e.g. aortic valves and/or mitral valves)?
4. What should patients know about radiation associated heart valve disease reoperations?
5. What is the Commando operation?
6. What are the key considerations for patients with radiation associated heart valve disease?
To learn more or schedule an appointment with Dr. Johnston, please call [phone] or visit www.heart-valve-surgery.com/s....