Painless Recovery After Heart Surgery

While grocery shopping with his wife over the summer, John Cryan ran up a set of stairs from a parking garage and started to feel faint. He doesn’t remember blacking out but recalls waking up inside his car. His wife called 911, and an ambulance took him to Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC).

At the hospital, lab results showed a high troponin level, indicating a heart attack. John met with Scott Katzen, MD, medical director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory at LHAAMC, who recommended coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Shortly after, John consulted with David Caparrelli, MD, Chief of Cardiac Surgery. Dr. Caparrelli explained that he could use an innovative surgical instrument to freeze John’s nerves, blocking pain signals to the brain and thus aiding in John’s recovery from open heart surgery. This technique, pioneered by Dr. Caparrelli and the team at Luminis Health, has provided long-lasting pain relief for more than 100 patients, and Luminis Health is one of the only hospitals in the country to offer this treatment. John and his wife agreed that surgery with Dr. Caparrelli was the right next step.

“In some cases, you meet a surgeon once and never see them again. Dr. Caparrelli checked in on me multiple times and made me feel like I was his only patient,” John says.

After surgery, John received a bottle of Tylenol for any discomfort. Six months later, he has yet to open it.

“With many health care options, there’s an upside and a downside. In this case, there was only an upside. I recovered quickly and didn’t need pain relief medication,” says John.

By October, three months after surgery, John realized he felt better than he had in 20 years. Now, six months post-operation, he completes an hour of cardiovascular exercise and walks his dog in the woods every day.

Happily retired from a successful career in international banking, John enjoys a change of pace, spending summers on the Severn River in Annapolis. This season is especially meaningful to him, thanks to the life-saving care he received from Luminis Health.

If you or a loved one needs heart surgery, visit Luminis.Health/HeartSurgery to learn about our treatment options.