Getinge is passionate about developing and delivering innovative products, technologies and solutions to healthcare providers so they can give their patients the best possible care allowing them to live long, productive, healthy lives. We have a broad portfolio of medical devices to be used for patients with cardiovascular disease, not least for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgeries. These devices have been used to benefit patients around the world –including Mark Miller, a Senior Cardiothoracic Territory Manager for Getinge in Dallas.
During his nearly 30-year career as a medical device sales representative, Mark Miller has visited the operating room many times, but he never imagined that the medical devices he sells would end up being used in an operation that saved his life. But that’s what happened earlier this year.
Last fall, Mark decided to make some lifestyle changes to improve his heart health. He began endurance running, starting small and slowly increasing his mileage. After a while, he wasn’t seeing results. In fact, running was making him feel fatigued.
“I went to see a cardiologist and had a stress EKG, a test that measures heart activity during physical activity, which didn’t reveal anything concerning,” Mark Miller says. “Over a lunch meeting, I later told a cardiothoracic surgeon I’ve worked with for years about my condition. The surgeon immediately insisted that I should see another cardiologist and made an appointment for the next morning for a battery of tests.”
One of the tests revealed serious blockages in three of Mark’s coronary arteries. Because the vessels couldn’t be opened with stents, Mark underwent a “beating heart” surgery in which the cardiothoracic surgeon bypassed his obstructed vessels using healthy vessels harvested from another part of this body.
Mark recovered quickly from the surgery. Not only was he up and walking in the cardiovascular ICU that evening, but he was able to return to work in a month and is now focused on living a heart-healthy lifestyle.
It’s stories like Mark’s that drive us to do what we do – to develop solutions that allow healthcare professionals to improve people’s lives. Discover how Getinge’s 40 years of experience in CABG surgery can help enhance patient care.