All testimonials are provided voluntarily. No compensation is involved.

Margaret G. - New York

“Thirteen months had passed since you and your team performed mitral valve and tricuspid value surgery on me at Mount Sinai when that picture was taken, a little over a year lived through the prism of my heart, and I now have the opportunity to publicly thank all the wonderful people who made my experience so successful and so transcendentally beautiful.

To Dr. Chikwe, for her daily visits, which was like having a ray of sunshine enter my hospital room; to Dr. Anyanwu, who in his quiet way, was one of my saviors; to Ms. Leventhal, the nurse in the pre-surgical holding area and the operating room, who made me feel that I was on a stage set (“lights, action, cameras”); to Dr. Reich, the Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology, who had me laughing as he wheeled me into the operating room and got me so involved in a conversation, that I didn’t know I was about to go under; to Edith, the nurse practitioner, whose no-nonsense approach to my questions, made me keel over in gales of laughter; to Lorna, my day nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, who knew just what medication would ease my pain and who said to me, as I tried to get up from my wheelchair, “Tall and proud, Margaret, tall and proud”; to Theresa Kearns, who scheduled my initial consultation with you, making it seem as if I was going to a delightful tea party and who later visited me in the Intensive Care Unit; and most of all to you, for saving me, for making me whole and for your kindness and compassion.”

Feb. 6, 2008

Dear. Dr. Adams,

I cannot thank you enough for saving my heart. I am forever indebted to you. It was an exhilarating experience and my gratitude to you knows no bounds.

From the bottom of my heart (and I think you've seen it!) I thank you again and again...

Love always,

Margaret G.

Steve S. - New York

Feb. 9, 2009

Dear. Dr. Adams,

Put aside for a moment the absolutely excellent care I received during my 4 day stay at Mount Sinai, which permitted me to begin working on a new painting 4 days after I returned home and riding my bicycle a week after that.

What struck me most about you and your team was the uncommon, unrushed, unhurried amount of time everyone was willing to spend with me, from our first meeting which lasted over an hour, through the subsequent encounters with the entire team.

Everyone was polite and friendly, respectful, and concerned about my well being, mental as well as physical.

It was an unexpectedly terrific experience.

With many thanks,

Steve S.

Florence B. - New York

Dear Dr. Adams,

I would like to thank you, Dr. Di Luozzo, Teresa, Terry, Edith, Joel, Catherine, the rest of your staff and all the rest of the doctors and nurses at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center for the wonderful care that you have given my wife Florence before, during and after her recent surgery to repair a cardiothoracic aneurysm. I would like to be able to thank each of them personally, but there were so many that I cannot recall all of their names. Perhaps you can pass my gratitude on to them. Everyone I came into contact during my visits to the hospital were extremely helpful and courteous, even the workmen.

When we first visited you in June it was a stressful situation for us, as you can imagine; your patience in carefully explaining what was going on and the time you spent with us was greatly appreciated. Later, in October, during our second visit, when the need for surgery as apparent from the second CT Scan, I found your patience and calmness very reassuring. I especially remember your parting words to me “Don't worry, I'll take good care of her.” You certainly have done that and I thank you most gratefully.

Sincerely

John B.

Priscilla E.

Priscilla underwent mitral valve repair surgery with Dr. Adams in April 2008. She sat down and spoke with us a few months later at her follow-up visit.

Brian M.

Brian had his mitral valve re-operation with Dr. Adams in May 2008. He shared with us his experience with our team and how he feels five weeks after surgery.

Laura A. - New York

Dec. 26, 2008

Dear. Dr. Adams,

When the unthinkable happens to your family, you can only hope that the help that arrives is a fraction of what we experienced with you. You have been generous, kind and exceptionally wonderful with Laura's surgery. Thank you, thank you. Your team is amazing. Enjoy the holidays and thanks for posing.

Kind wishes,

Angela and Harold

Larry H. - New York

Dec. 11, 2008

Dear. Dr. Adams,

Words can hardly express my heartfelt appreciation for your generosity in performing my surgery so expeditiously but more importantly the apparent mastery with which you performed.

I hardly thought that i could be at home writing this letter a mere 6 days after surgery. You have invigorated my strength and optimism for a healthy and long life - a live walking advertisement for your remarkable work.

Much thanks to you and your wonderful staff and best wishes to you in the new year.

All the best!

Larry H.

Gloria V. - New York

Dec. 2008

Dear. Dr. Adams,

In September of this year I had the good fortune to have had you as my surgeon. You performed a mitral valve repair, as well as a tricuspid valve repair.

I had been prepared by my doctors to expect a replacement. When i was told you had repaired the valves, I couldn't believe it. You gave me a "gift," greater than I could have hoped for.

I will NEVER forget you and will be forever grateful that our paths crossed.

The world is a better, brighter place due to your expertise, dedication, and caring..

I wish you every happiness...

Gloria

Raymond B. - Florida

Dear Dr. Adams,

I want you to know how grateful I am to have found you to do the surgery on my heart. It is not the kind of decision anyone would want to make a mistake with. And I certainly made the right decision in asking you to operate.

In our very first conversation on the phone, you described the surgery as very straightforward. You repeated those words the first time we met face to face. You inspired a lot of confidence when you said that. But you were much too modest. There is nothing straightforward about reconfiguring the leaflets of a mitral valve, implanting a new annulus, and suturing in new chordae the width of a thread. If it were as simple as you made it sound, I would not have traveled 1200 miles to get it done.

I remember looking at my echocardiograms over the last thirty plus years and seeing my mitral valve flailing around. When Rebecca, who did my post surgical echo showed me my reconstructed mitral, I was stunned and delighted. It functioned like part of a Swiss watch. I knew then that the ordeal of open-heart surgery was all worthwhile.

I was and still am impressed by the dedication of your associates and staff. You all demonstrated that you understood that inside every patient is a person. That compassion meant a great deal to me, and went a long way to accelerating my recovery.

Although I would never want to repeat the experience, I will be forever thankful that I found a surgeon as gifted as you to get me through it.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Raymond B.

Susan H. - New York

“And you, Terry, were a godsend, keeping things moving steadily going in and coming out, even to the point of advising me on pajamas! Last but surely not least, I want to thank Dr. Adams and his amazing surgical team for the miracle of restoring a human heart to health. I couldn't have been in a better place than Mount Sinai. You have perfected the art of healing and I will always be grateful to all of you.”

Edwin R. - New Jersey

“Dear Dr. Davis (Pres. & CEO Mount Sinai Medical Center:

Thursday, July 10, 2008, I underwent mitral valve repair surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center. I am writing from my home, recuperating after the successful surgery. The surgeon, Dr. David H. Adams, and his staff, and the staff of the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit far exceeded my expectations in terms of their professionalism, competence, attentiveness, and humanism. I am 68 years of age and have been hospitalized a few times in my life thus far, but none of the previous hospital stays could compare positively to this one. While I am sure that there are many people who contributed to my successful hospital stay that I never met face-to-face, I would like to specifically bring to your attention some members of the medical and hospital staff that I did experience personally who, I feel, maximized the positive result of my surgery.”

Mike L. - Colorado

Mike is a 40-year-old pilot for United Airlines who came to us from Denver with severe mitral valve regurgitation.

He chose to have elective mitral valve repair surgery with Dr. Adams in June 2008, to ensure that he would have his mitral valve repaired, and not replaced, in order to be able to maintain his medical status for flying, as required by the FAA.

Gary K. approximately 6 weeks after surgery

Nicole S.

After 23 years of mitral regurgitation and shortness of breath, Nicole was referred by her cardiologist at Montefiore Medical Center to Dr. Adams. Talking with Dr. Adams about his pioneering minimally invasive techniques relieved her worries about having a scar on her chest.

Weeks later, with her incision barely visible, she describes herself as “very satisfied” with the outcome.

Mary D.

Mary had her mitral valve repaired by Dr. Adams on 6/15/05. 5 weeks later, she's back doing the things she likes best in life, volunteer work, gardening, hiking, and traveling.

Clark S. - Georgia

“Four years past surgery all my annual check-ups have been absolutely positive; the most recent, just completed, shows no changes since surgery. At age 74, I am still handling my pastoral duties, plus daily walking and golf up to twice a week. My wife and I just took a dream vacation to Alaska and didn't miss a thing we planned to see or do. Next, trip to Ireland straight ahead. Thank God for Dr. Adams and his competent team at Mount Sinai.”

Ron P. - New Jersey

Dear Dr. Adams,

I wanted to drop you a note and let you know that not a day goes by that I don't think about how fortunate I was to have you repair my mitral valve. It was 3 and half years ago that I had my operation. I was 43 years old and the interesting thing was after I was diagnosed with heart failure and needed the operation, the first 2 surgeons told me that I would need a replacement and offered no other choice. Fortunately for me a friend had recommended that I speak to you. I remember only talking to you over the phone from my hospital in New Jersey and knowing that after we spoke, without a doubt you were the surgeon that I wanted. You explained to me that you strive to fix the valve rather than replace it. I immediately transferred to Mount Sinai and you and your team performed miracles.

Well that was 3 and half years ago and I feel like new and as if I never had a problem. I have a wife & 3 kids, one of whom was just born 10 days ago. I am truly back to normal thanks to you. Your passion for what you do and your drive for perfection is what I really appreciate. The one other thing that I wanted to mention is how from A to Z you and your team are amazing. The bed side manner, the fact that everyone was always on time, and your follow up was great. I would absolutely recommend you to anyone in need of Mitral Valve repair.

Once again, myself and my family can't thank you enough.

Sincerely,

Ron P.

Donald M. - New Jersey

“I cannot thank you Dr. Adams and your entire cardiac care staff nearly enough. I am eternally in your debt.

Having gone through the experience of having my New York based cardiac physicians tell me things were well when comparing one EKG from the last one and telling me that there was no change, to being told by one of your staff that my medical condition was more dire was a revelation. Having 3 valves worked on and coming through as I did was miraculous. Thanks to your skill and that of your assisting surgeons I am alive.

The remarkable thing is there was absolutely no pain whatsoever. Some discomfort as I mentioned to you from the tube down the throat and being tied down so I couldn’t pull the tube out of my throat. I believe it was an 11 hour operation and then you all waited 3 hours to see if it worked. It certainly did. While I couldn’t thank you vocally all the time, I put my thumbs up and smiled when you came in to see me after I recovered. I kept thinking to myself “How do they do it?” The hours on their feet. I remember when you came in at 6:00 am to tell me you were going to do 2 lesser operations “to give me every chance possible”. I certainly didn’t see those words with any sense of foreboding.

Thanks for everything, for your caring and compassion, for your skills and expertise as staff. I truly owe you my life.”

David C. - New York

“Marathons are no big deal. Climbing Everest might be a little harder. But thanks to Dr. Adams and his team at Mount Sinai I now have the energy to keep up with this !!”