Patient Story: David Mckinney

While training for a marathon in 2007, David McKinney had a heart attack and needed a stent. Earlier this year, he began feeling pressure in his chest and, given his medical history, made an appointment with his primary care provider.

That visit led to a cardiac catheterization, which revealed a nearly 100 percent blockage. McKinney was scheduled for a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) with Dr. David Caparrelli, chief of cardiac surgery at Luminis Health.

During the procedure, Dr. Caparrelli used a novel technique called a cryo nerve block to eliminate postoperative pain.

“We used the cryo nerve block to freeze David’s nerves, which blocked the pain signals to the brain and helped support his recovery from heart surgery,” says Dr. Caparrelli.

McKinney says Dr. Caparrelli and his team explained everything clearly, including the procedure, its purpose and what to expect during recovery.

“I can’t speak highly enough of the surgical team,” McKinney says. “It was a very positive experience from the moment I checked in to the day I was discharged.”

Several weeks after surgery, McKinney has no pain and has not needed any narcotic medication.

“With no pain, there’s no strong pharmaceutical medicines that are needed. Basically, I got discharged with Tylenol,” McKinney told CBS news when he was interviewed about his experience. Watch the CBS clip here.

He and his wife walk together a few times a day. He enjoys hiking and camping, but for now he is sticking to local trails and walking at the mall when it’s too hot outside.

To learn more about this cutting edge technique and heart surgery at Luminis Health, visit Luminis.Health/HeartSurgery. 

Watch David’s story on CBS