Adult Congenital Heart Program
at Methodist Heart Hospital
Adults with congenital heart disease face unique challenges as a result of their
complex medical and surgical history. Dr. Pankaj Madan leads a team of physicians
and surgeons who share his passion for making a difference in the lives of these
patients with congenital heart defects. Facilitating the transition from pediatric to
adult congenital heart care, our Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Program offers
seamless, multispecialty care at our new ACHD clinic.
For more information, go online to
SAHealth.com/HeartandSoulor call
210-575-5915
.
business. Garza developed type 2
diabetes and high blood pressure, yet
even with congenital heart disease, he
proudly worked hard and played hard,
too.
Five years ago, his normal life took
a turn for the worse. Despite dramatic
lifestyle changes to improve his health,
potentially-fatal heart rhythm problems
meant frequent trips to the emergency
department and numerous hospital
admissions. For Garza, it was history
repeating itself.
His cardiologists, running out of
options, were frustrated: They had im-
planted a defibrillator, tried numerous
medications; put Garza on permanent
disability; and even suggested his ar-
rhythmias were all in his head, which
took an emotional toll on Garza as well.
Discouraged but determined, Garza
sought a second opinion. He called
and got an appointment with cardiac
electrophysiologist
Zalmen Blanck,
M.D.
The two instantly hit it off, and
Dr. Blanck started from scratch to inves-
tigate the cause of his arrhythmias. Still,
Garza ended up in Methodist Hospital
several more times with dangerous heart
rhythms. During a hospitalization around
Memorial Day—as luck would have
it—
Pankaj Madan, M.D.,
who had just
joined his practice as an adult congenital
cardiologist, took on Garza’s case.
After a thorough history, an extensive
review of his medical records and new
imaging studies, Dr. Madan discovered
Garza’s pulmonary valve was leaking
severely and was likely causing the ar-
rhythmias. This time, though—as luck
would have it—instead of a third open-
heart surgery to replace the leaky valve,
there was a new, minimally invasive
option to implant a valve through a cath-
eter requiring only a small puncture in
his groin!
As one of the first adults to be a can-
didate for this procedure at Methodist
Heart Hospital, a campus of Methodist
Hospital, Garza took a leap of faith based
on his experience with Dr. Blanck and
Dr. Madan. “I’m gonna trust them. I
trust them all. They dig and they dig.
They do their homework. I made them
work and they never gave up on me!”
said Garza.
D
uring the first few years of his life, Salvador Garza spent
more time in the hospital than at home. Born with a
congenital heart condition called tetralogy of Fallot, he
underwent his first open-heart surgery to repair the
defects in 1974 at age 4.
✦
Twenty years later, Garza
required a second open-heart surgery to repair his leaking pulmo-
nary valve. He recovered nicely and lived a “normal” life: He got
married, had two children and started a flooring installation
ADULT CONGENITAL
HEART PROGRAM
HELPS PATIENT OVERCOME CHALLENGES
OF LIVING WITH HEART DISEASE
Pediatric interventional cardiologist
Rolando Zamora, M.D.,
successfully
performed the procedure and Garza was
released from the hospital about a day
and a half later. Today, he’s feeling great,
and is truly back to normal. He has also
lost 45 pounds, is eating healthy, is get-
ting regular follow-ups, and is grateful for
the expertise and attention he received
from his “Super Doctors,” Dr. Blanck,
Dr. Madan and Dr. Zamora. “Thanks to
God—they were like angels who were
sent to me for a reason—and got me
going again,” he said.
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M E T H O D I S T H E A L T H C A R E — S A N A N T O N I O
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Pankaj Madan, M.D., discovered that Salvador Garza’s pulmonary valve was leaking se-
verely and recommended a new, minimally invasive surgery option for valve replacement.
Salvador Garza was one of the first
patients to have the new procedure at
Methodist Heart Hospital.