Multiple sets of eyes ensured nothing went unnoticed .
In late February 2021 , Barbara Lentz , a 77-year-young weights and aerobics enthusiast , was scheduled to have minimally invasive surgery to remove a tumor on her aortic valve . As part of the pre-op workup , her cardiac surgeon , AHN Dr . Pietro Bajona , ordered a CT scan prior to the procedure . It revealed a tiny but irregular spot in the left lower half of her lung . Being so small , it was deemed a wait-and-watch situation , so the heart surgery took place as scheduled . Four months , two scans , and a stellar recovery later , the spot on Barbara ’ s lung had grown to 1.6 centimeters . That ’ s when she was referred to AHN thoracic surgeon Dr . Joseph Houda for a biopsy and advanced diagnostic studies .
“ A PET scan was suggestive of cancer , but inconclusive . The biopsies were , too .” said Dr . Houda . The doctors on the multidisciplinary tumor board and at the AHN Cardiac Cancer Institute discussed and evaluated Barbara ’ s case .
“ The doctors at AHN are fantastic . They consult with each other and work together to check everything possible . They
don ’ t miss a thing .”
— BARBARA LENTZ
“ The suspicion for cancer was high and we felt the biopsies were wrong , presenting a false negative ,” said Dr . Houda . They also suspected sarcoidosis , a rare inflammatory disease that typically creates scar tissue in the lungs and lymph nodes , but can affect any part of the body . They determined the best course of action was to remove the affected portion of her lung . “ That meant another surgery ,” Dr . Houda said . “ We evaluated her fitness level and felt she could tolerate another surgery .”
Barbara and her husband were completely on board with the plan , so Dr . Houda did a robotic lower lobectomy in late August . Enter Dr . Giath Shari , whose role it was to analyze the pathology report . The portion of lung removed gave the team the evidence needed to definitively diagnose Barbara with sarcoidosis .
Serendipitously , the lobectomy also revealed a carcinoid tumor that would have had to come out soon . “ It ’ s a good feeling to know you ’ re being so well taken care of . I just can ’ t praise my AHN doctors enough ,” said Barbara . “ They ’ re fantastic . They consult with each other and work together to check everything possible .”
“ The surgery was a success on many levels ,” said Dr . Houda . “ And Barbara did very well . She was able to go home in two days , which is a testament to her overall strength and good health .” As is the fact that within four months she was back in aerobics class and ready to bring resistance bands back to her weight training . There was no way two surgeries in six months was going to slow this septuagenarian down .
READ MORE OF BARBARA ’ S STORY AT AHN . ORG / AHN . ORG / FORBES-STORIES .