CARDIAC SURGERY
“ My former student told me if you can go to Baylor, go to Baylor. That was enough for me.” – Bill Ruth
MEASURING INNOVATION IN HEART AND VASCULAR CARE
COLORADO TRI-ATHLETE RECEIVES LIFE- SAVING HEART SURGERY
How do you describe Bill Ruth? A life-long athlete. A coach. A mentor. A Baby Boomer. A role model. A devoted husband. A heart disease survivor. The truth is, he’ s all of these things.
A fitness fanatic, Bill Ruth was a 12-time All-American N. C. A. A. swimmer in college and later a professional triathlete Ironman, ranked as high as fourth in the world. He also devoted himself to others as a health and physical education teacher for 34 years, a swimming coach for 20 years, and a cross-country and track and field coach for 24 years.
When Bill and his wife Sherry retired in 2007, the Ruths moved to the awe-inspiring beauty of Estes Park, Colorado. But, retirement didn’ t last long and soon they found themselves coaching again at the local high school.“ Any doctor that either one of us has ever seen has said‘ you two don’ t have to worry about having any cardiac issues ever,’” explained Sherry Ruth.
In late 2015 Bill noticed a change in his body’ s reaction to exercise. After positive blood work results, he went out to the weekly fun run at a local hotel.“ I started running with a former student, got half way down the hill from the hotel and was so winded I felt like I was dying,” said Bill Ruth.“ Sherry took me to the doctor the next day.”
An EKG revealed that Ruth was experiencing atrial flutter and a subsequent echocardiogram showed a bicuspid aortic valve and an ascending aortic aneurysm. True to their educator roots, they immediately began researching Ruth’ s diagnosis. Conversations with a former student who is now chief of cardiology at a large medical center in Pennsylvania led them to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital.
“ My former student told me if you can go to Baylor, go to Baylor,” says Ruth.“ That was enough for me and Sherry, the decision about where to seek treatment had been made.”
Baylor Dallas helped arrange travel for the Ruths, as routine for all out-of-town patients. After evaluation, an interventional cardiologist on the medical staff performed an ablation to correct his atrial flutter. Three months later, a cardiothoracic surgeon on the medical staff replaced Ruth’ s genetically malformed aortic valve and the entire ascending aorta. Ruth presented with one of the most common valvular heart anomalies. His valve was significantly narrowed from calcification resulting in poor ventricular function of 20 to 25 percent. By replacing it from the base to the ascending arch, the surgeon also eliminated the aneurysm.
J. C. MacHannaford, MD, vice chair of cardiovascular surgery at Baylor Dallas, says that a bicuspid valve is often accompanied by an aortic aneurysm.“ These are genetic abnormalities that frequently go hand-in-hand,” explains Dr. MacHannaford. Ruth ' s mother had the same condition.“ Patients with a history of heart disease in their families need to follow up regularly with their primary care physician.”
Ruth’ s spectacular recovery and positive outcome underscores the value of the couple’ s diligent research on the best place to treat his heart issues.
Bill and his wife couldn’ t be happier with the care they received from the entire Baylor Scott & White family.“ They were all angels,” says Ruth. " Everyone from nurses to those in the café to the housekeepers and support staff were warm and caring. You could tell they love what they do and they know why they are here, to care for the patient and the patient’ s family.”
To watch a video of his story, visit our website at baylorhearthospital. com / BillRuth
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