A Heart Care Experience to Remember: For a Kansas Citian With a History of Heart Issues, the Proactive, Personable Care at Saint Luke’s Stood Out

Born with congenital heart disease, Christin Murphy, 41, was familiar with cardiology appointments, stress tests, and surgeries. She had her first heart surgery at 3 months old, the youngest person to ever be operated on at University of California San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland. Patients with a congenital heart condition often require many heart procedures throughout childhood, but Christin was different—she didn’t have to undergo another invasive procedure until she was 29, when she had an open-heart pulmonary valve replacement while living in New York. 

However, in recent years, Christin noticed that the 14 stairs at her home in Brookside were becoming more challenging to climb and knew her heart was the cause. She was referred to Anthony Magalski, MD, and his team at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute. Established as the world’s first freestanding heart hospital, the Heart Institute balances comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment with a patient-first mentality to provide nationally recognized adult congenital heart disease care. 

“I’m not a doctor, but as a sick kid growing up, I know how doctors talk and think,” Christin says. “When I met Dr. Magalski, I really liked him and his staff. Everyone is very personable and easy to get a hold of.”

With Christin under his care, Dr. Magalski kept an eye on the valve that had been repaired years earlier. Eventually, he moved his check-ins with her from annually to every six months.

Repaired and recovered
Christin wasn’t surprised or nervous when Dr. Magalski suggested she undergo a second valve replacement in October 2024. An MRI showed that her heart was beginning to enlarge and was not pumping blood as well as it had been, plus activities such as climbing stairs and walking her dog were becoming too strenuous for her. 

From a clinical standpoint, Dr. Magalski estimated that valve replacements last an average of 10 to 15 years, so the timing of Christin’s procedure wasn’t unique. What stood out to Dr. Magalski was Christin’s demeanor when receiving the news.

“She was very knowledgeable about her condition, but she was also calm and collected in dealing with what can be a very stressful situation,” he says.  

According to Dr. Magalski, a third open-heart surgery for Christin was a risky proposition. With that in mind, and after some additional scans, he recommended a less-invasive surgical procedure known as a transcatheter pulmonic valve replacement (TPVR). 

Elizabeth A. Grier, MD, performed the TPVR on Christin on Dec. 2, 2024. 

“Before implanting Christin’s new valve, we performed a bioprosthetic valve fracture, which breaks the surgical valve’s circular frame with a high-pressure balloon,” Dr. Grier says. “We use this procedure to insert a larger-than-normal transcatheter valve with the hope that Christin’s valve will work better for longer before she needs to get it replaced.”

The day after her surgery, Christin was able to go home, and she began the cardiac rehabilitation exercise program a few weeks later. Christin admits she’s not the biggest fan of exercising, but she surprised herself by enjoying her time there and finishing the program in 15 weeks. 

“I wasn't motivated to work out on my own and hated the idea of cardiac rehab,” Christin says. “However, I really enjoyed doing it. I was getting exercise, making my heart stronger, and truly getting back into shape after being in heart failure and unable to do anything for quite a while before my surgery."

Six months post-surgery, Christin says she feels great. She’s resuming work and personal travel, and is excited to accompany her husband, an original Oasis fan, to Chicago to see the band at Soldier Field. 

As for her overall Saint Luke’s experience? The care, expertise, and empathy were a “10 out of 10, would recommend” in her book. 

“I had a good experience with everyone in the hospital being really understanding and listening to me when I didn’t feel comfortable or something hurt,” Christin says. “In previous experiences, I felt like a number. This was completely different and easy for me.”

Put your heart health in the hands of the experts. Call Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute at 816-931-1883 to schedule an appointment.