Mr MN Bittar 2017-05-06 Person 5 5 0

Being a cardio thoracic surgeon needs very special qualities. To saw open a patient's chest,open it up with a metal retractor and then do the finest of surgery to cardiac blood vessels and valves must require much mental toughness , supreme self confidence and utter competence.Mr Bittar has all of these but he is quiet,unassuming, good humoured and caring.I especially appreciated his visiting me every day when I was in hospital for a double bypass and aortic valve replacement,even on his day off. I also judge him to be an exceptional team leader given the high standard of professional care from the surgical and cardiac intensive care team which I experienced at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.All of these qualities outweighed the inconveniences of three cancellations ,which I understand were at a highly stressed time for the hospital ,and which were beyond the control of the cardiac team. Being told at lunch time that the operation was to go ahead the next day and then being rung at tea time to say it was cancelled was somewhat frustrating.Is there any way this could be avoided?However we understand the circumstances that the team is working under. In contrast I found Mr.Bittar to be a highly intelligent,sensitive and rapid decision maker.When my heart went in to an irregular rhythm post op he took on board my request to avoid Warfarin , and prescribed an alternative, Xarreta ,which has been shown to have solved the problem.I owe my life to the exceptionally committed and competent cardiac team at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and both myself and my family,who were very well looked after, are very much in their debt. Thank you. Peter Moran and family