Good Samaritan Hospital Cardiologists Give West Islip Man Second Chance at Life

On March 21, 59-year-old Vincent Marullo came close to seeing his wife, Susan, and two children for the last time. After feeling extremely fatigued for a couple of weeks, Marullo went to the doctor thinking he had bronchitis. Initial testing showed a drop in blood pressure prompting his doctor to send him for cardiac testing. Cardiologist Eileen Bishop, MD, performed a trans esophageal echocardiogram (TEE), a special ultrasound test to assess heart muscle and valve function. The results prompted an urgent cardiac catheterization performed by Good Samaritan Hospital’s Director of the Cardiac Catherization Program Ezra Deutsch, MD, to examine the coronary arteries for blockages. Mr. Marillo was found to be in cardiogenic shock and needing immediate open heart surgery to bypass blockages in the arteries leading to his heart and replace a severely diseased mitral valve.

Fortunately, the recently launched St. Francis Open Heart Surgery Program at Good Samaritan Hospital had in place an expert cardiothoracic surgical team from St. Francis on-site at Good Sam. Cardiothoracic surgeon Christopher La Mendola, MD, performed emergency triple bypass and heart valve replacement in order to save his life. Over the next several weeks he would also need additional surgery to drain fluid from around his heart and have his heart shocked back into rhythm.

“If they hadn’t had the St. Francis Hospital Open Heart Surgery program at Good Samaritan Hospital my husband would not have survived,” said Susan Marullo. “Having brought my husband to Good Sam was a miracle.”

Pictured (L-R): His daughter, Betsy, and wife, Susan, have been at Vincent Marullo’s bedside for nearly a month. He will start cardiac rehabilitation at Good Samaritan within the next few weeks. Mr. Marullo is looking forward to returning back to work in commercial construction in the very near future. He is very thankful for this second chance in life and is looking forward to spending time with his family.

For more information on the open heart surgery program at Good Samaritan, please visit www.good-samaritan-hospital.org or call (631) 376-4444.

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Colleen Valdini
Manager, Public and External Affairs
(631) 376-4483