Leading the way in surgical excellence

“Our surgical expertise has progressed over time and now we’re doing the most complex cases – patients who were deemed not surgical elsewhere.”

Patrick Himmelheber knew something was off. Out of nowhere, he found himself struggling to catch his breath while playing hockey.

It didn’t make sense to the healthy 36-year-old, so he improved his diet and exercise routines in the hope of feeling better. But when he began gasping for air while simply walking or talking, he decided to see his doctor.

Patrick was diagnosed with a rare condition called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).

CTEPH develops when blood clots in the lungs fail to dissolve properly. Scar tissue forms, straining the lungs and heart – and often leading to heart failure if left untreated.

Turning to the #1 hospital in Canada

Thanks to your partnership, Patrick was in good hands. He was referred to UHN, home of Canada’s largest CTEPH program.

UHN’s Toronto CTEPH program brings together transplant, cardiac, radiology, anesthesia, perfusion and ICU expertise. This collaboration of top talent makes UHN one of the few centres in the world capable of performing the complicated surgery Patrick urgently needed.

“There’s really nobody else in the country who could have that degree of expertise across such a broad number of disciplines,” explains program director and thoracic surgeon Dr. Mark de Perrot, who led Patrick’s care.

Doing what’s never been done

In the past, surgeons could only reach clots in the main pulmonary arteries of the lungs, leaving dangerous scar tissue behind. But now UHN’s integrated team of specialists is curing CTEPH by safely accessing clots in the smallest and most delicate blood vessels deep within the lungs.

Redefining health care

You’re also helping UHN train the next generation of surgeons. CTEPH surgeons have developed a surgical simulator to safely teach new surgeons how to work inside the artery, where the field of vision is extremely narrow and the margin for error is small.

Patrick’s ten-hour surgery was successful. He was home after a week, grateful to feel better almost immediately. Thanks to the world-leading care he received at UHN, he was healthy for what came next: welcoming his first child.

Donor support is transforming complex surgery and saving lives.