Indiana’s first robotic aortic valve replacement performed in Bloomington

When Paul Hargrove scheduled a primary care appointment after years without seeing a doctor, he expected nothing more than a routine checkup.

Instead, the visit uncovered a serious heart condition that led to a groundbreaking surgical procedure in Indiana.

During the appointment, Hargrove's physician detected a heart murmur. Further testing and evaluation by cardiologist Gregory Heumann, MD, found his aortic valve was leaking.

Over the next three years, his care team closely monitored the condition. When testing showed it was time to intervene to prevent permanent heart damage, Hargrove began preparing for what he assumed would be a long and difficult recovery.

“I thought I was going to be out of commission for three months, and that it may be a long and difficult recovery period,” says Hargrove. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to care for myself. I'm unmarried and I live alone so that was my big concern.”

Hargrove was relieved when he met with cardiothoracic surgeon Sanjay Tripathi, MD, who offered him a robotic surgery option.

“Robotic aortic valve surgery allows the surgeon to perform this less invasive operation through keyhole incisions using small robotic instruments, using the same durable valve that is used for open heart operations,” says Tripathi.

This approach also typically results in a faster recovery and reduced pain and discomfort.

On June 8, Hargrove became the first patient in the state to undergo a robotic aortic valve replacement, marking a major advancement in cardiac treatment options for patients in south-central Indiana.

The benefits of the minimally invasive approach were clear almost immediately. Hargrove was discharged from the hospital just three days after the surgery, and was grateful to have the support of his brother during the early stages of recovery.

“Within three days, I was up and moving around. I could do most things for myself and I was really relieved,” says Hargrove.

Just one month after surgery, he reported being “99.9% pain-free at the incision site” and was cleared to return to work as transit supervisor for the IU Campus Bus Service.

Hargrove has lived in Bloomington since 1982 and has relied on walking as his primary mode of transportation ever since. Following surgery, he continued that routine as part of his recovery, attending cardiac rehabilitation three times a week and walking nearly two miles to each session. Looking back, he credits the decision to schedule a long overdue primary visit to changing the course of his life.

“Who knows where I would be today if I hadn't made that appointment and my doctor hadn't put that stethoscope to my chest,” says Hargrove. “I wouldn't have known anything was wrong.”

The successful procedure transformed Hargrove’s recovery experience and marked a major advancement in access to innovative cardiac care for patients across south-central Indiana.

“I am very pleased to be able to offer this less invasive surgery to my patients,” says Tripathi. “They now have options that are available at very few hospitals in the country.”