01/07/2026
Norma McPeak was an active octogenarian, busy with family and friends and looking forward to attending three weddings, when she started to feel unwell. “In the morning, I would get up and was so exhausted—more than ever before,” she said
She wondered if her fatigue could be due to her atrial fibrillation (AFib) and made an appointment with Francis Grzywacz, MD, her cardiologist at Penn Medicine Doylestown Health.
Dr. Grzywacz immediately referred Norma to his colleague, cardiothoracic surgeon Anthony Tran, MD. Her condition had progressed to chronic congestive heart failure due to her failing heart valves and would require surgery. Norma’s main concern: “I just wanted to know if I could dance at the weddings!”
For high-risk patients like Norma, Doylestown Health’s Woodall Center for Heart and Vascular Care provides highly advanced care using innovative technology. According to Dr. Tran, “Cases like Norma’s require a direct line of communication between the cardiologist, interventional cardiologist, and the surgeon. We discussed alternatives given the risk of her age, reviewed her imaging together, and ultimately came up with a plan.”
During the open-heart surgery, both of Norma’s leaky heart valves were successfully repaired. She “underwent a mitral and tricuspid valve repair, and in order to reduce her atrial fibrillation burden and stroke risk, a full ablation (MAZE) procedure was performed along with exclusion of her left atrial appendage,” explained Dr. Tran.
Norma continued her recovery through our cardiac rehabilitation program, benefiting from personalized nutrition counseling, physical exercise, and camaraderie with other patients. “I gained strength and mobility; it was a tremendous program,” she said. And yes, she was on the dance floor at the family weddings!
“I’m so glad to have my energy again. I have a new lease on life, thanks to Dr. Tran,” said Norma.
