I thank Professor Giuseppe Speziale and the Cardiac Surgery Department at Santa Maria Hospital for performing, in June 2025, with excellence and high professionalism, a delicate heart operation to replace an organic mitral valve prosthesis implanted in 2011 with a mechanical one.
The surgery was performed using video-assisted minithoracotomy, meaning without opening the sternum, despite the fact that, in my case, it was a repeat operation and despite the fact that I had previously undergone breast cancer surgery with a silicone prosthesis.
Just seven days after the surgery, I returned home (after spending two days in intensive care and five days on the ward) without any pain or discomfort. Within a month, with some respiratory and cardiocirculatory rehabilitation (performed at the same hospital, thanks to excellent physiotherapists), I returned to an active life.
I was unfamiliar with this particular surgical approach, because many Italian facilities continue to operate in the traditional manner, that is, by opening the sternum, causing immense physical and psychological suffering for the patient, who is forced to recover much more slowly and painfully (I had personally experienced this years before).
I was terrified at the mere thought of undergoing a second sternotomy, until I met Prof. Giuseppe Speziale, who immediately reassured me, dispelling all my doubts and uncertainties, instilling in me a great sense of security that comes from a profound awareness of his own professional skills and abilities.
This is an innovative surgical technique, practiced at the Santa Maria Hospital in Bari (and I'm proud of this, since it's my hometown), and one that many Italian healthcare facilities aren't even familiar with. Today, a couple of months later, I feel compelled to write these lines to sincerely thank Prof. Giuseppe Speziale, who for years has brilliantly managed the entire cardiac surgery department with high levels of expertise and professionalism, surrounded by a first-class team endowed with great availability and humanity.
My most sincere thanks go to all the medical and paramedical staff of the Cardiac Surgery Department and the Intensive Care Unit at Santa Maria Hospital in Bari, who have cared for me continuously, even post-operatively, with skill, professionalism, and immense humanity.
A special applause, from the bottom of my heart, goes to all of Prof. Speziale's staff. Giuseppe Speziale, to the cardiac surgeons, the interventionalists, the anesthetists, the very young nurses in the intensive care unit like Alessandro Miacola, to Chiara, the head nurse of the intensive care unit, who with delicate kindness fixed my cap to hold back my long hair as soon as I woke up, to all the nurses in the cardiac surgery department like Michele, Elisenda, Rosy, Florianna, Simona and all the others, to the head nurse of the cardiac surgery unit, Ms. Doriana, who welcomed me from the first moment as if I were at home, to Ms. Dina who always supported me throughout my hospital journey to complete the bureaucratic procedures. I owe a special thanks to all those who have accompanied me on this journey, giving me their smiles and words of comfort every day. I refer in particular to all the staff and healthcare workers like Lidia, Marilena, Maria, Angela, Anka, and Marta; to the cleaning ladies like Nicla and Anna, who dedicate themselves with sacrifice and dedication to their work every day, never sparing themselves, but always capable of offering us a smile or a kind gesture; and to the physiotherapists like Marica and Giuseppe, who supported me throughout my rehabilitation journey on the ward with great expertise, humanity, and availability.
My deepest thanks go to the entire Cardiac Surgery Department, and my deepest respect to the GVM Group.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Francesca Paola Ciliento
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