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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Football Recruit Maresh Undergoes Successful Heart Surgery
6/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
ROCHESTER, Minn. - University of Minnesota football recruit Sam Maresh underwent successful heart valve replacement surgery at Mayo Clinic Thursday. The surgery was performed by Mayo Clinic cardiovascular surgeon Hartzell Schaff, M.D., and a team of health care providers. Sam will spend Thursday evening in the intensive care unit for monitoring.
Mr. Maresh had aortic valve regurgitation, a condition that occurs when the heart's aortic valve doesn't close tightly and blood that is pumped out of your heart leaks back into it. Aortic valve regurgitation can develop suddenly or over decades. It may prevent the heart from efficiently pumping blood to the rest of your body, causing fatigue and shortness of breath. Once the condition becomes severe, surgery is usually required to repair or replace the aortic valve.
According to Dr. Schaff, the surgery to replace the ascending aorta went very well.
"We want to thank all of the wonderful people who have expressed their best wishes to our family," said Bill Maresh, Sam's father. "Our close family has grown even closer during the difficult time. In fact, because of the tremendous outpouring of support, it feels that our family has not only grown closer, but it has grown in number."
Minnesota head football coach Tim Brewster expressed his happiness for the Maresh family.
"I've said from the beginning that it was a tremendous blessing for Sam and his family that this problem was found when it was," Brewster said. "Today, to have the problem corrected in a very successful manner is an even greater blessing for them. I'm sure this has been an amazing day for the Maresh family."
The Maresh family will post updates about Sam's treatment and recovery on www.caringbridge.org/visit/sammaresh.
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