STHS - Ask the Doctor

Today’s Sports Medicine It’s Not Just for Professional Athletes

While sports medicine physicians often play a key role in keeping professional athletes on the field, even non-athletes can benefit from this type of medicine, says Sujan Gogu, DO.

Dr. Gogu, a triple-board-certified sports medicine physician, shares helpful insights on his unique specialty, including the types of injuries he sees most frequently, some of the treatments he offers, and who can benefit from his area of expertise.

Sujan Gogu, DO Board Certified in Sports Medicine and Pain Medicine

Q: What is a sports medicine physician?

A sports medicine physician has significant specialized training in both the treatment and prevention of illness and injury. They are ideally suited to provide comprehensive medical care for athletes, sports teams or active individuals who are simply looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Sports medicine physicians specialize solely in non-surgical sports medicine and serve as team physicians at the youth level, NCAA, NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, MLS and NHL, as well as with Olympic teams. Sports medicine physicians can maximize non-operative treatment, gvuide appropriate referrals to physical and occupational therapies, and if necessary, expedite referral to an orthopedic/sports surgeon. Sports medicine physicians are ideally suited to provide comprehensive medical care for the non-athlete as well and are excellent resources for the individual who wishes to become active or begin an exercise program. For the “weekend warrior” or “industrial athlete” who experiences an injury, the same expertise used for the competitive athlete can be applied to return the individual as quickly as possible to full function.

Q: What can a patient expect when undergoing a TAVR procedure?

Usually, the patient gets to the hospital the day of the procedure and is taken to a cath lab or a hybrid OR. They undergo general anesthesia or moderate sedation and, in the vast majority of cases, the procedure is done via the arteries in the groin.

In most instances, the procedure lasts around one hour, after which the patient wakes up and is transferred to a room for further monitoring. They could be out of bed in as little as four to six hours after the procedure and walking that same day. Most commonly, the patient can expect to stay in the hospital for about 24-48 hours.

Q: How does the patient prepare beforehand?

To prepare, the patient should expect to undergo a heart catheterization to assess the coronaries (the arteries of the heart) and a CT scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis. Some patients, depending upon the complexity of the case, will require a few additional imaging studies. The patient needs to be seen by a cardiothoracic surgeon and a cardiologist. The case is then reviewed and discussed at length with the cardiovascular team.

Q: How is the patient’s recovery likely to differ from a more traditional valve replacement?

Compared to open-heart surgery, TAVR is a shorter procedure that has been proven to be as good and even better in most of the measured parameters. The recovery is very fast and the patient can typically return to regular life after a couple of days compared to weeks or even months after traditional valve replacement surgery*.

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