Reviewing specialist
Dr. R. Iyer
MCh CTVS, FICS
About this reviewer
Adult cardiac surgeon with extensive experience in CABG and valve surgery; advises on surgical versus interventional options.
What happens when you request a reviewer
- 1. Submit your case with this reviewer marked as your preference.
- 2. The coordinator confirms availability and assigns them where possible.
- 3. The 48-hour clock starts at assignment — never before.
- 4. Their verdict is quality-checked against your questions before release.
From the panel
Cardiac & Cardiothoracic questions, answered
Short answers from the reviewing panel on the questions patients ask most in this specialty.
Panel answer
My surgeon says bypass, another doctor said stents. Who is right?
Video answer filming soon
Dr. A. Menon
Cardiothoracic surgeon · 19 yrs · 2,400+ casesBoth can be right depending on how many vessels are involved, whether you are diabetic, and how your left ventricle is functioning. Multi-vessel disease with diabetes usually favours bypass for long-term survival; single-vessel disease often favours a stent. The honest answer comes from reading your angiogram, not from a general rule.
Panel answer
Is it dangerous to wait 48 hours for a second opinion?
Video answer filming soon
Dr. A. Menon
Cardiothoracic surgeon · 19 yrs · 2,400+ casesFor stable angina and planned valve surgery, 48 hours changes nothing clinically. For an active heart attack, unstable chest pain at rest, or a dissection, you should not wait — go to emergency care. Our intake screens for exactly those situations and tells you to stop and seek treatment.
Panel answer
Does it matter how many of these operations my surgeon does?
Video answer filming soon
Dr. A. Menon
Cardiothoracic surgeon · 19 yrs · 2,400+ casesYes, and it is one of the best-evidenced factors in cardiac surgery. Outcomes improve with both surgeon and hospital volume for valve repair and complex aortic work. Asking your surgeon how many they performed last year is a fair and normal question.
Panel answer
What should I ask before consenting to heart surgery?
Video answer filming soon
Dr. A. Menon
Cardiothoracic surgeon · 19 yrs · 2,400+ casesAsk what happens if you do nothing for three months, what the alternatives were and why they were rejected, your predicted risk score, how many of these the surgeon does yearly, and what recovery looks like week by week. A team that welcomes those questions is usually a good team.