After heart surgery at St. Vincent Healthcare, a fitness instructor organizes a lesson for the patients

Billings, Montana – At St. Vincent Healthcare, a fitness instructor from Orange Theory Fitness had the Ross Procedure.

“I went in for a normal physical and they had to run some more tests to find out I had to get my aortic valve replaced,” said Stacy Ban.

“It gave me a good sense of being lucky that I have my family around me, and when we had to have surgery, I felt okay about it.”

The Ross Procedure involves replacing the valve with the patient’s heart valve first, followed by a cadaver valve.

“It’s an operation that’s more complex but provides better restoration with young patients,” said Dr. Simon Maltais, the surgeon who performed on Ban last May.

At her area of employment, Ban started a program for both patients and caregivers in an effort to assist those who require assistance with heart health.

“If something comes up down the road, I’m just glad we’re all in this together for the future,” explained Ban.

Since last year, the operation has been offered in Montana, but Dr. Maltais is the first surgeon in the state to have carried it out.

Visit St. Vincent Healthcare for more details about the process.