When the Doctor Becomes the Patient: Dr. Adam Bitterman On His Open-Heart Surgery

Podcast: HuMed with David Spiro, MD · David Spiro, MD | Doctor Podcast Network

Opublikowano: 2026-08-11

What happens when a surgeon suddenly finds himself on the other side of the patient–doctor relationship? Dr. Adam Bitterman—orthopedic surgeon, educator, and chair of orthopedic surgery at Huntington Hospital—joins Dr. David Spiro to discuss being diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm and undergoing urgent open-heart surgery. Dr. Bitterman shares the fear of preparing for a seven-hour operation, the atrial fibrillation that required a second procedure, and the challenge of stepping away from his patients, colleagues, and family responsibilities. He also explains how becoming a patient transformed his approach to clinic...