A life-saving heart procedure offering an alternative to traditional open-heart surgery is now available to patients in Palm Beach County — and even more remarkably, the surgeons behind it are a father-and-son team. One local man says the innovative approach was nothing short of a game-changer.At 76 years old, staying active isn’t just a goal for John Zells — it’s his way of life. Whether he’s on the golf course or traveling with his wife, slowing down was never part of the plan.That is, until doctors discovered a major blockage in one of his arteries — the kind often referred to as the “widow maker.””They went in, they did a cath, and I wake up, he says, ‘You’ve got 90 to 95% blockage in your LAD, which is the widow maker. If that one blocks, you’re gone,'” Zells recalled. He had come dangerously close to suffering a massive heart attack.Traditionally, a blockage this severe would require open-heart surgery — a procedure that involves opening the chest, an extended hospital stay, and months of recovery.But Zells had another option. The McGinn technique. “Instead of opening the chest, surgeons access the heart through a small incision. The minimally invasive approach often results in less pain, fewer complications, and a significantly faster recovery,” said Dr. Joseph McGinn III, whose father pioneered the procedure.”John Zells is an excellent example of someone who received the appropriate treatment,” McGinn said. “Now he’s thriving. He’s pain-free, and I’m happy that I was able to provide that for him.”What makes the procedure even more notable is its rarity — only about 20 surgeons worldwide are trained to perform it.Two of them are right here in South Florida.Dr. McGinn Jr. now works alongside his son, Dr. Joseph McGinn III, who is continuing the legacy by performing the surgery at Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Bethesda Hospital East. “There’s only about 20 of us performing this procedure with any regularity around the world,” McGinn said. “We have physicians coming from across the globe to watch us operate. The learning curve is steep, but if you have the training and the patients, it truly benefits them.”The technique was even mentioned on the ABC hit medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” where a character references using the McGinn technique to access the chest with less invasiveness.Just three weeks after surgery, Zells was back on the golf course. Now, he’s preparing for a two-month cruise with his wife.”I’m very lucky that this was found,” he said.Zells hopes others facing bypass surgery will explore all their options.”If somebody is diagnosed with the need for a bypass,” he said, “I really think they owe it to themselves to go look at this procedure.”
A life-saving heart procedure offering an alternative to traditional open-heart surgery is now available to patients in Palm Beach County — and even more remarkably, the surgeons behind it are a father-and-son team. One local man says the innovative approach was nothing short of a game-changer.
At 76 years old, staying active isn’t just a goal for John Zells — it’s his way of life. Whether he’s on the golf course or traveling with his wife, slowing down was never part of the plan.
That is, until doctors discovered a major blockage in one of his arteries — the kind often referred to as the “widow maker.”
“They went in, they did a cath, and I wake up, he says, ‘You’ve got 90 to 95% blockage in your LAD, which is the widow maker. If that one blocks, you’re gone,'” Zells recalled.
He had come dangerously close to suffering a massive heart attack.
Traditionally, a blockage this severe would require open-heart surgery — a procedure that involves opening the chest, an extended hospital stay, and months of recovery.
But Zells had another option. The McGinn technique.
“Instead of opening the chest, surgeons access the heart through a small incision. The minimally invasive approach often results in less pain, fewer complications, and a significantly faster recovery,” said Dr. Joseph McGinn III, whose father pioneered the procedure.
“John Zells is an excellent example of someone who received the appropriate treatment,” McGinn said. “Now he’s thriving. He’s pain-free, and I’m happy that I was able to provide that for him.”
What makes the procedure even more notable is its rarity — only about 20 surgeons worldwide are trained to perform it.
Two of them are right here in South Florida.
Dr. McGinn Jr. now works alongside his son, Dr. Joseph McGinn III, who is continuing the legacy by performing the surgery at Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Bethesda Hospital East.
“There’s only about 20 of us performing this procedure with any regularity around the world,” McGinn said. “We have physicians coming from across the globe to watch us operate. The learning curve is steep, but if you have the training and the patients, it truly benefits them.”
The technique was even mentioned on the ABC hit medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” where a character references using the McGinn technique to access the chest with less invasiveness.
Just three weeks after surgery, Zells was back on the golf course. Now, he’s preparing for a two-month cruise with his wife.
“I’m very lucky that this was found,” he said.
Zells hopes others facing bypass surgery will explore all their options.
“If somebody is diagnosed with the need for a bypass,” he said, “I really think they owe it to themselves to go look at this procedure.”
