Hidden heart disease: How Vince’s coronary calcium screening helped prevent a heart attack

Vincent "Vince" Gallagher, 69, did not have any cardiac symptoms, but a coronary calcium screening revealed severe heart disease hidden beneath his healthy exterior. Vince had robotic coronary bypass surgery at Lankenau Medical Center, part of Main Line Health, to safeguard against a future heart attack. Today, he is back to enjoying an active lifestyle, his young grandchildren and the precious peace of mind that comes with a healthy heart.

Screening for heart disease before symptoms

In December 2024, Vince and his wife, Kathie, were playing a routine game of pickleball. A friend shared that a simple screening called a coronary calcium score helped diagnose his heart disease. Kathie and Vince were not experiencing any symptoms, but Kathie wanted to be proactive. She asked her primary care doctor to order the screening for her and Vince.

What is a coronary calcium score?

Over time, arteries can become clogged with fat, calcium and other substances, collectively known as coronary plaque. This build-up of sticky plaque can reduce blood flow and cause heart attack or stroke.

A coronary calcium score is a 15-minute outpatient screening that uses X-rays to measure plaque in the arteries. Following the test, patients receive a calcium score that predicts future risk for heart attack. This report can help guide discussions with their doctor.

Cardiac calcium scoring detects heart disease early

A patient's calcium score typically falls on a scale between zero and 400:

• Zero means no plaque and low risk for heart attack
• 400 and over means extensive plaque and higher risk

Vince's score was off the charts at 2,994.

"I thought it was an error," recalls Kathie. "I called our friend who had recommended the test. He said there was only one place to go for cardiac care, and that was Main Line Health."

"Kathie being proactive and setting up this test saved my life," says Vince. "My cholesterol levels were good, and I didn't have any major symptoms, but I could have had a massive heart attack."

Plaque in arteries causes heart blockages

Kathie worked quickly to schedule an appointment for Vince with Justin Lingel, MD, FACC, cardiologist at Main Line Health. Dr. Lingel ran a few tests, including an electrocardiogram (EKG) and an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart. He also looked at Vince's CT scan and found a large amount of plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to his heart.

Because of this, Dr. Lingel recommended a cardiac catheterization to take a closer look and decide on the best treatment. In the meantime, Dr. Lingel told Vince to limit his activity to walking — which meant no pickleball.

"So, you want me to bubble-wrap him and put him in a corner?" Kathie recalls joking with Dr. Lingel about the challenge it would be to restrain her typically active husband.

Noninvasive heart screening prevents silent heart attack

Two weeks later, Timothy A. Shapiro, MD, interventional cardiologist at Lankenau Medical Center, performed Vince's cardiac catheterization. During this procedure, a thin, flexible tube is inserted through a vein and guided up into the arteries to examine the heart. The procedure confirmed that Vince had three heart blockages.

"In the left anterior descending artery, I had a 90-percent blockage and a 70-percent blockage in one artery, as well as an 80-percent blockage in another artery," explains Vince.

Vince's blockages could not be opened with small mesh tubes called stents. Francis P. Sutter, DO, FACS, cardiac surgeon at Lankenau Medical Center, was readily available for a consultation. He suggested that Vince was a candidate for robotic coronary bypass surgery.

Robotic coronary bypass offers smaller incisions, faster recovery

Coronary bypass surgery uses arteries or veins from other parts of the body to go around, or "bypass," blocked heart arteries and restore healthy blood flow to the heart. Bypass types include:

• Traditional open surgery which requires a large incision through the chest bone, resulting in longer hospital stays and recovery
• Robotic coronary bypass surgery in which specially trained surgeons operate through a much smaller incision between the ribs, resulting in shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times

Specialized team for minimally invasive heart bypass

Robotic coronary bypass surgery may be rare at other hospitals, but for the specialized team at Lankenau Medical Center, it is a routine procedure.

Immediately following Vince's catheterization, they performed his pre-admission testing and scheduled his bypass for two weeks later. "We are eternally grateful to all of the staff at Lankenau Medical Center. They were absolutely phenomenal," recalls Kathie.

Dr. Sutter successfully performed Vince's robotic coronary bypass surgery in January 2025, less than two months after his coronary calcium screening sounded the alarm about his heart health.

Vince's first question after surgery was when he could get back to playing pickleball. Dr. Sutter told Vince he could return to his normal activities as soon as he felt well enough.

"There is a big difference between a 10-inch incision down the center of your chest and breaking the bone with a saw, compared to a 2.5-inch incision on the chest and breaking no bones," says Dr. Sutter.

"I've had patients go back to work and do almost every activity less than one week after robotic coronary bypass surgery. The reason is that the area where we do the operation is so small, due to the minimally invasive approach," explains Dr. Sutter.

Life after robotic heart surgery

Two weeks after his robotic heart bypass surgery, Vince did pickleball drills at the local YMCA with Kathie. One month after surgery, he returned to his regular schedule of pickleball games. By his two-month postoperative visit with Dr. Sutter, Vince felt like himself again.

"I'm back to 100 percent," says Vince. "I'm golfing, playing pickleball and baseball and enjoying spending time with my children and grandchildren."

"I've been doing robotic coronary bypass surgery for 20 years," says Dr. Sutter. "I've always been a big believer in doing less to patients. I'm still amazed to see how well patients are the next day."

Next steps

Find a Main Line Health cardiologist

Schedule a coronary calcium score appointment

Learn more about your options for coronary artery disease treatment

Related posts

Coach defies odds to survive cardiac arrest from myocarditis

Early detection: how to know if you have heart disease

Manage lipids to protect your heart and overall health