Beating the Odds: A Pastor’s Journey Through Advanced, Lifesaving Heart Care

When Pastor Vic Comstock, 63, arrived at a hospital near his home in Moberly, Missouri, he thought he was battling pneumonia. Vic faced a series of life-threatening complications, including sepsis, respiratory failure, and dehydration. His lungs would clear, only to fill again. He was placed on a ventilator, received two emergency shocks to stabilize his heart rhythm, and at one point, his condition was described as “touch and go.”

After two weeks in intensive care, tests revealed a more serious condition: an acute rupture of the mitral valve chordae, a tear in the tiny cords that hold one of his heart valves in place, leaving his heart unable to pump blood effectively. The mitral valve is like a door inside your heart. It sits between the heart’s two left chambers—the left atrium (where blood comes in from the lungs) and the left ventricle (which pumps blood out to the body). The valve opens and closes with each heartbeat, making sure blood flows in only one direction, forward not backward.

Doctors recommended that Vic be transferred to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a major Midwest referral center, for advanced heart care. WashU Medicine physicians and Barnes-Jewish Hospital are national leaders on the forefront of heart and vascular care, specializing in a range of medical and surgical treatments for even the most complex conditions like Vic's.

Upon arrival, he was evaluated by WashU Medicine cardiothoracic surgeon Tsuyoshi Kaneko, MD.

“Vic was extremely sick when I first met him,” Dr. Kaneko recalled. “He was on a breathing tube, supported by a temporary heart pump to help his heart’s left ventricle circulate blood, and was in the cardiac ICU in critical condition.”

A life-saving surgery

For cases like Vic's, surgical repair is the gold standard. However, in high-risk cases, a minimally invasive mitral clip procedure can help repair the valve, in which a small clip is placed through a thin tube in the vein to help the valve close more tightly and the heart pump more efficiently.

"As soon as I saw the echocardiogram Vic had in the cardiac catheterization lab, I knew the clip wasn't going to be effective," Dr. Kaneko says. An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart that shows how the valves and chambers are working. ‘”Half of Vic’s mitral valve had completely prolapsed,” he adds.

Mitral valve prolapse occurs when the valve's leaflets bulge backward into the left atrium during heart contractions, which can cause severe blood leakage. When this leakage is significant, the heart must work harder to pump blood, which can lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, irregular heartbeats, or swelling in the legs and ankles. In Vic’s case, it meant immediate open-heart surgery.

Vic showed signs of weak heart function, pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), and early kidney dysfunction. “The biggest question was whether his body could tolerate surgery,” Dr. Kaneko explained. “But I knew the best option was to repair the valve rather than replace it. Preserving a patient’s own valve leads to better outcomes when it’s possible.”

In the operating room, Dr. Kaneko and his team performed a complex mitral valve repair and Cox-Maze procedure, developed by WashU Medicine cardiothoracic surgeons, creating a precise pattern of scar tissue to block abnormal heart rhythms while allowing normal signals to pass through. They were also able to remove the mechanical pump that had been supporting Vic’s heart. Despite the elevated risks, the surgery was a success, and it saved Vic’s life.

Faith, hope, and compassionate care

Throughout his hospitalizations, Vic’s faith never wavered. “God laid His hand on my heart and told me this sickness would not end in death,” Vic recalled. As a devoted pastor, he drew strength from his belief and from the prayers of his church community.

“My family was told more than once that I shouldn’t be here,” Vic says. “The care I received at Barnes-Jewish was outstanding. From the doctors to the ICU nurses, everyone went above and beyond. They were truly remarkable,” Vic says. “They cared for me like I was family.”

Vic describes the experience as life-changing, not just medically, but personally. Unable to speak for part of his stay, he remembers feeling the comfort of a hand on his arm and hearing voices of encouragement, and many prayers being said. “That human connection made all the difference,” he says. “It gave me strength when I needed it most.”

The results were remarkable. “It was a dramatic turnaround,” Dr. Kaneko says. “When I saw him shortly before he was going to be discharged, I smiled. He looked so good compared to how sick he had been. That’s the kind of recovery that stays with you as a surgeon.”

Grateful for the gift of more time

After 30 days in two different hospitals, first near his hometown and then at Barnes-Jewish, Vic returned home to celebrate his birthday and wedding anniversary with his family. Today, he is thriving in cardiac rehabilitation and grateful for every moment.

“It’s good to be alive,” Vic says with a smile. “Thanks to the incredible team at WashU Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, I have more time to spend with my family, my friends, my church, and the people I care about. I’m just so thankful.”

“This is why we do this,” Dr. Kaneko shares. “You go through long days and nights of training, but when you see a patient like Vic recover, it makes it all worth it.”

Today, Vic continues to do well and follows up regularly with his care team to ensure his heart remains strong. His story is a powerful reminder of the difference advanced heart care can make—not only for patients, but for the lives they touch every day.

To learn more about the cardiac surgery program at the WashU Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center or to make an appointment, call 314-362-7260.