1,000th heart surgery performed at Conway Regional, Arkansas

"Martha Matthews of Conway became the 1,000th patient to have open heart surgery at Conway Regional Medical Center last week. Matthews was resting in her room at the hospital on Thursday with her daughter, Zanette Bell of Conway, nearby. Matthews said she had an angioplasty nine years ago and has seen a cardiologist regularly since then. Recently, she and her daughter noticed she was experiencing shortness of breath. Matthews' family doctor referred her to cardiologist Dr. Parker Norris. She had multiple blocked arteries, a narrowing of the aortic valve and atrial fibrillation, she said. On February 24, Dr. E.J. Chauvin performed three bypasses, an aortic valve replacement and an atrial fibrillation procedure on Matthews, who is 81, according to a news release from the hospital. On Tuesday, Chauvin put in a pacemaker" - The Log Cabin Democrat