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Originally published June 23, 2026
Last updated June 23, 2026
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Jim鈥檚 life was thrown into a tailspin.
A CT scan showed a rare condition 鈥� a large mass in his chest was invading the superior vena cava, the second largest vein in the body, which carries blood from the upper body to the heart. Without treatment, blood would pool in his head and neck, potentially leading to a life-threatening condition such as swelling of the brain or a blood clot in the lung.
Jim was referred to Dr. Anthony Kim, a thoracic surgeon and chief of thoracic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He was informed that the mass would require surgical removal. Given the tumor鈥檚 proximity to the heart, the procedure would also involve the expertise of cardiac surgeon Dr. Craig Baker.
Together, Drs. Kim and Baker would perform a highly complex surgery only available at a top academic medical center like ours to remove both the tumor and the damaged superior vena cava and create a new vein out of human tissue, thus restoring normal blood flow. Jim would require open-heart surgery and be placed on a cardiopulmonary bypass machine that would circulate the blood in his body for his heart and lungs while the surgeons built him the new superior vena cava.
Before surgery, doctors ordered several diagnostic tests to precisely locate the tumor, a biopsy to determine whether the growth was cancerous, pulmonary function testing to assess lung capacity, and several cardiac evaluations to confirm that the patient’s heart could safely withstand the procedure.
Following a successful operation, Jim spent five nights in the hospital, including two nights in the fifth-floor ICU and three nights in the thoracic unit.
Along the way, he encountered dozens of care providers 鈥� not only his doctors, but nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, patient care technicians and respiratory and physical therapists, to name just a few. While each played a unique role in his care, they all shared a common goal: making him feel seen, supported and valued.
鈥淓veryone I met was so kind and attentive to my needs,鈥� said Jim. 鈥淭here are many people I will never forget, even if I knew them for only an hour or two.鈥�
When a medical crisis hits, patients are thrown into a tailspin. How grave is their condition, how will it be treated, what is their prognosis? How will they get the care they need?
This is where we shine, or pulling from my time in the Navy, when we mobilize our troops. Like a well-drilled unit, when a patient faces a health crisis, we set up the required tests, procedures and surgeries.
Patients can rest assured that they are cared for by an army of care providers intent on getting them the best care and outcome.
Each of our providers is an important touchstone in the patient鈥檚 journey. The sympathetic scheduler who listens intently to a patient鈥檚 worries and fears. The pre-operative nurse who gives a patient a dose of reassurance before they are wheeled into the operating room. The physical therapist who encourages a patient through his first post-operative steps. The respiratory therapist who cracks a silly joke to relieve a patient鈥檚 anxiety about a breathing treatment.
Our care providers perform their jobs with exceptional skill all while tending to the emotional, as well as the physical, needs of our patients. Yes, Keck Medicine employs exceptional talent, but we also have exceptional human beings. This is why patients keep coming back for their care and recommend us to loved ones.
As for Jim, his medical journey is not yet finished. His tumor was found to be cancerous, so he now faces a new battle. But we will be there for him every step of the way.
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