After Irregular Heartbeat, Mechanic Diagnosed With Rare Heart Defect Usually Found Before Birth or in Infancy
An Unexpected Heart Finding
Perez felt well after finishing work at his car repair shop in June 2025. But after sitting down with water, he developed an irregular heartbeat and went to the emergency room.
His rhythm settled after about 90 minutes, but tests did not explain what had happened. An advanced scan revealed cor triatriatum, a congenital condition in which a membrane divides one of the heart’s upper chambers.
The membrane leaves the heart with five chambers rather than the usual four. Without treatment, the condition can cause pulmonary hypertension and, eventually, irregular rhythms that may be life-threatening.
A Rare Diagnosis Later In Life
Cor triatriatum is almost always diagnosed before birth or during infancy and treated early. Franklin said that when it is not caught then, it is usually found in people in their 30s or 40s.
Perez’s diagnosis at an older age was exceptionally unusual. Dr. Tom Nguyen, chief medical executive of the Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, said Perez was fortunate to have lived so long before warning signs appeared.
Doctors first tried medication. In September, Perez had another episode and returned to the emergency room, where his heart was shocked back into a normal rhythm. The recurrence made surgery necessary.
Robotic Surgery Removes Membrane
Nguyen and Hashimoto sought advice from Dr. David Kalfa, chief of cardiovascular surgery and co-director at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Heart Institute. Kalfa had treated the condition in children and advised on removing the membrane.
Perez had surgery on Jan. 7, 2026. With Kalfa’s guidance, Nguyen and Hashimoto removed the membrane robotically; Nguyen said the technology can magnify the operating area up to 10 times.
Perez had a few small incisions and left the hospital in less than a week. He has returned to an active lifestyle. Kalfa said the cor triatriatum can be considered cured, though Perez will need lifelong monitoring for signs of atrial fibrillation, which can be managed with monitoring and medication.
Key points
- Perez’s irregular heartbeat led doctors to discover cor triatriatum, a rare congenital heart defect.
- The condition is usually diagnosed before birth or in infancy, but Perez was diagnosed much later in life.
- Doctors removed the membrane robotically on Jan. 7, 2026.
- Perez is back to an active lifestyle and will be monitored for atrial fibrillation.