James Molloy, 52, needed emergency life-saving surgery at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.Gary Stewart Weekend editor and SWNSFayeMayern (Faye Mayern)
07:30, 31 Jan 2026Updated 07:41, 31 Jan 2026
James Molloy with children Jasmine and Edward(Image: SWNS)
A dad-of-two has endured life-saving cardiac surgery following a suspected complication arising from dental treatment. James Molloy, 52, experienced a Type A aortic dissection – a rupture in an artery close to the heart – in June 2025, with his relatives being informed he was fortunate to survive.
Mr Molloy, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, embarked on an extensive recovery journey and while still recovering underwent a perfectly normal dental procedure to replace a filling in November of last year.
However, this January, he fell critically ill and was transported urgently to a specialist cardiac facility. His relatives suspect that a prevalent skin bacterium – staphylococcus aureus – infiltrated his bloodstream and targeted his replacement heart valve.
Mr Molloy endured an exhausting 18-hour operation with five medics fighting to save his heart. Mr Molloy has remarkably survived, though the lasting damage he has suffered is currently unclear.
James Malloy and partner Hannah Sampson(Image: SWNS)
Mr Molloy’s brother, William, said: “James was told how to make his life better after an aortic dissection which was exercise, lower your blood pressure and don’t be stressed.
“No one had said to us that dental work is the easiest way to get an infection in your heart. In the November, he’d had sore gums and teeth so he had a replacement filling.
“We found out later that cardiology suggest certain heart patients should have preventative antibiotics after treatment while dentists say there’s not enough evidence to support the risk.”
Mr Molloy was at home in June 2025 when he started feeling severely ill and decided to head to A&E.
The dad to Jasmine, 17, and Edward, 15, had been battling high blood pressure, with his relatives saying he’d been under considerable stress at the time.
Mr Molloy, who’s employed in recruitment, was rushed to the Bristol Heart Institute where medics diagnosed him with a Type A aortic dissection – a condition carrying an 80 per cent fatality rate.
James Molloy in hospital
He endured eight hours of open heart surgery, followed by seven months of adjusting to new medications whilst attempting to manage his blood pressure.
Mr Molloy’s relatives suspect a replacement filling in November triggered Staphylococcus aureus – commonly referred to as a Staph infection.
The germs responsible for staph infections typically reside harmlessly on people’s skin but have the potential to cause infections.
On January 11, Mr Molloy developed a soaring temperature, irregular heartbeat and was drenched in perspiration whilst visiting his mother in Knutsford, near Manchester.
An ambulance transported him to Macclesfield Hospital where medical staff determined he required emergency life-saving surgery at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.
Mr Molloy’s brother William said: “He was told there was a high chance he wasn’t going to survive the procedure – but if he didn’t have it done then he would die.
James Molloy with his dogs(Image: SWNS)
“They moved the surgery up because his heart was in such a state. James had five surgeons working on him.
“They said they’d never done so much to a person in one go.
“The surgery started at 8am and at 2am, the surgeon came out and said: ‘If James manages to live for the next hour then he would have something to smile about’.
“There was nothing more they could do – it was all up to him.”
Throughout the procedure on January 11, Mr Molloy received three replacement heart valves, cardiac patches, a transplanted aortic stem, numerous aortic repairs and a pacemaker fitted.
He remains in an artificially induced coma whilst his body fights through the healing process.
Earlier this week, medics attempted to withdraw his ventilator but his left lung gave way, prompting them to reinstate respiratory support.
Mr Molloy is also receiving kidney dialysis following the procedure, which doctors are now attempting to ‘restart’.
His relatives have launched a GoFundMe appeal to meet the costs of Mr Molloy’s mortgage payments and assist with his financial obligations during his recuperation.
James Molloy with children Jasmine and Edward(Image: SWNS)
His brother William said: “The mortgage company say there isn’t much more they can do as he already had the three month mortgage holiday in June after his first operation.
“He’s self-employed so he’s not entitled to any government help and it’s very, very unlikely he’ll be back to work this year.
“Once he regains consciousness, we would love to be able to tell him: ‘Don’t worry, everything has been sorted with the help of your family, friends and strangers’.”
Mr Molloy’s partner-of-five-years, Hannah Sampson, added: “If we’d known this could have happened, we would have pushed for antibiotics.
“When we had the conversation about how his life should be after the first operation, it was always about being on warfarin and not cutting yourself in case you bleed to death.
“We never thought we’d be in this situation and the impact on all of us has been massive.
“He’s got two children, Jasmine and Edward, to think about.
“It’s really important to try and get him into a place where he doesn’t have to worry and stress about money.”
The link to Mr Molloy’s GoFundMe can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/james-molloy-recovery.