Dr. Murray Hyungjean Kwon, MD

Discovered I had an aortic root aneurysm. My cardiologist recommended Dr Kwon as the one he would trust with this complex repair if it were himself, and after having my consultation with Dr Kwon I was confident as well. Communication was excellent leading up to the very stressful event as Rafi his assistant helped with planning all the pre-surgery workups and Dr Kwon would personally respond very promptly to any questions we had as the date approached. Surgery went as expected at Ronald Reagan. The ICU team there is amazing, I can't credit the team on the cardiac floor enough especially the first few days which are very tough. Very high volume center so they know what they are doing and Dr Kwon would visit in the ICU to check on my recovery. After discharge, there is an excellent after hours nursing team to answer any medical questions or concerns. Very grateful for Dr Kwon and his team at UCLA and feeling great at 7 weeks

I have the highest esteem for Dr. Murray Kwon, MD, Cardiac Surgeon at UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital. Dr. Kwon performed an Aortic Valve replacement on me on 07 October 2025. Dr. Kwon spent ample time with me on two occasions prior to my surgery answering any and all questions I had in a non-hurry and compassionate manner. After his highly successful surgery, he briefed my wife on the surgery. He visited me for the next 4 days while I was hospitalized. I recommend Dr. Kwon highly. The entire staff at UCLA Health and Ronald Reagan Hospital are superb and have a patient first focus. Rafi Boghossian, the Administrative Coordinator is professional and patient. Thomas Dayton, RN and all the Nursing Staff were superb. UCLA uses many nurses who are Nurse Practitioners and have master's degrees in nursing and are highly professional and compassionate. Cordially, Thomas Nykiel

On Nov.13th, 2024 after a severe jolt in my chest and a 911 visit to the ER, I was diagnosed with an Aortic Dissection which required emergency prep for open heart surgery. I thank God that I was where I was when this happened, and that Dr. Murray Kwon was on call at Ronald Reagan UCLA. Dr. Kwon spoke to my wife before my surgery. She said that his approach, calming demeaner, straightforward explanation of the situation and upcoming surgery was excellent and reassuring in a time of uncertainty and fear. After a 12-hour surgery to find and repair the dissection, I spent a week in the ICU and another week in a room. Dr. Kwon made it a point to visit regularly and answer all questions that I had about the surgery and future recovery. After returning home, Dr. Kwon, Rafi Boghossian and his office were accessible and there for questions and follow up. While it’s difficult to put into words the experience, the pain, the fear, the unknown, I can say that my experience with Dr. Kwon, his team,… UCLA Health and Ronald Reagan UCLA was and continues to be exceptional. Each follow up appointment and time with Dr. Kwon is attentive, knowledgeable, straight-forward, yet compassionate. If anyone that I know or love needs to be in the care of a cardiac surgeon, my recommendation is 100% Dr. Kwon and his team.

In less than a few short months I was tested and referred to a local cardiologist by my PCP. He found after doing a stress test and angiogram I was in need of a more serious and urgent care. As I had no symptoms and was now learning about heart surgery that was in my near future. He referred me to Dr. Kwon at UCLA for consultation appointment. I got a call from Rafi to talk to Dr. Kwon and explain my situation to me. A few days later Rafi called to see if I could return to UCLA for some tests. Rafi went out of his way to get me scheduled in different places, but got it accomplished, knowing that I lived several hours away from UCLA. From my first call from Rafi to my first meeting with Dr. Kwon, I was very much at ease with this office. Surgery was performed the day after Christmas 2024. Dr. Kwon and his surgical team took care of me and gave me a new lease on life, I also have to commend the nursing staff at Ronald Reagan Medical Center, ICU and private room prior to… discharge. I really want to say THANK YOU, to Dr. Kwon and his surgical team and office staff especially Rafi and Julia. I would definitely recommend Dr. Kwon for any cardiac care

Right after finding the news regarding my cardiovascular condition, I hesitated to decide on doctors’ recommended approach to address it. I had never been hospitalized before and the perspective of going through heart surgery seemed daunting to me. It was Dr. Murray Kwon that took the time and explained to me the issue in detail, walking me patiently through the entire process step by step. Eventually, I became confident that the recommended procedure would take me to a good place. The surgery went very well thanks to Dr. Kwon’s and his team exquisite professionalism and kind attention. My family and I will be forever grateful to Dr. Kwon and the UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital personnel that took care of me throughout the surgery and then while recuperating within ICU facilities. My deepest thanks go to the administrative personnel, too, especially to the surgery coordinator Rafi Boghossian. I really appreciate Rafi’s swift response on organizing the surgery, obtaining insurance company… approval, setting up and optimizing my appointments before operation and finally working on paperwork required for my short-term disability compensation.

Four months ago I was a relatively healthy 76-year-old man who had never been hospitalized. Then, what I thought would be a routine echo cardiogram revealed that what had been mild aortic stenosis had advanced to critical. In short order, a follow-up CT and angiogram showed that my only therapeutic choice was open-heart surgery with a double bypass and aortic valve replacement. That surgery was performed two months ago by Dr. Murray Kwon at UCLA. I am told that I was in the operating room for ~12 hours. Dr. Kwon was wonderful, both pre- and post-op, explaining what needed to be done and why, answering all our questions. My wife was kept informed during the procedure and Dr. Kwon checked in with both of us in the period thereafter. However, my principal purpose in writing this review is to describe what it is like to undergo open-heart surgery from a first-hand perspective. Prior to the operation I was essentially asymptomatic, and because this was my first operation I have no… basis of comparison for my recovery. But I can offer this: Recovery is A BIG DEAL. The first four days post-op were spent in the ICU. I don’t remember much, but I am told I was only given acetaminophen for pain. I don’t remember being in pain. I was encouraged to eat and to walk, neither of which was easy. On the fourth day I was transferred to a regular room. It made life much easier, with nurses who were concerned with my comfort. I felt a little less like being a piece of meat on the table. My wife is extremely capable and competent, so at the end of the week I was discharged home, with scheduled visits by a nurse, physical therapist, and occupational therapist. This entire period, from the operation until now, has been extremely taxing on my wife, and I will be forever grateful for her efforts. Because of her I did not have to go to rehab or have a caregiver at home. But I believe it is important to understand how taxing recovery can be on a spouse, and this should be carefully considered in your planning. Looking back, having a caregiver for a portion of the day might have been advisable. My discharge directions included significant and numerous restrictions. I would not advise trying to live alone during this period. Although I remained within the BMI normal range, my weight dropped by 16 pounds. I had very little appetite and slept most of the day. Fortunately, I was able to use a toilet for bowel movements. But I had essentially no pain. For several weeks I used a large-wheeled walker with a seat when leaving our small condo. Very helpful. It was also a period wherein my sense of self was altered. I cannot explain it better, but it is very real. Gradually, that feeling passed. Perhaps the biggest difference between recovering from open heart surgery and recovering from an infection or accident is the slow pace. My wife assures me that each day I am doing better, but to me the pace seems glacial. The general advice is that it takes three months to heal, but six months to fully recover. I am now two months post-op. I am pretty much able to care for myself, although to some degree it is still a process. Even now, some days are better than others. Most of my restrictions have been lifted. I am now allowed to sit in the front seat of a car or even drive when I feel able. But I remain impatient. Life beckons.

Our experience with Dr. Kwon, Rafi and his entire team was and continues to be amazing. Every step along the way, we were thoroughly informed as to what was needed, what would come next, how things were progressing during the procedure, outlook after the procedure and the follow-ups. Dr. Kwon is the definition of excellence. We feel so grateful to have had his expertise to address what was a very complex situation for me. In addition to this, everyone at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, from top to bottom, was thoroughly well-trained and they were kind and helpful - no matter who it was, from the cafeteria staff to security to the nursing staff and everyone in-between. Thank you to each and every one of you for your excellence on our behalf. Evan Hiney

Our whole family was at ease from the moment we met Dr Kwon. He took a lot of time to explain my husbands condition, and what he was going to do to fix the problem. He answered all of our questions and helped us to understand the procedure, the risks and the expected results of a quintuple bypass surgery. He was available, in person and via telephone throughout the whole process. And about Rafi, who was there for me in my darkest hours after we came home from the hospital , and I was scared, calmed me and always had a qualified nurse call me with answers, right away. In general, we gave Dr Kwon and his team a 5 star rating because we feel, they were the best.

Dr. Murray Kwon and his team provided exceptional care during my recent cardiac surgery. They were unhurried and explained clearly all procedures.

Dr. Kwon is a skilled cardiac surgeon. His patience and calm demeanor will put any patient at ease. Dr. Kwon sets the example for his team to be compassionate and considerate to all their patients. The entire office staff. Especially Rafi and Julia are all confident and thoughtful. I highly recommend Dr. Kwon for any cardiac care needs.