Monday, April 6, 2009

Keyhole for old artificial valves (UK)

Keyhole for old artificial valves (UK)" Doctors in the UK say they have for the first time used keyhole surgery to replace an old prosthetic heart valve. The technique has already provided new valves for those too ill for open heart surgery, but this is the first time a replacement has itself been replaced. The procedure means elderly patients effectively have a second roll of the dice if their replacement valve fails. It was assumed that most would die before needing a new one, but increased life-expectancy has altered that view. Doctors at King's College Hospital in London carried out the surgery on a 78-year-old man whose first artificial valve was inserted during open heart surgery in 2002. This began to fail last year, causing breathlessness and fainting" - BBC

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