Heart valves

Heart valves are pretty important to myself and the Puffin and I was very encouraged to read this story about new progressive procedures, which can mean avoiding open heart procedures.

Four patients have undergone new valve implant surgery that has helped them avoid invasive open-heart surgery, say surgeons at a Montreal hospital that is among five in the world certified to perform the procedure.

Cardiologists at the McGill University Health Centre performed the procedure on two adults and two teens.

The treatment, called percutaneous valve therapy, is used to treat narrowing or leaking pulmonary valves. It involves replacing a valve between the heart and lungs with one created from a cow’s jugular vein.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/02/22/heart-valve-implant.html