Tens of Thousands of Heart Patients May Not Need Open-Heart Surgery:
The operation is a daring one: To replace a failing heart valve, cardiologists insert a replacement through a patient’s groin and thread it all the way to the heart, maneuvering it into the site of the old valve.
The procedure, called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), has been reserved mostly for patients so old and sick they might not survive open-heart surgery. Now, two large clinical trials show that TAVR is just as useful in younger, healthier patients.
It might even be better, offering lower risks of disabling strokes and death, compared to open-heart surgery. Cardiologists say it will likely change the standard of care for most patients with failing aortic valves.
[...]In open-heart surgery, a patient’s ribs are cracked apart and the heart is stopped to insert the new aortic valve.
With TAVR, the only incision is a small hole in the groin where the catheter is inserted. Most patients are sedated, but awake through the procedure, and recovery takes just days, not months, as is often the case following the usual surgery.
The results “shift our thinking from asking who should get TAVR to why should anyone get surgery,” said Dr. Howard Herrmann, director of interventional cardiology at the University of Pennsylvania.
When every sneeze following open-heart surgery feels like the rib cage is going to break open... I'd certainly opt for TAVR!
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Sunday March 17 2019, @10:33PM
I thought, finally they have the story about, you have Heart Disease. But, you don't get the surgery. Because there's a much better way. It's not what I thought it would be. And it's better, I guess. Because, no broken ribs. But, it's still the surgery.
I wish the Doctors and the people that know so much about medical would look into, I've been hearing about the Hot Peppers. These people that are haveing a lot of heart problems. Until they eat Hot Peppers. Also known as, Capsicin.
Hot day, you don't have a driver. And your Car broke down. So there you are, pushing your own Car. Or, hot day. And you have this beautiful lawn. But there are no Mexicans in town, you couldn't find a Mexican to do the mowing. So there you are with your little mower. You push it, the blades turn. And you're panting from the heat. Pant, thwap, pant, thwap, pant. Or, hot day. You're in bed with your wife -- or the lady of the moment -- you're having tremendous fun. Until the pain comes. Incredible pain in your chest. But, you don't call the hospital. You don't call the Doctor. You go to the kitchen. Eat, very quickly, the absolute hottest pepper you can find. And the pain goes away. Your mouth is burning, throat burning, stomach burning. Eyes burning badly if you touched them. No heart pain, no pain anywhere -- except for the horrible burning. You feel like Joan of Ark but it's totally worth it. In fact it's like a miracle. You're O.K. again -- with NO SURGERY. I'm hearing this from so many people. But the medical guys won't look into it, why? You know why. You know. Because, where's the money? The Farmer makes a little money -- I never forget our precious Farmers. The Grocery Store makes a little money. And the guys in between do O.K. They're making a living. But, it's not Hospital money. It's not Doctor money. I see these guys, they buy the best, most expensive condos. They show up in the most magnificent car. Nicely dressed. Gorgeous wife, hopefully that's his wife -- everything. They're not as rich as me. But they're doing very well. They don't want the gravy train to end. And, who can blame them? I don't blame them. And possibly someday a Doctor will figure out how to make money off of Capsicin. And will look into it properly. Or Martin, when we let him out of prison. If we ever let him out. Maybe we never will. Sorry!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 18 2019, @12:33AM
> When every sneeze...
About 35 years ago I managed to break a couple of ribs. Everything was in place, nothing special required except to go easy on them while they knit. Then I had one sneeze and it felt like a knife going into my chest. After that I was very careful to squelch the start of anything that might have turned into another sneeze!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 18 2019, @12:38AM
It doesn't seem possible that humans came up with this. It is more likely due to a super-AI or some "found" alien tech.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Tuesday March 19 2019, @12:06AM
It has been considered for my wife. Trouble is, the small plastic valve they'd put in costs something like 60,000 dollars.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 19 2019, @04:46PM
I have had open-heart surgery, though not for a valve replacement.
The reality is that your rib cage has been broken open. More prescisely the sternum, in a sternotomy. Sneezing vibrates the break line and stresses the wiring holding the sternum back together as it heals. Just a small cough is enough to drive your pain level through the roof. You do anything to try and avoid sneezing. You hold a pillow as tightly to chest as possible and you know the pain you'll experience after the first time. To avoid that is considerably amazing.
The more amazing part about this is that the heart keeps on beating throughout the procedure. That's beyond amazing into incredible territory.