A team of specialists from the Northwest Heart Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital have successfully undertaken the first percutaneous aortic valve replacements (PAVR) in the North of England. During the procedure, an artificial valve is transported to the heart through a small hole made in the groin.
Head of cardiology, Simon Ray, commented: “For the majority of patients, conventional aortic valve surgery will remain the best option, particularly as the cardiac surgeons have excellent results for aortic valve replacement. However this ground-breaking procedure enables us to treat patients for whom the conventional aortic valve replacement is not an option.”
Most patients can expect to be discharged after about a week. The team are aiming to perform around 15 procedures over the next few months before developing a larger regional programme.
