In 1986 when my mom was 78 she was diagnosed and had a pig valve replacement for her defective mitral valve. She was told the valve would be good for about 10 years. When she was 89 she began having troubles and I brought her to live with me. She had congestive heart failure and she was too frail for another open heart surgery. I had cared for her a week after she came home feom a rehabilitation nursing facility ten years earlier. Her scar ran from under her throat to just above her belly button. I cared for until she died after 6 months in 1995.
With this new much less invasive surgery I wonder if that could have been used for either her original valve replacement,or possible repair? Secondly I wonder if she could have been treated at 89 when the pig valve began to fail?
It would seem this approach is for people who can’t handle major surgery.
I’m sorry to hear about your mom.
These techniques are not universally applicable. I’m sure there are cases where minimally invasive techniques work wonders. There are also cases where they won’t work.
It is truly amazing what they can do!