Media Release

15 February 2008

First ‘Key Hole’ Heart Valve Operation perfomed in Belfast

Cardiologists at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, have performed Ireland’s first ever keyhole aortic heart valve replacement operation.

This new procedure now opens up the possibility of much less invasive cardiac surgery for elderly and other high risk groups of patients.

The two patients, both in their 80’s, had aortic heart valve replacement operations at the Royal Victoria Hospital last week and are now recovering at home.

Consultant Cardiologist Dr Ganesh Manoharan who performed the procedure with Dr Mark Spence, said

"In the past, the only option available for high risk elderly patients was open heart surgery which would have required a prolonged hospital stay after their operation to recover.  This technique allows heart valves to be implanted using a catheter. Patients don't need to have open heart surgery and generally do not require general anaesthesia.  It is also much quicker and in most cases patients will be back home within a few days of having the operation”.

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"This ground breaking technique is a big leap forward in managing high risk elderly patients who previously have not been offered open heart surgery or were felt to be very high risk for surgery.  Many of these patients will be able to have their heart valves replaced percutaneously (through the skin) rather than having to undergo open-heart surgery,." said Dr Manoharan

The cardiac team at the Royal Victoria Hospital has been selected as only one of only five centres in the UK to participate in the research project. Funding for the first year has been provided by Ulster Garden Villages a local charitable organisation. This organisation previously funded a number of projects in the Belfast Trust, including major alterations to the Haematology Ward and Ultrasound Department at Belfast City Hospital as well as the only PET CT (Positron Emission Tomography and Computerized Tomography) scanner used in the management of cancer patients in Northern Ireland, at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Although the ‘key hole’ method may not be suitable for all patients, the procedure is carried out whilst the heart is still beating and the new valve is inserted through the artery in the groin and advanced up, through the aorta (largest artery of the body carrying oxygen rich blood from the heart) and positioned in the heart. Once in position, the new valve starts to work instantly and the patient feels the benefit of the procedure right away.