Harefield's new heart op 'a success'

7:45am Wednesday 2nd May 2007

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PIONEERING surgeons at Harefield Hospital have given a patient the chance of a new life thanks to groundbreaking treatment.

Brian Everard, of Stanmore, is the first patient in the UK to undergo the procedure for a double heart valve replacement and is recovering well.

Mr Everard was spared the pain and trauma of open heart surgery - to replace his heart valves - and was instead operated on through a small incision in his chest.

Lead surgeon Mr Mohammed Amrani said: "His main symptom was breathlessness which was becoming increasingly severe.

"It was therefore judged that surgery was the only option to relieve his symptoms and prevent irreversible damage to his heart and lungs."

Normally surgeons have to cut through breast bone to gain access to the patient's heart, which can take up to two months to heal.

Mr Armani added: "I now have ten patients lined up for the procedure."

Harefield Hospital has long been at the forefront of heart and lung treatments and earlier this month it was announced that scientists had managed to grow heart valves from stem cells, a world first.