Octogenarians can be good candidates for heart surgeryOctober 29, 2008Patients 80 years and older who are in overall good health are perfectly able to withstand open-heart surgery, according to the latest study of Dr. Kevin Lachapelle of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). His findings were presented this morning in Toronto during the 2008 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress. "Age should not be a reason for doctors to rule out the possibility of heart surgery for their octogenarian patients," explained Dr. Lachapelle. "If patients with heart problems are otherwise in good health, this surgery can significantly improve their quality of life." This study conclusion is based on the follow-up of 185 patients who underwent open-heart surgery at the MUHC for a cardiac valve replacement. Five years after the operation, 60% of these patients were still alive and 90% of the survivors were leading active and independent lives. "This outcome is extremely positive," said Dr. Lachapelle. "It proves that age alone should not be a factor in ruling out this type of surgery: feasibility must be assessed by a surgeon based on the patient's overall state of health." Quality of life is a major concern for octogenarians, a growing segment of the Quebec population. It is therefore important to evaluate all possible treatments according to each patient's specific needs and limitations in order to provide everyone with the best possible care. "Pediatricians account for children's specific needs, as they differ from those of adults. The elderly also have specific issues that must be objectively assessed and not considered based on pre-conceived notions," explained Dr. Lachapelle. McGill University Health Centre |
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| Related Heart Surgery Current Events and Heart Surgery News Articles Surgeon 'gluing' the breastbone together after open-heart surgery An innovative method is being used to repair the breastbone after it is intentionally broken to provide access to the heart during open-heart surgery. The technique uses a state-of-the-art adhesive that rapidly bonds to bone and accelerates the recovery process. Study details safe, effective, minimally invasive mitral valve repair Surgical treatment for mitral valve disease includes either repairing the patient's diseased valve or replacing it with a metal, mechanical valve or an animal tissue valve. Mount Sinai first in nation to ablate atrial fibrillation using new visually-guided balloon catheter Physicians at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York became the first in the U.S. to ablate atrial fibrillation using a visually-guided laser balloon catheter. Radiological treatment method spares patients surgery and offers 89 percent cost savings Pericardial effusion, the collection of fluid around the heart, typically occurs in patients following heart surgery and is usually treated using an invasive surgical drainage technique. Blood transfusion study: Less is more A new study suggests that blood transfusions for hospitalized cardiac patients should be a last resort because they double the risk of infection and increase by four times the risk of death. 'Beating' heart machine expedites research and development of new surgical tools, techniques A new machine developed at North Carolina State University makes an animal heart pump much like a live heart after it has been removed from the animal's body, allowing researchers to expedite the development of new tools and techniques for heart surgery. Gene test determines risk of heart surgery complications Genetic differences can explain why some patients undergoing heart surgery later experience shock and kidney complications. Valve implantation on the beating heart Transcatheter valve implantation is a newly developed technique for the curative treatment of high-grade aortic stenosis. It is likely to be of benefit especially to elderly, multimorbid patients for whom the risk of open heart surgery would be too great. Depression increases risk for heart disease more than genetics or environment A history of major depression increases the risk of heart disease over and above any genetic risks common to depression and heart disease, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the VA. The findings are reported this week at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society this week in Chicago. Diseased Heart Valve Replaced Through Small Chest Incision When 91-year-old Irvin Lafferty was diagnosed with severe blockage of his heart valve-hardening that is formally known as aortic valve stenosis-open-heart surgery was out of the question. More Heart Surgery Current Events and Heart Surgery News Articles |
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