Heart Patient "Comfortable" After New Procedure
The 79-year-old Tauranga woman who underwent a transcatheter aortic
valve implementation at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton today is
comfortable in the cardiac care ward after her two-hour operation.
Ramona Johnson paid tribute to the doctors who performed the two-hour
procedure and to the nursing staff.
She was one of two patients who underwent the procedure today.
The operations are only possible thanks to the generosity of the
Waikato Heart Trust and a private benefactor who gifted more than
$300,000 to cover the cost of the valves for the procedures.
Waikato Hospital's Dr Sanjeevan Pasupati is one of a few
cardiologists in the world with experience in this procedure.
Dr Pasupati and his Hamilton colleague Dr Gerry Devlin performed the
procedures under the supervision of Dr Jean-Claude Laborde, one of the
inventors of the CoreValve used.
Waikato District Health Board is to prepare a business case for the
Ministry of Health after the completion of 12 procedures.
A media conference is scheduled for 6pm at Waikato Hospital where
doctors involved will discuss how the day went.
If you are unable to attend you can ring in on 083033 and then 170162.
Attached is an interview with Fraser Wilson of Gisborne who will be one
of two more patients likely to have the procedure tomorrow.
This link shows a number of still photos from today's procedure. Video
coverage is also available on request.
http://www.waikatodhb.govt.nz/photogallery.aspx?category=1132
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