Replace heart valves without opening the chest

Prof. Dr. med. Roberto Corti and Prof. Dr. med. Georg Noll

Prof. Dr. med. Georg Noll

Prof. Dr. med. Georg Noll

Heart valve diseases are often discovered only by chance and are dangerous, even fatal, if left untreated.

When the physical performance decreases, one should be alert and not think that this is part of the normal aging process.

Heart valves are like sluices in the heart that open and let the blood through. However, in the course of life the heart valves wear out. This can lead to calcium deposits. This narrowing prevents the blood from flowing through properly.

If medication does not help sufficiently, the heart valves must be replaced. Sometimes, however, older patients are plagued by several diseases, are weakened and cannot be operated on. Exactly for these patients there is a gentle method to replace the heart valves without opening the chest. "Health Today" takes a closer look and wants to know whether this newer technology delivers what it promises.

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