What’s different about the newer valve procedure work?
The valve is placed on a stent. This is a super-thin, collapsible cylinder. The stent and valve are collapsed, then put on a tiny deflated balloon at the end of a catheter (a flexible plastic tube that is used for draining off liquid). The stent on the catheter can then be introduced into a blood vessel. Once the catheter is in place the balloon is inflated and the stent expanded to the right width. Then the balloon is deflated, the catheter is taken out and the stent remains in place. The valve remains intact throughout, which is why the procedure is so effective. This is called a non-invasive technique, which means there is no need to open the chest. It also means the patient can leave hospital within 24 hours, and does not have to spend time in Intensive Care.
