Federal health officials have approved a first-of-a-kind artificial heart valve that can be implanted without major surgery, offering a new treatment option for patients who are too old or frail for the procedure currently used… Dr. David Holmes of the Mayo Clinic said the Sapien valve is a “game changer” for those inoperable patients, many of whom are in their 80s with medical conditions like diabetes, emphysema and liver disease.
NY Times, (AP), 11/3/11
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Tags: Cardiology