There seems to be a new precedent. Instead of trying to have everyone use your new product, we have a company that is deciding who can use this already approved product. Is that because the product is harder to install that we think- or because the manufacturer is trying really hard to control any potential negative publicity?
Tag Archives: Aortic valve
Does your heart leak?
Ka-thump. Ka-thump. Ka-thump. These are the sounds of a normal heart. What if your heart valves don’t close properly (they let blood leak backwards [regurgitation]) or they won’t open completely (thereby restricting blood flow [stenosis])? Then, those are not the sounds you will hear. If you are an adult, you may need valve replacement, because of deposits that occur over years that make the valve stiff, rendering closure difficult. But, now imagine you are told that your infant has that problem… Back years ago, the heart valves had a 10 to 15 year life (tissue valves); the mechanical ones now have some 25 year life expectancies. So, if an infant has a valve problem- you know there will be yet another traumatic operation, after this one…