Will interventional cardiologists perform the implants rather than a cardiothoracic surgeon?
If so, I can't imagine the surgeons pushing for them.
I would be great if it can be rolled out to everyone, but I'm not betting the farm on it. Way too early to even determine if it works properly in those patients that have received it.
I'm not a candidate for it (not old enough, and probably not sick enough), but I do wonder if the promise of an alternative to later surgery, even if it's several years away, might not affect the choices we make now: i.e. tissue vs. mechanical.
I'm 61 and, having had one OHS already (CABG) I'm not looking forward to the possibility of another surgery (if I live long enough to need one) so I'm fairly resigned to becoming the Bionic Old Bat. I'm going to be talking to my cardio this afternoon about setting up my AVR, so you can bet I'm going to bring this up. I'll let y'all know what he says (he's an interventional cardiologist at a major Dallas area heart center, so is probably up on the matter--at least, one would hope!).
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