A new way to thread in an artificial aortic valve without cracking someone’s chest was introduced in Washington. The aortic valve is for people that are older but are too frail to survive a surgery and also could improve the chances for patients who are very ill to live at least a year because they have no other treatment options. The Transcatheter aortic valve was manufactured by Edwards Life science Corporation and has already been sold in Europe. The valve is placed by threading it through a leg artery up to the heart and is propped open. Doctors has saved a life for every five patients treated and most patients have felt better, move better, and enjoy more quality of life. Standard heart valve replacement costs up to $50,000, but the Transcatheter valve will cost between $20,000 to $30,000 in order to bring lower hospital bills.
I think this is a very good idea because this opens the door to a new treatment and many more to come. This treatment will be so much cheaper for people that cannot afford medical bills and plus more people are more likely to live longer. It’s best for patients not having to worry about the risk of surgery; it just makes them feel more comfortable and relaxed knowing that they don’t have a long and painful procedure.
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