For 46-year-old George Valmas of Bexley, a dramatic change to his life has happened since undergoing first-of-its-kind surgery for mitral valve disease, at NSW’s North Shore Private Hospital.
Sufferer Mr Valmas said before the surgery he had trouble doing day to day activities which most people take for granted, such as climbing stairs or walking on the slightest incline.
“No longer being kept up at night with a horrible drowning feeling has also been a great relief. I look and feel better every day since the surgery, and it is wonderful to last longer on my feet, and to be able to walk further in distance without stopping,” Mr Valmas said.
These changes are thanks to a less invasive mitral valve repair technique for mitral regurgitation (MR) using MitraClip, for which there is an established program at North Shore Private Hospital.
This procedure is a treatment option for patients with symptomatic mitral valve disease, for whom the risk of open heart surgery would be high.