WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

THERE is a risk the replacement valve could leak, although checks during surgery should prevent this.

AS WITH any surgery, there is a risk of infection and a very small chance of stroke.

‘COMPARED to traditional surgery, this means a smaller incision, a quicker operation and a shorter recovery time, though it still means a general anaesthetic, a heart bypass machine and standard surgical risks,’ says Richard Edwards, a consultant cardiologist at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

‘This particular technique is not as minimal as other valve keyhole procedures. Aortic valves can now be replaced through a tiny incision in the groin and under local anaesthetic.