Mônica Bergamo: 87-year-old woman is discharged in SP after performing a heart procedure unprecedented in the world

An 87-year-old woman was discharged this Wednesday (16) after performing a heart procedure unprecedented in the world. The operation was performed on January 18 at Hospital Vila Nova Star, from Rede D’or, in São Paulo.

Patient Silvana Adele Brusco had valvular disease and dextrocardia – when the heart is on the right side of the body – and underwent a five-hour surgery to repair the organ’s valves. After spending almost a month recovering in the hospital, she will continue treatment at home.

The novelty is that, for the first time, the implantation of a cardiac prosthesis (TricValve) and a minimally invasive device (MitraClip) was performed in a single procedure that repair the mitral valve without the need for conventional surgery to open the chest.

“The technique we used was performed in an unprecedented way in the world as we approached two valves in a dextrocardic patient with only a small hole in the groin region”, says cardiologist Vinicius Esteves, who performed the operation.

Installed, the devices help the heart pump blood more efficiently, minimizing symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling in the legs.

The procedure, continues the doctor, was planned in order to bring more quality of life to the patient, since the drug treatment she was receiving was no longer having an effect.

_{with LÍGIA MESQUITA, BIANKA VIEIRA and MANOELLA SMITH}