MALAYSIA: GOOD news for Malaysians suffering from a hole in the heart -- open heart surgery is a thing of the past.
Dr Yap Yee Guan says the recovery time for key-hole surgery is shorter.

Pin-hole surgery can now be performed to fix the heart defects and recovery often takes as little as one day.

However, the not-so-good news is that not all patients can undergo this surgery.

Only about two-thirds of the patients would able to undergo this new surgery, said paediatric cardiologist Dr Neil Wilson from the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Dr Wilson was in Kuala Lumpur last week to perform four pin-hole surgeries at the Prince Court Medical Centre, the first such surgery at the centre.

"The procedure involves significantly less risk than an open heart surgery."

Previously, hole-in-the-heart patients had to have their hearts stopped while the surgeon stitches the hole.

The surgery involves inserting a catheter into a vein in the groin and guiding it all the way to the heart. The cardiologist monitors the progress of the catheter using X-rays and ultrasound.

The interventional cardiologist then deftly manoeuvres the catheter to the hole in the heart where it deploys a small umbrella-like implant to close the hole.

These discs are made from a polyester fabric encased by a wire mesh made of nickel-titanium alloy.

Within days, tissue will grow over the device. Within six months, the device will be completely covered by heart tissue and becomes part of the heart wall.

Prof Dr Yap Yee Guan, also an interventional cardiologist at Prince Court Medical Centre, said another benefit of the procedure was that it left little scarring.

The only mark visible on the body is a tiny pinhole made near the groin, which disappears with time.

Statistically, many of the patients who suffer from this condition are young females, so this procedure may be more popular because of the cosmetic benefits.

"But the most beneficial aspect of it is the quick recovery of the patients.

"With open heart surgery, it could take between one and three months before a patient is fully recovered.

"With the key-hole method, 95 per cent of patients are discharged within a day, while full recovery takes between five days to a week."

It costs about RM35,000 for this procedure and this includes medical charges and hospital stay.

By : Arman Ahmad