No wonder the Duke of Edinburgh is enjoying a speedy recovery from his emergency heart surgery.
He and the Queen are partners in a ‘right royal’ love-match – as illustrated in this informal portrait – and today he received a visit from her and their children as he recovers at Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire.
Prince Philip was flown to the hospital yesterday (Friday) for treatment after complaining of chest pains. Doctors there discovered he had a blocked coronary artery.
Below is a description of his treatment:
STENTS, THE SCAFFOLDING THAT OPENS NARROW BLOOD VESSELS
“Stents are small metal tubes that are put into the arteries to help blood flow.
“They are used to treat the type of coronary artery blockage that the Duke of Edinburgh suffered.
Every year, around 85,000 Britons are fitted with the devices, which look like small pieces of scaffolding.
“They are inserted into the artery during keyhole surgery and then expanded to widen the artery.
“During the procedure a hollow tube containing the stent along with a small inflatable balloon is passed into an artery through the groin or arm.
“The operator then uses X-ray screening to direct it into a coronary artery until it reaches the narrow or blocked section. The balloon is then gently inflated expanding the stent so it holds the narrowed blood vessel open.
“When it is fully expanded the balloon is let down and removed, leaving the stent in place.
“Most people can go home the same day or next day, but if it has been an emergency procedure, stays in hospital are usually longer. Sometimes there is a small amount of bleeding after the procedure.
“In the majority of cases, people find that they feel back to normal after just a few days, but if the stent has been put in after a heart attack the recovery takes longer.However, in some cases the rigid metal can cause the walls of the artery to become inflamed or damaged, and scar.
“In recent years, ‘drug-eluting’ stents have been developed. These are coated with a tiny amount of a drug which is delivered to the area around the stent to prevent the scarring process and thus stop the artery from narrowing.
“A new type of stent, called bio-resorbable vascular scaffold, is currently being developed that is made of corn starch rather than metal. It gradually disappears over two to three years, so once the artery has been able to return to normal, the stent is metabolised by the body.
“Stents cost up to £900 each, depending on the type used.”
- This form of surgery is internationally recognised and is used routinely, for example, at The Rambam Medical Centre, Haifa.
- ‘Drug-eluting’ means to- wash out with a solvent, as in chromatography.
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