Cramlington woman becomes 2000th person to receive life-changing heart valve surgery

Kathleen Scarth, 77, has undergone a transcatheter aortic valve implantation to replace her heart valve after developing aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the valve.

This has made her the 2000th patient to receive the life-changing procedure from Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital Heart Team.

Kathleen began feeling unwell on holiday in Spain this year.

"I noticed I had started losing my breath easily and had to stop while I was on a walk,” she recalled.

After concerns from a friend visiting, Kathleen was encouraged to see her GP.

Following shocking heart-test results, Kathleen was quickly referred to The Freeman Hospital to undergo a minimally invasive procedure to replace the valve in her heart, known as a TAVI.

"The cardiologist at the hospital said it was one of the worst cases they had seen,” said Kathleen.

The procedure is done under local anaesthetic, using a catheter which is inserted into a blood vessel in the leg. The catheter is then used to guide and fix a replacement valve over the top of the old one.

The surgery has seen dramatic improvements in recent times.

Consultant cardiologist, Mohammad Alkhali, who performed the operation, explained: “Around 30-40 years ago, the only treatment we had for patients was open heart surgery to take the valve out.

“Now, due to advancements in technology, we are able to offer this far less invasive procedure under local anaesthetic. The procedure can be completed in under an hour.”

This is a particularly important advancement when we take a look at the statistics; as Dr Alkhali revealed: “10% of patients over the age of 80 have narrowing of the heart valve. This often starts off mild and becomes severe quickly. Left untreated, 50% of patients will die within two years.”

Simple but life-changing, the surgery offers transformative outcomes.

Kathleen is no exception to this, revealing: “After coming home following the procedure my breathing is much better. I am no longer walking with sticks and slowly I am starting to exercise again. I’m attending a 70th birthday party later this year – dancing is my passion, so I am looking forward to taking to the dancefloor.”