New heart surgery yields speedy recovery (Canada)

Surgeons at our Schulich Heart Centre have successfully performed their first port access surgery to repair a faulty mitral valve. The highly technical video-assisted procedure has only been performed at three other centres in Canada to date. The minimally invasive surgery is carried out through a few small incisions, or "ports" in the groin, neck and chest - eliminating the need to split the patient's breastbone. Such an approach enables a faster recovery and provides the patient with a far better cosmetic result. Patients requiring mitral valve surgery either have a leaking or narrowed valve. Both conditions may cause blood to flow in the wrong direction, straining the heart and lungs and potentially leading to heart failure and/or death if the valve is not repaired or replaced in a timely fashion. "The results to date have been truly remarkable," says Dr. Gideon Cohen, cardiovascular surgeon. "Patients have enjoyed shorter hospital stays, less pain and an earlier return to normal activities." "The cosmetic benefits have been particularly impressive, with many patients having barely noticeable incisions beneath the right breast," he adds.

Sunnybrook first in Canada to implant cutting-edge heart monitors

Cardiologists at Sunnybrook's Schulich Heart Centre are the first in Canada to surgically implant a new type of heart monitor that will improve diagnosis of patients with potential heart problems. The implantable cardiac monitoring device records the heart's electrical activity in order to help physicians diagnose whether or not common symptoms like syncope (fainting), dizziness, palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath and unexplained seizure-like episodes are related to cardiac problems. Although similar monitors are available in Canada, this device has unique diagnostic benefits. It can more accurately sense cardiac signals, enabling physicians to program the monitor to sense small and wide-ranging signals. Additionally, the device has a life-span of up to three years compared with the 18 month life-span of similar devices. "Patients may only experience one or two episodes in the span a couple of years so the problem with implanting a monitor that only lasts up to 18 months is that you might miss the event altogether," says Eugene Crystal, head of Cardiac Arrhythmia Services. "The increased sensitivity of this monitor and the extended life-span will give us more accurate and more comprehensive data about our patients' hearts."