The Sapien transcatheter aortic valve is a life-saving alternative to
open-heart surgery for patients who need new a new valve but can't
endure the rigors of the operation. Manufactured by Edwards Life Sciences (Irvine, CA), the Sapien
has been available in Europe for some time but is only now finding its
first use in U.S. heart centers—where it is limited only to the frailest
patients thus far. The Sapien valve is guided through the femoral
artery by catheter from a small incision near the grown or rib cage. The
valve material is made of bovine tissue attached to a stainless-steel
stent, which is expanded by inflating a small balloon when correctly
placed in the valve space. A simpler procedure that promises
dramatically shorter hospitalizations is bound to have a positive effect
on the cost of care.
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