(The Medical Director of the New Brunswick Heart Centre, Dr. Vernon Paddock)
(Photo by Brian McLain)
A new life saving heart procedure is being used at the Regional Hospital for those patients who are too frail to undergo open heart surgery. The Heart Centre's Medical Director, Dr. Vernon Paddock says the procedure is less invasive with an inflatable balloon being used to insert a new heart valve and the recovery time is just a few days as opposed to several weeks. Up until now patients had to travel to other provinces for this treatment. Dr. Paddock cautions the gold standard remains an operation if the patient is up to it.
