A technique developed as a non-surgical and less invasive alternative to treat heart problems. These are two percutaneous pulmonary valve implants that allowed two young patients to regain the correct functioning of their hearts.

The interventions were carried out on 5 April for the first time in Sassari - and on the island - thanks to the close synergy between the structures of the AOU of Sassari, Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease, directed by Dr. Maria Chiara Culeddu, therefore Clinical Cardiology and interventional and hemodynamics, directed by Professor Gavino Casu, and to the collaboration with the Adult Congenital Cardiology of the Irccs Policlinico San Donato in Milan, directed by Professor Massimo Chessa.

News of this is only now being made, following monitoring of the post-operative progress, which so far has been positive.

The professionalism offered by Cardioanesthesia directed by Dr. Andrea Balata and the surgical standby of Cardiac Surgery directed by Dr. Michele Portoghese was also invaluable.

The two young patients, aged around twenty, have always been followed by the pediatric cardiology and congenital heart disease unit since birth.

In the first year of their life they had already undergone surgery in a facility off the island. «Congenital heart disease, in the forms of pulmonary stenosis or Tetralogy of Fallot», explains Maria Chiara Culeddu, « can lead to the need for surgery in the first year of life . However, deteriorations in the functions of the pulmonary valve can develop which, after years, require surgery due to the malfunction of the right ventricle."

And this is the case of the two patients, for whom it was necessary to implant a pulmonary valve prosthesis to replace the damaged one. The operations were successful and the patients are doing well.