L ACKMEDSOC.ORG * LUZERNEMEDSOC.ORG Feature A NEW ERA IN HEART-VALVE REPLACEMENT A recent decision by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has major implications for patients with a particular heart condition and will likely have a significant impact on the future of cardiothoracic surgery. That's a mouthful; I know. What that means is people who suffer from a narrowing of the aortic valve, which prevents blood flow to the body and overworks the heart, are now eligible for minimally invasive, catheter-based aortic valve replacement even if there is little risk associated with the traditional, open-heart method of valve-replacement surgery. In mid-August, the FDA approved the use of several models of transcatheter heart valve for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis who are at low risk for death or major complication from open-heart surgery to replace damaged valves. N E PA 12 VITAL SIGNShttp://www.lackmedsoc.org http://www.LUZERNEMEDSOC.ORG