“Already, I feel much more alive and energetic, and I can’t wait to get back to my usual daily routines of driving, farming, and walking my dog,” according to Noel O'Brien from Tynagh, County Galway, who recently became the first patient to undergo Avalus Ultra valve implant surgery led by Professor Alan Soo and his surgical team at University Hospital Galway (UHG).

The treatment meant that UHG became the first hospital in the country to use a new biological aortic heart valve - putting it at the forefront of valvular heart surgery. Surgical aortic valve replacement is a surgical procedure in which a diseased aortic valve is removed and replaced with a new tissue-based or mechanical valve. This takes over the original valve’s function to enable oxygen-rich blood to flow efficiently out of the heart.

Medtronic's Avalus Ultra valve, a new ground-breaking innovation in biological aortic valves, was specifically designed to provide simplicity of use at implantation while also empowering cardiac patients to improve their quality of life. Aortic valve disease causes the valve to narrow, making the heart work harder to pump blood through the body, causing the heart to weaken and function poorly.  Patients with aortic valve disease, either stenosis (blocked) or regurgitant (leaky), often require valve replacement.

Expressing his delight at the outcome of the surgery, Noel explained that he was “always an active person, but in the last year or so I'd noticed that even after doing a small amount of work, I felt tired and breathless. This is a new lease of life for me and I’m looking forward to the future.”

Speaking about the innovation, Professor Alan Soo, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, said that the new Avalus Ultra valve represents a “significant advancement to our current generation of surgical biological valves. It has long-term durability based on a decade of clinical experience and will significantly benefit patients who have aortic valve disease.”

According to Professor Pieter Kappetein, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Cardiac Surgery, Structural Heart, and Mechanical Circulatory Support Businesses in the Medtronic Cardiovascular portfolio, they are “delighted to be the first hospital in the country to offer this innovation to our patients, while also being the first hospital in Ireland and the UK to implant the new Avalus Ultra valve."

"Patients with aortic stenosis are experiencing more complex disease, and therefore, procedures need to evolve to optimise their surgical care. Rooted in this evolving need, surgeons are demanding innovative technologies like the Avalus Ultra valve that is designed for increased ease of use and long-term durability to serve patients over their lifetime.”

Hospital Manager Chris Kane added that “this new innovative approach to valvular heart surgery positions University Hospital Galway as a pioneer in patient care. Ultimately our aim is to provide the best care and treatment available to our patients. By adopting modern technology, we can accomplish this in a way that helps the patient to recover faster and facilitate the treatment of more patients in an efficient and cost-effective way.”