Johannes Schmidauer is the first patient in Salzburg to have a hard-to-reach heart valve cut through keyhole surgery. He’s thinking about going mushroom hunting again.
Johannes Schmidauer takes a deep breath: “Now I can breathe again,” he says, happy with the new quality of life and thanks the team of doctors around Cardiology-Primaria Uta Hoppe at the University Hospital of Salzburg.
“It was bad,” he says of the past. His chest tightened with every breath. There was also painful water retention in the legs. Climbing stairs was no longer an option. Schmidauer fell several times. His wife Antonia was and is always by his side.
The 88-year-old from Salzburg-Gnigl has been struggling with a weak heart for years. His leaky heart valves were no longer able to pump oxygen-poor blood to his lungs and oxygen-rich blood to his body.
After the operation the suffering comes to an end
Until now, patients like him have only been able to manage the symptoms. But there was no real relief. Johannes Schmidauer was the first patient in Salzburg to have his difficult-to-reach tricuspid valve cut using the keyhole technique.
It was only a few years ago that this technology began to take hold in North America. Primaria Hoppe and senior doctor Wilfried Wintersteller operated the catheter and inserted the clips through the groin. Senior doctor Thomas Wuppinger checked the patient’s body imaging during the operation. He brought the necessary knowledge to Salzburg after a stay in Vancouver (Canada).
Schmidauer looks surprisingly fit so soon after the procedure. “I feel much better. “I’m going back to Schwammerl soon,” he laughs, a lifelong mountain lover.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
