Patient updates after historic heart surgery

Ramona Johnson, the 79-year-old Tauranga woman who less than 24 hours ago was the first person to undergo revolutionary heart surgery in a public hospital is today recovering well.

Mrs Johnson said she was looking forward to leaving Waikato Hospital and going home on Monday and getting back into her garden.

She had a new aortic valve implanted in her heart by doctors yesterday.

The procedure, known as transcatheter aortic valve implementation, does not require open heart surgery.

Two procedures were completed yesterday. The second was yesterday afternoon on a 91-year-old Hamilton woman. She will be assessed this morning and three more today including a 60-year-old from Gisborne, a 79-year-old from Otorohanga and another 79-year-old, this time from Tokoroa.

Interview with Ramona Johnson

Date: 29 August 2008

Mary Anne Gill
Director of Media and Communications
Waikato District Health Board
P.O. Box 934
Hamilton 3240
Ph: 07 834 3684
Fax: 07 834 3674
Mobile: 021 705 213
Email: gillm@waikatodhb.govt.nz