Life April 9 1951 Page 105

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MEDICINE 

SLICED HEART SHOWS THE PLASTIC VALVE IN PLACE

SPARE HEART VALVE

New York doctors develop plastic substitute for vital tissue injured by rheumatic fever 

Every year some 50,000 children throughout the U.S. are stricken with childhood's deadliest disease-rheumatic fever. Though many survive its first attack, the disease almost invariably recurs, and these repeated attacks frequently damage the delicate valves which control the heart's blood flow. Though no real cure is known for rheumatic fever, doctors at New York's' Albany Medical College recently announced the development of plastic valves to replace those injured by the disease. Introduced into the heart by an ingenious operation (right), the valve fits between the flaps of the injured one (above) and carries out its failing functions. 

Rheumatic fever most frequently damages the heart's mitral valve, which connects two of the heart's chambers, the left auricle and ventricle. Blood enters the auricle from the lungs, drains through the mitral valve into the ventricle, whose contraction forces the blood out into the arteries. 

When the valve is damaged, however, some of the blood backs up into the auricle (next page), forcing the heart to pump harder to maintain normal flow. As the disease progresses, circulation drops despite the added effort, and ultimately the overstrained heart may give out. In recent years much research has been done on methods of repairing injured valves. Some doctors have grafted extra tissue to valve flaps so they will close better. Other artificial valves have been tried, but because of their moving parts there was danger of breakdown. The new valve has no moving parts at all, and the heartbeat itself controls blood flow. So far the spare valve has been installed only in the hearts of dogs. But enough dogs have survived with no ill effects (below) to warrant trying it on human patients within a few years.

FRISKY DOG has had plastic valve for a year but is completely normal. He will remain under observation to determine the long-range effects of the plastic gadget. 

AORTA (ARTERY TO BODY)  

ARTERY TO LUNGS  

LEFT AURICLE

LEFT VENTRICLE  

PLASTIC VALVE   

NEEDLE  

THREAD  

PLUG

HOLE CUT IN AURICLE

Steps of the operation are giving in these drawings. A hole is cut in the auricle and plugged with rubber-bottomed cylinder (above). Next, two threads are pushed into the heart, up through the cylinder. Then the plug is removed, the threads are attached to the valve and the valve is pushed into place (below). Finally the threads are drawn taut to hold valve in position and the hole is sewed up tight.

RUBBER FORCEPS COVER   

FORCEPS HOLDING VALVE

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