Until a decade ago this field of medical therapy had been the domain of cardiac surgeons. Back then, therapeutic interventions (i.e., operations) were highly invasive and traumatic since the patient’s chest had to be opened. Today, diseased heart valves are increasingly and effectively being treated with catheters (thin, flexible wires) introduced into the blood vessels to the heart from the groin. Opening the chest is no longer necessary and in most cases the procedures can be performed using a local, no longer a general anesthetic. Prof. Kuck has been for many years, and still is today, relevantly involved in the development of innovative heart valve therapies. His patients therefore benefit from his extraordinary expertise. At LANS Cardio cause and extent of the heart valve diseases can be assessed with modern echocardiographic imaging (3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography). All therapeutic procedures are performed by Prof. Kuck in state-of-the-art “hybrid” operating rooms at the UKSH Campus Lübeck.
KEY ASPECT Valvular heart diseases
The treatment of diseases of the heart valves has developed rapidly in recent years.
