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AFTER multiple heart operations, doctors gave Ruth Frost, 86, and Jean Chisolm, 78, little hope of survival. Now the women, who are too frail for open heart surgery, are among the first in Australia to receive breakthrough keyhole heart surgery at Brisbane's Prince Charles Hospital.

The original article can be found at: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/patients-hail-keyhole-heart-surgery-trials/story-e6freoof-1225868361789

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The replacement of a heart valve via a catheter is a truly remarkable achievement however it has been around for a few years and is availble at various hospitals.
Length of hospital stay is mentioned in the story, but we are told nothing about the relative performance of the new device in terms of symptom reduction or risk of complications.

The fact that the patients were interviewed before the procedure makes me wonder if they could talk afterwards, or if they even survived.

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