Tallaght woman in unique heart operation

Updated: 23:06, Wednesday, 18 November 2009

A 37-year-old woman from Tallaght has been discharged from the Mater Hospital following a unique heart operation.

1 of 1 Elaine O'Hara Unique operation
Elaine O'Hara
Unique operation

A 37-year-old woman from Tallaght in Dublin has been discharged from the Mater Hospital following a unique heart operation.

Elaine O'Hara is the first person in Ireland to have a new type of artificial heart pump surgically implanted.

The mother-of-four had been suffering with a heart malfunction for several years and was not suitable for a heart transplant.

Until now, artificial heart machines were very big units and patients were attached to them in hospital while waiting for a transplant.

The small heart pump used in Mrs O'Hara's case, which cost €90,000, means she can be at home and lead a more normal life.

Mater Hospital Cardiac Surgeon Freddie Wood said the device had a life spend of between ten and 15 years and no parts would require replacement.

The eight-hour operation was performed in August and Mrs O'Hara had been in hospital ever since.

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