80-year-old Woman from Wokingham is the World’s First Recipient of Clot Prevention Device

An 80-year-old woman from Wokingham is said to be the first in the world to get a novel device fitted that can prevent the formation of clots.

Doreen Carter had been fitted with a titanium filter close to her heart. This will reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs).

Pulmonary Embolism and Deep Vein Thrombosis / Venous Thromboembolism
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition where blood clots develop usually in the deep veins of the legs. Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when these clots break away and block the pulmonary artery.

Fitting a titanium filter is just a 15 minute procedure. For the first time, it was conducted at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. This hospital also happens to be first of six hospitals in the UK to test out the titanium filter.

Calling it a privilege to be the first one fitted with the device, She added: "I'm quite happy everyone knows what they're doing and I just let them get on with it."

The filter was fitted inside the inferior vena cava, where a wire mesh cage was opened to allow the flow of blood to the heart , but to stop the clots .

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Dr Carl Waldmann, a consultant at the hospital, said, "This is something we can put in for a limited number of days and easily take out," he added.

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Source-Medindia