First UK trial of heart failure operation

 A pioneering operation to improve the function of failing hearts while they are still beating has taken place in the UK for the first time. Patients with heart failure struggle to pump blood around the body and mild exercise can leave them breathless.
 
Surgeons used a form of "cardiac sewing" to remove scar tissue and reduce the size of the heart so it pumps more efficiently.
 
The operation took place at King’s College Hospital in London.
 
One common cause of heart failure is when the arteries which nourish the organ become blocked, leading to a heart attack. Heart muscle dies and is replaced by hard scar tissue which does not beat.
 
Over time, the scar tissue can stretch so chambers of the heart become larger, meaning the organ has more blood to force out with each heartbeat.
 
The overall effect is a weaker heart, less able to do its job, transforming simple day-to-day tasks like climbing stairs into extreme exertions.
 
In the operation, surgeons used a wire with anchors at both ends to pierce two sections of heart muscle. When the wire was tightened, the walls of the heart were "remodelled".
 
"If the trial is successful, there will be further use of the technology as surgeons gain expertise in the technique. As more people are treated with this procedure, it will become fully clear whether it will have a real benefit for patients."