Edwards Lifesciences 2005 Annual Report"
It was only after becoming short of breath while singing
to his infant son that Larry A. sought the counsel of a cardiologist,
who diagnosed him with life-threatening heart valve regurgitation,
the likely result of a childhood case of rheumatic fever. The news
came as a surprise to the former university track star and All-Africa
Games gold medalist, who leads discovery activities associated
with Edwards Lifesciences’ LifeStent peripheral stent business.
At age 45, Larry might have been a candidate for a mechanical replacement
valve, but instead chose the Carpentier-Edwards Magna aortic valve
with ThermaFix so that he could maintain an active lifestyle. Since
his surgery, Larry has resumed his rigorous cardiovascular and
weight training workouts, as well as nightly “concerts” of
African lullabies for his young son. “Until I was diagnosed
and started paying attention to my symptoms, I had no idea that
I was in serious trouble,” he says. “I encourage everyone
to listen to their heart.”
The PERIMOUNT Magna aortic heart valve was specifically designed
to optimize patient blood flow, combining more than 20 years of clinical
experience with the most advanced tissue engineering technologies. Edwards'
proprietary ThermaFix process is intended to reduce tissue calcification,
one of the primary causes of valve deterioration.