Shanghai-produced heart stent implanted in 97-year-old patient

A Shanghai-produced heart stent has been implanted in a 97-year-old patient in east China, setting a domestic record of the age of patient receiving such surgery.

The HT-LP stent developed by MicroPort based in Zhangjiang High-Tech Park in the Pudong New Area was successfully implanted into the artery of the female coronary disease patient on November 4 during a thoracic aortic repair surgery in Shandong Province, the company announced over the weekend.

The senior patient surnamed Yuan suffered aortic dissection along with hypertension. She was discharged five days after the surgery and has been recovering quite well, according to the Qilu Hospital of Shandong Province.

Domestic patients receiving the surgery mainly aged between 50 and 80 years old, because the surgery usually took a long time with risks of excessive bleeding and complications.

The locally produced stent is said to be the smallest in the global market with a diameter of only 6 millimeters. It is suitable for Asian female patients in senior age who usually have narrower artery, according to the company.

The Shanghai-developed medical products from MicroPort including the stent have been promoted nationwide and to over a dozen Belt and Road countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Kazakhstan.