Prince Philip went yesterday with a ‘successful approach’ to a former heart condition, Buckingham Palace confirmed today.
But just the treatment the Duke of Edinburgh received – who inserted a stent during heart surgery in 2011 and has been battling secret heart disease for 30 years – remains a mystery.
The 99-year-old has spent 16 nights in hospital so far after being admitted to a private facility with an undiagnosed disease on Feb. 16. His disease was not related to coronavirus.
He was transferred to the main heart center of St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London on March 1 for a ‘test and observation’ for a previous heart condition.
Cardiologists told MailOnline today that the most recent task may have been to insert a second stent, get another one or insert a pacemaker.
Representatives from Buckingham Palace said that while the Duke – who will turn 100 in June – is still comfortable, they expect him to remain on the wards until ‘at least the weekend’.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, said yesterday when she visited south London that Prince Philip was’ getting a little better ‘, saying:’ We’ll keep our fingers crossed. ‘
The Duke of Edinburgh has already spent 16 nights in hospital for an undiagnosed illness and ‘observation’ of an underlying heart condition. He was transferred to the heart center of St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the city of London on Monday
A stent is a small tube that is used to clear an obstruction in an artery. It is inserted and inflated with a balloon to dilate the artery and ensure that blood can flow normally again. Dr Aseem Malhotra, an NHS cartiologist, said it was possible someone else was inserting it
Above is an explanation of how a stent is fitted
Does Prince Philip get a second stent while in hospital to treat a heart attack?
An NHS cardiologist has suggested that Prince Philip could have a second stent while in hospital, arguing that his disease may have put pressure on his heart and partially prevented it. in his coronary artery.
Stents are tiny tubules that are used to clear arteries and allow blood to flow back to normal. During activity for up to two hours, they are blocked and tensed to dilate the blood vessel.
They are then left with doctors saying the procedure is permanent, although they may need to be replaced.
Three coronary arteries flow to the heart, and the Duke has already had a stent on one of them ten years ago at the Royal Papworth Hospital in London.
Dr Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist at the Academy of Royal Colleges of Medicine, said it was possible the Duke could have a second stent placed for a separate coronary artery.
‘The disease could have put pressure on his heart and either triggered a minor heart attack or unstable angina (when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen due to blood flow problems), he said. MailOnline
‘There are three coronary arteries, it is more likely that he suffered a new obstruction and needed a second stent.
‘It’s lucky to be in a country home with some of the best cardiologists in the world.’
The Duke is pictured leaving King Edward VII’s hospital in central London on Christmas Eve in 2019, where he spent four nights before returning home to Sandringham for Christmas. Buckingham Palace said the stay was for a ‘pre-existing condition’
Could doctors replace her stent or clear a potential obstruction?
It was also suggested that the Duke could be in the hospital because doctors are replacing the stent he inserted ten years ago, or clearing an obstruction that has been inside him.
Experts said, however, that it is very rare that any stent needs to be replaced – and that no obstructions appear within the first six months.
Harvard Medical School says online in response to a question asking if they are ‘wearing out’ after a few years: ‘The important thing in the future is that you needed a stent in the first place. Other arteries, or spots in the same artery, are almost certainly full of cholesterol plaques that can cause blockages, or worse. ‘
They said it was possible for obstruction to be inside the stent, but that this usually happens within the first six months. If they are in place for a longer period without problems it is a ‘sign that it has done its job well’.
After Prince Philip was fitted in 2011, he was not returned to hospital with further heart problems until this year, according to Buckingham Palace. This shows that the work was successful.
When the stent is inserted a tissue grows over it, making it part of the artery wall. However, if damage develops in that area, this can trigger another blockage and necessitate further operations.
In Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the Windsor castle rectangle ahead of her 99th birthday last June
Could The Prince install a fire extinguisher to deal with his heart condition?
It is also alleged that a fire extinguisher was installed to treat heart conditions.
A heartbeat is usually controlled by electrical signals from an internal pacemaker, which stimulates between 60 and 100 beats per minute. But the pulse – in a condition called arrhythmia – can be disturbed by other heart diseases, smoking or stress.
A pacemaker prevents this from emitting constant electrical signals. They can be placed directly under the breast in an hour-long operation, which would require a day of rest in the hospital to ensure that the procedure worked.
Dr Malhotra told MailOnline: ‘A less likely alternative to a stent would be that he would need a pacemaker, if he had a problem with his heart rhythm.’
There has been no suggestion before that the Duke has suffered from an irregular heartbeat, although he has a basic heart condition that can trigger this.
Palace officials have remained adamant about the purpose of his time in the hospital.