(5/4/99)

A new procedure now used at the University of Utah Hospital means more hope for people with heart disease.

The family of 69-year-old Robert Perks say he has suffered from congestive heart failure for three years.

And his wife's death from Alzheimer's last June weakened him.

His doctors suggested that he participate in a clinical study involving a less invasive procedure for heart patients who also have an irregular heart beat.

Until now, the only way to surgically insert a defibrilator and pacemaker was by opening the chest, and that meant a long recovery time.

But this shortens the time patients spend in the hospital. Dr. Steve Compton, of the Division of Cardiology, says, "When you are done with the procedure, the patient only has a scar about two or three inches long in the chest."

The main difference between the new surgery and the conventional procedure is the number of tubes leading from the pacemaker to the defibrilator - two in a conventional surgery - three in the new procedure.

Perkes' sons hope this means their father will be able to walk to the mailbox without gasping for breath and play with his 20 grandchildren at home in Rexburg, Idaho.

Neil Perkes says, "He was very active and over the course of the last two years, he's lost the ability to do those things that he enjoyed to do."

Robert Perkes should be able to leave the hospital tomorrow.

The University of Utah is one of 18 hospitals nationwide to be doing the new surgery. The clinical trials eventually hope to enroll about 250 patients.