Record-breaking heart op woman feels ‘incredibly lucky’ almost 50 years on

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mrs Bell, who was 28 years old when she had the valve replacement, said: “I was one of three people in hospital at that time who underwent this operation and out of the three I am only one who survived as sadly one patient died a few weeks after surgery and the other died a year later.” She added: “I feel incredibly lucky to have lived for such a long time after this operation as it’s given me the opportunity to see both my children grow up and spend time with my husband and the rest of our friends and family. “This new world record is testament to the outstanding care and treatment I have received, not only from the medical team who carried out the operation, but also the local doctors and nurses in NHS Forth Valley who carry out regular health checks to make sure the replacement heart valve continues to do its job.” Mrs Bell was discharged from hospital just 19 days after she underwent the pioneering operation, although she recalled how her husband Jim made daily, four-hour round trips, involving two buses, to visit her while she was there. She said: “We were watching a TV programme about the 50th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster and it got us thinking about how it must be nearly as long since mum had her heart valve replacement surgery and whether this was unusual.” She added that as her younger brother, George, had always received the Guinness Book of World Records as a Christmas present, the family had “thought it would be interesting to see what the current record was for this type of surgery”. She added: “Anne has shown great strength, determination and courage over many years and I hope her story will offer hope to the families of other individuals who face similar surgery in the future.” Dr Albert Starr, the 95-year-old US cardiac surgeon, based in Portland, Oregon, who jointly developed heart valve replacement surgery, commented: “Work on the valve implanted in this patient began in 1958 by Lowell Edwards and myself in Portland with the first human implant in 1960.