An elderly couple who have been married for 66 years have both undergone the same life-saving surgery after learning they suffered from exactly the same heart defect.
Marie Nigro, 90, and her husband Joseph, 92, from Long Island, New York, both learned they were suffering from critical aortic stenosis after they struggled to catch their breath.
But after undergoing the same straight-forward operation, they are on the mend and are looking forward to celebrating their 67th wedding anniversary in November.
At a press conference on Wednesday, doctors explained their condition meant their aortic valves failed to open and close properly, which increased pressure on their hearts and caused chest pains.
Sharing everything: Marie Nigro, 90, and husband Joseph, 92, discovered they had the same heart defect
Due to their ages, the couple were not deemed suitable candidates for open heart surgery and underwent a much less invasive procedure, a transcatheter aortic valve replacement, ABC7 reported.
The procedure involves using a catheter to guides a replacement valve through the bloodstream to the heart, where it is expanded to enlarge the size of the opening of the old valve.
Joseph underwent the operation at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in June, and a month later, his wife checked in for the same procedure. They both remained at the hospital for a couple of weeks.
'I feel great,' Joseph Nigro said. '(It) gave me new life.' Before the operation, 'when I bent over, couldn't come up, have a sigh and I just breathe heavy', he explained.
His wife added: 'We're doing OK. So far, so good.'
Going strong: The couple, who live in Long Island, New York, married nearly 67 years ago (pictured)
Together: The couple underwent the procedures a month apart and say they both feel much better
Loved up: Marie and Joseph Nigro share a kiss as they talk about their experiences at the hospital
The couple are now looking forward to celebrating their 67th wedding anniversary in November. An old photograph shows them grinning on their wedding day - the same happy smiles they shared during a press conference at the hospital.
Dr. Jacob Scheinerman explained that the condition usually affects people over 70 and symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue.
While more than 50 per cent of people in this age group do not live a year after developing the symptoms, he said the less invasive procedure was helping many, ABC 7 reported.
'Many of these elderly patients would have been too sick to have open heart surgery,' he said. 'The transcatheter approach gives them the ability to have valve replace without having a major operation.'
Procedure: They underwent the operations at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and are on the mend
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2406058/Couple-married-66-years-discover-identical-heart-defect-undergo-life-saving-surgery.html#ixzz2dPrnfWTI
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