Ricky Albertosi, historic goalkeeper of the Italian national team, 84 years old, has undergone surgery for the repair of the mitral valve at Maria Cecilia Hospital in Cotignola (Ravenna) by Gvm Care & Research. European Champion in 1968 and World Vice-Champion in 1970, he entrusted himself to the care of Fausto Castriota, head of the diagnostic and interventional cardioangiology laboratory.
Ricky Albertosi operated on the heart
Albertosi, the clinic explains, in fact had to undergo heart surgery in mid-December. The diagnosis: heart failure associated with mitral valve insufficiency. 'In the past I had two heart attacks - Albertosi recounts - from there I started to feel more and more a feeling of breathlessness even just walking, I was very tired. My nephew suggested I turn to Professor Castriota because he is a name recognized even abroad for exceptional interventions. Following the first visit, they put a defibrillator on me, but after some time in which I was monitored they told me that it was important to perform the operation'.
'In people of a certain age with a heart not in shape, traditional surgery is very high risk. We therefore opted for a percutaneous approach which instead significantly lowers the operative risk and gives an optimal result', explains Prof. Castriota. The method is called MitraClip, already performed since 2003. 'It was a wonderful thing: on December 16 I was hospitalized and two days later I was already at home and I enjoyed Christmas with the family! I reacted well, I felt great', the former footballer recounted.
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