They could be the ones receiving this new technique, though doctors are also looking at laser surgery and gene therapy. The German operation was carried out in November 1999 at the Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Br der in Trier, Germany. The patient had a heart artery blocked by a build-up of fatty deposits in the vessel walls. Only the top of the artery was working and receiving blood. Dr Oesterle said veins could be used because even when arteries were badly affected, veins were seldom affected.
Coronary arteries take blood from the aorta to the heart muscle.
In the procedure, a catheter system, guided by ultrasound was inserted into an artery in the leg then threaded up through the aorta and into the coronary arteries. A needle was guided through the artery wall into the adjacent vein. Then a thin, flexible wire was threaded through the needle, and the needle and catheter were removed. The wire was attached to a small angioplasty balloon which was used to widen the channel and a tube-like device was inserted to keep it open for blood to pass through. The vein was then blocked above the new channel which had been created.