John Pepper and Tal Golesworthy: How a Brompton patient pioneered his own surgical procedure

09/19/24 • 40 min

Tal Golesworthy was born with a genetic condition called Marfan syndrome which affects the body’s connective tissue and can lead to cardiovascular, skeletal and visual problems.

For Tal, an engineer by trade, the condition took a particular toll on his heart, weakening the walls of the aorta and causing them to expand. Surgical intervention would involve total root replacement of the aorta, including the valve, and re-implanting the coronary arteries.

The idea of major surgery, and the ensuing lifelong dependency on anticoagulant medicine to prevent blood clots, was enough for Tal to explore an alternative route.

With the help of Professor John Pepper, consultant cardiac surgeon at Royal Brompton Hospital, Tal drew on his expertise as an engineer to develop a prototype of a device – called a Personalised External Aortic Root Support (PEARS), pictured above – that could be placed around the ascending aorta and prevent aortic root expansion.

Four years on since conceiving the idea, in 2004 Tal became the first patient to undergo this surgical procedure, which was performed by Professor John Pepper himself.

In this episode of More than a Hospital, Tal and Professor Pepper recall the journey that led to that moment, and how they forged an unexpected partnership to help not only Tal, but the hundreds of lives that the revolutionary procedure would go on to benefit.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tal Golesworthy was born with a genetic condition called Marfan syndrome which affects the body’s connective tissue and can lead to cardiovascular, skeletal and visual problems.

The idea of major surgery, and the ensuing lifelong dependency on anticoagulant medicine to prevent blood clots, was enough for Tal to explore an alternative route.

Four years on since conceiving the idea, in 2004 Tal became the first patient to undergo this surgical procedure, which was performed by Professor John Pepper himself.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Creativity and Wellbeing Week: The power of arts on physical and mental wellbeing

As part of Creativity and Wellbeing Week (Monday 20 to Sunday 26 May), we explore the power that arts can have on physical and mental health.

In episode 8 of More than a Hospital, we go behind the scenes of Royal Brompton and Harefield's arts programme, rb&hArts, as our head of communications, Luke Blair, visits Harefield Hospital to attend ‘singing for breathing’, an initiative that gives patients techniques through vocal exercises and song to help manage their breathing. Largely aimed at patients with respiratory conditions, we meet those who have experienced first-hand the benefits of singing for breathing to their physical and mental wellbeing. We also hear from Rosie Watters who facilitates the sessions.

Also in the episode, Mary Paterson, head of arts at Royal Brompton and Harefield, shares why a personal story about her mother-in-law’s dementia brought the importance of art in a clinical setting to the forefront of her mind.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.