The cost of cardiac surgery.

A study in Wessex has shown that at 1977 prices, and excluding the cost of equipment already installed in the unit, the cost of replacing a man''s aortic valve in this unit is about 1800 pounds. Nevertheless, this seems a small price to pay for return to health and full working capacity, particularly since such patients no longer need to draw social security benefits and their tax contributions will return to normal, thus probably paying for the operation within two years.