Actor not fit enough: Heinz Hoenig’s aorta surgery postponed – why the procedure is “life-threatening”

He has already undergone an operation on his esophagus. But actor Heinz Hoenig is currently facing another operation on his aorta. According to reports, however, he is not currently fit enough for this. Which is what makes the operation so dangerous.

The first step has been taken: Heinz Hoenig has survived the operation on his esophagus. But his health is still not stable. The actor is currently waiting for an operation on his main artery, the so-called aorta. This transports blood from the heart to the entire body – it is the largest artery in the human body.

“Heinz has an inflammation in his body that has spread to the entire aorta,” his wife, Annika Kärsten-Hoenig, explained in an interview with “Bild” at the beginning of May.

However, according to media reports, the actor does not seem to be stable enough for the planned operation. “tz” quotes his wife Annika Kärsten-Hoenig as saying that the operation has been put on hold for the time being. According to this, the actor is feeling worse again.

According to his wife, Hoenig received a stent after an operation in 2012. This is an implant that ensures that the blood vessel does not become blocked. The inflammation damaged the stent, causing blood and fluid to leak out, Kärsten-Hoenig explains. A life-threatening situation. This stent was temporarily replaced a few weeks ago.

The problem: This won’t last long; his entire aorta will have to be replaced. Without this operation, his chance of survival would be only one percent. But replacing the aorta is also “associated with a very high risk,” Hoenig’s wife continues. “The operation is life-threatening.”

Life-threatening because it can mean an immense intervention for the body. According to the German Heart Center at the Charité (DHZC), the blood flow must be diverted during an operation on the aorta. This requires a heart-lung machine that takes over the pumping function of the heart and ensures that vital organs continue to be supplied with oxygen-rich blood.

What exactly is done during the operation usually depends on which segments of the main artery are affected. According to the DHZC, for example, a plastic prosthesis is used in the case of aneurysms (i.e. a bulging of the blood vessel) and dissections (i.e. tears).

In the case of infectious processes in the main artery or the surrounding tissue, so-called homografts, main arteries removed during organ removal, could also be used, DHZC continues.

Depending on which area is affected, the chest cavity must be opened for the operation. If, for example, the abdominal aorta is affected, the abdominal cavity must be opened for this. Depending on the underlying disease, there are also minimally invasive procedures. What exactly will be done to Heinz Hoenig is currently unknown. Nor is it known when the actor will be able to undergo the planned operation.