Ben Cramer to undergo third heart operation

Dutch singer Ben Cramer, 79, is due to undergo a third heart operation on Tuesday, he told De Telegraaf, saying persistent breathlessness and reduced stamina led doctors to find a heart problem. [1]

Cramer said his symptoms began after he fell from his motorbike last summer and that he had not been free of complaints since. After they continued, his doctor referred him to a cardiologist, who found that his heart was the cause, according to Cramer.

He said there had been uncertainty over whether another operation was possible, given that it would be his third procedure on a heart valve and his age. Cramer said his condition was also considered in the decision to proceed, and that his cardiologist had described the operation as less invasive than his previous ones.

Cramer expects to be under general anaesthetic and said he could return home two or three days later if all goes well. He hopes to perform again next month and says he wants to continue working for a few more years.