Lifesaving heart operation
When Tal Golesworthy was told he needed lifesaving heart operation in 1993, he said no. Golesworthy has Marfan syndrome (马凡氏综合症).
Back in 1993, when he was living in the west of England, his doctor told him that the aorta(主动脉)in his heart was so enlarged that it would unavoidable burst unless he underwent major operation.
“They talked through the options,” says Golesworthy, “and I was not interested. The operation really didn’t look attractive.” What he particularly didn't like was having to be on blood thinners after the operation, something that would prevent blood clots(血栓)but presented its own risks: “I was riding motorbikes then, and skiing, so my whole lifestyle would have been affected.” By 2000, however, his condition had worsened. Realizing something had to be done. Golesworthy put his years of experience as research — and — development engineer to good use. He decided he would fix himself. “Learning new stuff and developing new ideas, that was my job,” Golesworthy says.
The aorta, he thought, needed support on the outside. And wrapping something around the outside of the aorta would require a special operation. So Golesworthy subjected himself to 30 hours in an MRI scanner; used 3D printing to create a physical exact copy of the part of his heart. “Luckily, I’d done a lot of work with technical materials,” he says.
Strong determination coupled with an original yet practical solution won him the support of two leading surgeons and helped him raise the money to develop his idea. In May 2004, at the age of 47, he became the guinea pig for his own invention. The operation was a success.
30. Why did Tai Golesworthy refuse the operation at first?
A.A better solution was on the way. |
B.He was afraid of life being affected. |
C.The risk of operation tended to cause death. |
D.He would like to be operated in his own way. |
31. What helped Golesworthy to fix himself?
A.His creative spirit. | B.Regular exercise. |
C.Doctors' suggestions. | D.His similar experience. |
32. What do the underlined words in the last paragraph “the guinea pig” refer to?
A.The lovely pet. | B.The important assistant. |
C.The experimental subject. | D.The person to raise money. |
33. Which words can best describe Tai Golesworthy?
A.Creative and kind. | B.Strong and imaginary. |
C.Devoted and generous. | D.Determined and brave. |