Royal family visit Prince Philip after heart operation

Prince Philip was taken from Sandringham to a specialist heart hospital on Friday night after complaining of chest pains.

He underwent an “invasive procedure of coronary stenting” at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, which was declared a success.

The Duke, 90, was “in good spirits”, Buckingham Palace said. The Palace had earlier said Philip had spent a “good night” following the coronary stent procedure.

The Palace said: “The Queen, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex and the Princess Royal arrived from Sandringham to Papworth by helicopter before 11am.

“They were met by Mr Stephen Bridge, chief executive of Papworth, and Professor John Cunningham, physician to the Queen.

“The visit lasted 45 minutes. Prince Philip is in good spirits.

“The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall also arrived by car 45 minutes later.”

Papworth describes itself as the UK’s largest specialist cardiothoracic hospital and the country’s main heart and lung transplant centre.

Operation involves ‘miniature sausage-shaped balloon’

Dr Simon Davies, consultant intervention cardiologist at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, said Philip may have been on the verge of a heart attack or could actually have suffered one before the stenting procedure was performed.

Dr Davies said: “What they have done is they put a miniature sausage-shaped balloon down the artery, pushed the balloon into the narrowed section and then blown it up.

“That forces the material that is blocking the artery outwards and then gets the blood flowing down the artery again.

“The stent is like a little metal sleeve fitted over the balloon when it is blown up.

“This metallic sleeve is opened up and then when the balloon is deflated and withdrawn the stent stays behind.”

This is the most serious health scare suffered by the Duke, who is known for being a robust and active 90-year-old.