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Heart Surgery Goes 'Very Well' For 'Little Darth Vader'

By Mark Memmott
Published June 15, 2012 at 5:30 AM CDT
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We've got good news to pass along regarding the open heart surgery performed Thursday on seven-year-old Max Page, the child actor who captivated viewers as "Little Darth Vader" in a 2011 Volkswagen commercial.

"The surgery today went very well," Max's surgeon, Dr. Vaughn Starnes, says in a statement posted online by Children's Hospital Los Angeles. "We went in to replace his pulmonary valve, which we did without incident. Max is in the cardiac ICU and recovering very well."

Max is expected to be in the hospital another three days or so.

Our earlier post about Max and his surgery is here. And if you need a lift this morning, the VW ad is here.

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Mark Memmott
Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.
See stories by Mark Memmott
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