Eng>Eng: open-heart surgery term

[Guest guest]

I am reading a VERY fuzzy, photocopied and faxed surgery report, supposedly for

background to another document I am translating. I can work out most things from

prior knowledge, but am stumped by this:

The patient underwent open-heart surgery for a variety of arterial and valvular

problems, incl. ruptured chordae and heavily calcified mitral annulus.

The calcified anterior mitral valve leaflet is resected and a biological valve

grafted, " with 18 sutures with *** balls *** (???) (the 'balls' were placed at

the side of the ventricle) " -

What are these, given that the text is very fuzzy and it may actually say

'bollas' or 'bulls', and the writer is most probably not a native English

speaker? I have had 'pledgets' offered elsewhere.

Many thanks for all help,