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Actress Dame Elizabeth Taylor is to undergo heart surgery, she has revealed to fans via her Twitter website. She said the procedure involved "repairing my leaky valve using a clip device, without open heart surgery, so that my heart will function better". The 77-year-old said she wanted her Twitter followers to "know before it gets in the papers". The actress - made an honorary dame by the Queen in 2000 - has had a number of health problems in recent years. "Any prayers you happen to have lying around I would dearly appreciate," she added. "I'll let you know when it's all over. Love you, Elizabeth." In 1995, the London-born actress had a hip replacement and, two years later, had surgery to remove a brain tumour. She has the brittle bone disease osteoporosis and has broken her back five times. Dame Elizabeth won best actress Oscars for Butterfield 8 and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?