Evan's Profile

I have a bicuspid aortic valve and an dilating ascending aorta. I still feel well and am walking 4 miles with no problem. Surgeon says the valve is like two bricks trying to control flow however my ejection fraction is still 55%. I have been told Ejection can remain high due to heart pushing harder which causes thickening of the heart wall. My heart is still good with no thickening on echo. Since I have calcification on the valve, I am not a candidate for TAVR and while they are replacing the valve, they will replace the ascending aorta with a dacron replacement. My ascending aorta is measured at 4.9 on echo in September 2020, 4.8 by Cat in November 2020 and 5.2 by echo Feb 2021. There is currently no aneurism in the aorta. Angiogram showed clean coronary arteries so no bypass is needed. I will have open heart surgery. During surgery the aortic root needed replacement as well as the valve and the ascending aorta. First day after surgery was difficult as I Coded twice but was revived both times thanks to the external pacemaker they leave installed. I spent a week in the hospital vs the 4 days I was hoping for. There was fluid buildup in the lungs and one needed to be drained while the other was handled with diuretics. I was walking well and felt better by the time I left the hospital. I had an episode with atrial fibrilation after 3 weeks but after amiodorone and warfarin for a month, the problem cured itself. After 9 months I am back to the energy and stamina I had before surgery. Now I hope to keep this level of activity for the next 20 years! Update after 9 months.