Todd's Posts

So hard to know. Over two years I have seen patients both well adjust to mechanical right away and others bemoan the adjustments. On the other hand, the wear out of biologic valves is very real.... Maybe some reflection on how patient you think you are with the tinkering phase?! Kinda a personality thing, I think... Let us know (And, do know occasionally mechanical valve appear to wear out due maybe to poor fitment also - so no 100 percents) Welcome to this tough reality we live with !

I received a mechanical mitral valve 1 1/2 years ago at the age of 59. I am very happy with my choice. Warfarin is not an issue, I am just more careful not to cut myself and i can occasionally hear the valve if it is real quite; so at night I use a white noise machine which helps completely. I am so glad to not have to have another surgery, never want to go through that again. That's my 2 cents. 😊

Agreeing with Rose, above all taking into account your Valve affected is the aortic one and TAVR is quite experienced on thousand of patients over the world. I would have some more doubts if your Valve was the mitral, because TMVR IS not so implanted, although being also an option nowadays. Godspeed in your choice.

45 to 65 is a tough age range for deciding what is your best option. You’re aging out of the Ross recommendations. But if you are otherwise in good health and your heart makes you a good candidate, there are surgeons who will do it at 59. If you go with a bio-valve then you are looking at 1 to 3 resurgeries. TAVR might be an option for two of those resurgeries. Mechanical valves have the warfrin-blood clot risks but the valve could last you for the rest of your life. I say “could” because there are no guarantees. They all have pros & cons. You have to think a lot about how they fit into your lifestyle, which cons you can live with, and what your next surgery might look like depending on which choice you make now.

Thanks everyone! I go in for surgury in 3 weeks. I am an active guy with no other health problems so the Warfarn the rest of my life seems overwhelming. I was dead set on tissue untill last week when my surgeon said I should consider mechanical, soo Im back to square one in overthinking!!! lol

I was in the same situation. I did not want a mechanical valve and the wear out factor of the biological was too high at 53. I was proposed a Ross procedure as I had no other health issues like yourself and all scans/checks were good to GO. Good luck in your choice of valve procedure. All the best 🙏❤️

ercan - did the elevated risk of the ross procedure frighten you? how did you ultimately choose ross over mechanical? i’m weeks out from a (recommended) mechanical valve as i’m only 38 and im extremely active/a racing athlete. however the warfarin frightens the heck out of me too (food/alcohol restrictions…excessive bleeding)

Jason, At 38, talking to a Ross specialist is definitely worth it for you and to find out if you are a good candidate. Even with increased risk from surgery, the overall risk with an experienced Ross surgeon is less than 1%. One thing I’ve noticed, however, is Ross patients seem to have longer stays in the hospital, 7 to 14 days instead of 3 to 5 days. I was 6 days in ICU and 9 days total in the hospital.

Jason, like John mentions, at 38, a fit individual like yourself, it is definitely worth discussing it with a Ross surgeon. I was not frightened of the Ross procedure as this technique has great overall long term results. Yes, it is a more complicated procedure and you will be longer on the heart-lung machine hence a higher risk of complications. I had several, kidney failure, blood sugar spiked, my lungs had excess water and arrhythmia. I stayed 4 days in the ICU and 2 days in the 3rd unit, all returned to normal except I needed a pacemaker to help with the blockage between the left atrium and ventricular. I am now 11 weeks post op and have started exercising and going back to work. I did not want to take warfarin as well and I was considered being in the gray zone of going with a biological/tissue valve. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions/concerns. Good luck with your decision. 🙏❤️‍🩹