Average age BAV needs repaired? Tissue or mechanical stats?

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Hi there,

As a 26 year old, I am told that I have BAV and a dialated aorta (4.0, 3.6).... I have a couple questions for anyone who can help me.

After all tests my cardio says I likely won’t need surgery till 50s or 60s. Anyone know data on average age it surgery is needed? He obviously made no promises about that but in curious.

My Regurgitation is “mild to moderate”, where is that on the spectrum? Is severe the final stage?

Today what is more common, mechanical or tissue? What does the future of this decision loom like? Any promising advances?

How uncommon is minimally invasive? Seems like no data on this?


thank you all!!!
 
Hi

firstly "minimally invasive" is just marketing twaddle and they still do the primary things in the same manner ... its probably in the hope that the modern generation who are hyper-anxious and overly worried about the length of their scar will be placated.

Secondly your situation may indeed stay stable for some years, so do what they say and that's monitor it yearly. It will happen when it wants to (its not like pregnancy where you know the durations down to a few days).

Lastly read this thread, I've posted some points in there which are pretty stats oriented (but about homograft valves) and there are many other good comments in there by experienced members too:

http://www.valvereplacement.org/for...r-33-year-old-mechanical-vs-homograft-vs-ross
 
Anyone know data on average age it surgery is needed? He obviously made no promises about that but in curious.

Before my surgery I read a paper about autopsies of Italian men. Of about 100-200 men who died of untreated bicuspid valve disease, they ranged in age from ~16 - 80 with the median at 55. The same year I needed mine replaced.

With my BAV, I went from echo to echo with no real warning about getting critical and then one year, I was told by the cardio (he called me on the phone): "You need to get this done soon or you will suffer the syndrome known as "Sudden Death". What's soon? Right now. Is it an emergency? Well no, but don't wait too long. What's too long? I wouldn't wait more than 3 months..." My surgeon said about the same. I took a little under 2 months to get it done.

I had no noticeable symptoms, until a few weeks after being told I needed surgery, when I got light-headed at church and almost fell down. Happened only once.
 
tom in MO;n883575 said:
......... I was told by the cardio (he called me on the phone): "You need to get this done soon or you will suffer the syndrome known as "Sudden Death". What's soon? Right now.

I like the direct approach of your cardio. I also did my best to "crawfish" (back away) from surgery and then my cardio got my attention when he told me "you have a one in four chance of dropping dead (Sudden Death) and there is no way you'll live to 40"....without valve replacement. That got me "off the dime" and I scheduled the surgery.........smartest thing I ever did.
 
My Regurgitation is “mild to moderate”, where is that on the spectrum? Is severe the final stage?

I think it goes mild, moderate, severe , eccentric
I was severe/eccentric
My aorta measured roughly the same as yours, normal root , 4.14mm at the biggest I think so they left it alone

I was around 6 years from diagnosis to replacement, although I wasn't told until 2 years after my doctor knew about it , I got the it will be fine just have it checked in 10 years time... I don't have any data but from what I've read (think I've seen some graphs on here??) 40 ish is pretty common and 50s become even more so.
I was your age at 26 when I left the army , I was generally at the back with the old men during PT, maybe the more sedentary lifestyle as a civillian accelerated my valves demise
 
Agian;n883588 said:
Hmm, I didn't see it that way initially, but you're probably right, Dick.

I thought he could have been less frightening.

Oh it was frightening and I needed it. It's easy to think you don't needed an AVR if you are asymptomatic.

I saw him again before I had set my date for surgery and he used the same phrase "You need to get this done. You don't want to suffer the syndrome known as Sudden Death". When they took my valve out, I asked how bad the valve was, and my surgeon told me it was "time."
 
I was diagnosed with a BAV at 6 years old. Early teens was told would probably have to have the valve replaced around 40. Later on, was told don't worry about it. Then the measurements started worsening over the years. Was going to cardio for checkups once every 2 to 3 years; then every other year; then once a year; to finally twice a year. I have severe aortic stenosis and aorta aneurysm. Left ventricle size climbed to 6.7; ejection fraction was hovering around 50%; aorta was at 4.7. Felt I was getting close to replacement. Got a bacterial infection - diagnosed with endocarditis. After the infection was cleared, surgery was scheduled to "go ahead and take care of that valve". I was 39 when I had surgery. Had valve replacement (mechanical), aorta replacement up to the underside of the hemi-arch, and a bypass. Surgery was 8 1/2 years ago.
 

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