How many had a Second AVR Surgery?

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iren_999

Active member
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Messages
30
Location
USA
Hi all,

I am new to this forum.

I had my AVR surgery 3 months now and everything was OK. A little bit of a burning sensation throughout my chest. That is normal for this type of surgery.
My AVR was a minimal invasive with a tissue valve replacement.
So I went to my cardio doctor today and she made some ultrasounds and she told me that I needed to have a tube run down my throat as she can hear something abnormally wrong.
Maybe a possible leakage, I don't know...

However, she admitted to me one time that their ultrasound machine is not very good or accurate. Anyways, she will admit me to my hospital were I had my surgery.

I had my surgery on April, 26, 2016 and I felt fine. I can walk and even clean the house and I feel no side effects.
I just feel fresh and normal again.

So my question is, what are the odds of having this surgery again?
I am scared and freaked out now. I don't know what to do anymore.

Has anyone had a reoperation due to complications?

Thanks
 
I dont know the odds. I know it does happen, although its likely sort of rare when it does. I would think the instances when it does its more likely with a tissue valve replacement, as there is very little that could go wrong with a mechanical valve. Hopefully its nothing and they are just being overly cautious.
 
iren_999;n866742 said:
If there are any signs of leakage what would be the symptoms?
it will be identified in a ultra sound scan first

which is why you need to have a followup after surgery, then at a year, then perhaps yearly or bi-yearly
 
Welcome to the forum.

It sounds like they want you to have a TEE which is just an ultrasound from inside you, where they can measure things more accurately than through the outside of your chest. I just had one and I too was alarmed that the doc ordered it. However, it actually showed that my recent standard "chest" echo was inaccurate and that I don't have anything to worry about yet.

You never know of course, but more than likely they will just be taking measurements that are accurate and those will be your post-surgery baselines for regular followup every year or 6 months. I know it's tough, but try not to worry about it until you have to. For example, I developed moderate-severe regurgitation (leakage) immediately after my repair and I've been living with that just fine for 14 years now with no symptoms and no recommendation for surgery. So understand that even if your test does show some leakage, that doesn't mean you're headed back to the OR real soon.

With a tissue valve, you'd expect to need another surgery after some years (don't know how old you are), but I sure hope not RIGHT NOW. Make sure you keep up with your testing schedule because they really do need that info to guide your care. You can't rely just on how you feel. Hang in there--I hope they can schedule your test soon.
 
Thanks for the support.

My pulse and blood pressure has been stable at around 100 to 110. I am 72 years old.

I am more worried about the TEE procedure than anything else. Will they give me something to sedate me?

I should of not been so active so soon as I was impatient being pinned to my bed. But I felt great not needing to rest all day. I even did some grocery shopping carrying small amounts and I think that perhaps caused a leakage. But these actions were 2 months post op.
 
iren_999;n866749 said:
I should of not been so active so soon as I was impatient being pinned to my bed. But I felt great not needing to rest all day. I even did some grocery shopping carrying small amounts and I think that perhaps caused a leakage. But these actions were 2 months post op.

well I think its a little early to be saying "should not have been so active" ... I think that you should be active. Its encouraged that you do walking and keep doing things quite soon after surgery.

Of course there are lifting restirctions till your sternum heals, but at 2 months you'll be fine to do things that "your body tells you" are ok.

activity is needed to recover.

I think you'll be fine :)
 
The TEE may sound fearful, but they give you something to calm you and numb your gag reflex . Docs often order more tests to get clearer or more information. You will do fine.
 
My doctor who did the ultrasound did not call me back and it has been 4 days now. So I guess no news is good news. Or, perhaps its not THAT serious. Who knows...
She said to me that she will arrange an agreement with the cardio hospital were I had my surgery for a schedule on the TEE but nothing heard yet.
And she told me that or admitted to me that her machine is not so accurate.

However, after the surgery that I had 3 months ago, I still feel a burning sensation throughout my chest. Is this normal or not?
Will this be for a lifetime?
The burning feeling happens especially during a major weather change and when walking.

It was a minimal invasive incision.

Thanks again for the support.
 
Hi

iren_999;n866752 said:
...
However, after the surgery that I had 3 months ago, I still feel a burning sensation throughout my chest. Is this normal or not?
Will this be for a lifetime?
The burning feeling happens especially during a major weather change and when walking.

given that people seldom describe things in a consistent way (I say fruit someone thinks banana when I'm thinking Orange) and I don't know quite what "burning" means, I'd say no, burning is not normal.

stretching stinging is how I'd describe it.
 

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