Durability of Mitral Valve Repair

[rush]

Hi everyone,
I am a 35 year old guy from Greece,who is scheduled to undergo a minimally invasive mitral valve repair in two months.
I wonder about the long-term durability of a mitral valve repair,as well as the quality of life after the surgery.
Are there any members who have had a repair on their mitral valve?I would appreciate some testimonials.
Thank you!

 

[ejc61]

Hello Rush,
I had minimally invasive (robotic) mitral valve repair almost 6 years ago. I was 47 years old at the time, fairly active with my bicycle, skiing and kayaking. I was asymptomatic but had severe regurgitation. Since surgery, I have experienced absolutely no decline in my quality of life and I continue with my activities/hobbies. My regurgitation currently is classified as mild so it's an improvement. I did have endocardititis last year due to some strep infection originating from the mouth but my valve was not damaged and I feel good. Good luck.

 

[rush]

Hi ejc61.
thank you so much for your reply.
Glad you are doing so great!
May I ask,how was your recovery?How long till you returned to work?
I will most probably have the mini thoracotomy approach,though I have to travel abroad for it...in Greece,where I live and work, I can only have the traditional approach with the full sternotomy.
I gotta admit that I don't really look forward to the surgery,in fact I think I'm getting a bit depressed.This has all come out of the blue just when my life was beginning to settle,after a long stressful period.

 

[ejc61]

Hey Rush,
The mini thoracotomy and robotic are pretty much the same procedure but just a different technique. The incisions are a little different in size. I think both approaches are better than the full, but I'm not a doctor. I had surgery on a Thursday and left the hospital Sunday. I have a desk job and I missed 2 weeks after that. So in total 2 weeks and 2 days missed. I was not permitted to drive for a week if I remember so that was part of the story. It was my first surgery ever so I was a bit nervous. I must admit that it was much better than I expected. What is important is to walk once you return home. Immediately I was walking about 30 minutes per day for that 1st week. You will be given pain medication and you will be sleeping a few hours a day due to being tired. This lasted about 5 days or so. It it critical to not just sit around after this surgery to prevent clots. If I may ask, what country are you considering for surgery?

 

[rush]

Hey ejc61,
This will be my first surgery too. I believe I would have easier come to terms with the thought of going through all this,if I could be given some kind of reassurance that the result will last.But I suppose my main concern should be that I come out of it alive and with my valve repaired.
To get the minimally invasive surgery,I will have to travel to a reference center in Germany or Italy.Some concerns here as well,how long after the surgery I will be able to fly back to Greece.What do you think?

 

[ejc61]

I'm not sure whether anyone goes though heart surgery with the understanding that it will last forever. Not knowing your specific condition, the success rate is usually very good but still even with me and probably a lot of heart surgery patients, I am ok with the possibility of a repeat. I think after my first surgery, the mystery is over and I feel I'm mentally better prepared for future surgeries if that is the case. As far as traveling, that would be a question for surgeon. Many people on this board have travelled around the U.S. which can be many hours. I think it is done.

 

[rush]

Thank you for taking the time to reply to me ejc61 !
Ι would also appreciate more testimonials from other MVR patients .

 

[Blair]

Hi Rush,
I had mitral valve repair a year ago when I was 55. Minimally invasive right thoracotomy. No robotics. I pushed the surgeon to give me an idea how long the repair would last. He said 90% were still going after 20 years. That was as long as they had tracked it. Everyone I talked to expected this repair to be the only one I would need, but I find that hard to believe. Recovery was easier than I expected. It took me a while to get all my stamina back though. It was about eight months before I felt better than before the surgery. I exercise regularly and still notice some improvement every few weeks. Physically, I can pretty much do whatever I want. My only real complaint is that the incision cut the pectoral muscle in two, and it healed that way. Still, that is a small price to pay to feel this good!

I hope you are able to avoid depression. I was full of anxiety as my surgery approached, but after reading a lot on this forum I became very confident. About a week before surgery I was surprised how calm I was.

Hope this helps.

 

[rush]

Hi Blair
and thanks for the reply.
May I ask,how long did it take you to return to work?
And,do you have any restrictions,eg in weight lifting?
Did you notice any memory or attention problems?