Guess what ? That's right mechanical -v- tissue (with a hint of Ross)

[MarkU]

"Tastes great" or "Less filling" ?
Ford or Chevy?
Ginger or Mary Ann?
Mechanical or Tissue?

Been around this place for eight years and have lost track of how many threads have driven this topic into the ground. Kind of like watching the movie Groundhog Day.
They usually start out innocently, there are some interesting posts, sometimes with some new & interesting information. But inevitably they enter a death spiral of anecdotal evidence and unsupported opinions, most often in support of the poster's valve choice.
Most posters will go to the edge of supporting their choice without actually criticizing the other, but inevitably someone is perceived to have crossed the line and someone else goes home ticked off.
Just sayin'
Mark

BTW, I always chose Mary Ann

 

[Lynlw]

Lyn,
you are absolutely right on the above, I misread the positioning of "unlikely" and therefore misquoted Dick on what he wrote..

My point though: if the patient is less than let's say 50, would mechanical not be the better option in most cases, for the possibility/probability of a single surgery, taking into account that the downside to mechanical is a requirement for a coumadin regime for life, with a life expentancy normally approaching 80 in North America?
Know that the patient survival time overall by studies of biological and mechanical recipients is similar, but the statistics do not take into account the time, stress and expense of multiple surgeries, which is very likely to happen in a young patient when biological valves have a 1 to 2 decade lifespan. Believe studies as well describe a probable more rapid degradation of a biological valave in a young patient, because in simple terms, the immune system is more active when the patient is younger, casuing more rapid wear on the prosthetic biological valve.
A Coumadin regime seems a small tradoff in comparison to the hassle of a probability of multiple surgeries for a young individual, in my view and therefore suggesting biological as the 1st choice for a young patient, may actually be doing them a disservice, if there are none of the other reasons for choosing a biological
Lyn, do we agree to disagree?

Gil

Since you ask, I do agree to disagree. I believe It is a personal choice which you rather liive with, the risks of surgery that is usually planned or REDOS or the smaller day to day risk of bleeds or clots with a mechanical valve.
I think it is perfectly reasonable for someone in their 40s to choose to have a tissue valve and sign up for at least one more surgery because they want to avoid Coumadin. Coumadin is not risk free. Maybe because I know so many people personally including my son, who NEED to have 3 or more complex heart surgeries just to reach adulthood and know how more the most part , even IF you have very bad complications after surgery, the majority of people do well.
IF it was cut and dry, people would not be offerred the choice or have such a hard time deciding and many of the large centers like CCF would not give the vast majority of the patients (even REDOS) biological valves.
Also chances are pretty good, IF you got a tissue valve now, even if you needed OHS when this one needs replaced by the time that one needed replaced it would most likely be done in the cath lab, especially if other medical issues that came up that made you a higher risk surgery.

 

[neil]

mark your spot on,good post, think we all need to move on, agree to disagree i think,

 

[Lynlw]

mark your spot on,good post, think we all need to move on, agree to disagree i think,

Is the beer still available?

 

[ARGreenMN]

Mary Ann! Oh, it said that was too short to post. So once again - Mary Ann!

 

[Ross]

While this thread is now beating a dead horse, it is infomative to new people whether or not us older members agree or not. Lets let this one go before Neil has to start his own brewery, in order to keep us all supplied.

 

[MarkU]

While this thread is now beating a dead horse, it is infomative to new people whether or not us older members agree or not. Lets let this one go before Neil has to start his own brewery, in order to keep us all supplied.

Who you callin' old, kid?

Mark

 

[Ross]

Who you callin' old, kid?

Mark

I don't know about you, but I was around back in the tar pit days when the Earth was without form and void.