Mitral or Aorta?

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Mileena -

I *assume* that you are speaking of the Aortic Valve (vs. Mitral Valve) and NOT the Aorta itself.

The Aorta is the conduit (tube, pipe, plumbing) that carries blood from the Heart (through the Aortic Valve) to the rest of the body.

The Aortic Valve is the Valve at the output of the 'main pumping chamber' (i.e. Left Ventricle) which empties into the Aorta.

'AL Capshaw'
 
I had my mitral valve replaced due to rheumatic fever. Neither me or my parent recall me having it. But rheumatic fever is brought on by the strep virus and my surgeon told me that it could have been from a sore throat that I didn't go to the doctor for that could have caused it. I had also read where it could affect both the aortic and mitral valves so I asked him what chance is there that later down the road that I would have to have my aortic valve replaced and I was told that it probably wouldn't happen. I hope not.
 
The mitral valve is the valve most commonly affected by rheumatic fever. The second most commonly affected is the aortic valve.
The mitral valve typically develops stenosis or stenosis/regurgitation combination. The aortic valve is more likely to develop regurgitation with rheumatic fever than stenosis but both are possible. The other two valves can be affected but it far less common.

I do think there are more on VR.com with aortic valve problems but I wouldn't say one is worse than the other. With aortic stenosis sometimes the first symptom is sudden death. You are in more danger of developing a clot on a mechanical mitral than on a mechanical aortic valve. I'd rather not have either problem if I had the choice.
 
Mitral valve prolapse is a fairly common occurrence, so doctors who don't run into this type of thing a lot tend to think of that first. Fortunately, most people with MVP never do require surgery.

Mitral valve surgery is slightly higher risk than aortic valve surgery, and has a higher incidence of recurrent atrial fibrillation (Afib) post-surgery. The aortic valve is under the highest pressure of any of the valves, and is attached to the ascending aorta (the part close to the valve is called the aortic root), and so aneurysms and root replacements sometimes accompany an aortic replacement. Both valves are critical, and not correcting either one of them when they become critical will lead to a slow, unpleasant death, usually within two years for the aortic. So, that sort of level-sets them...

The aortic valve is more often the culprit on this site, but we do cover every valve. Right-sided valve problems are less common, offer slightly less surgical risk, but are still a very Big Deal, if it's you that has to have one fixed. The right-side valves operate under less pressure than the left-side valves (left side feeds the body, right side sends blood through the lungs). The tricuspid valve, which is the right-side's version of the left side's mitral valve, is considered the least critical valve, and is sometimes even left alone, if it's the only valve affected or the patient is not in a condition to handle surgery well. That doesn't mean that damage to it won't affect you, or that people don't ever get it replaced or repaired. The pulmonary valve often goes through a period of doubt for those who have the Ross Procedure. On less common occasions, the pulmonary valve has issues of its own, and just needs to be replaced.

Best wishes,
 
academic

academic

.
mitral/aorta/worse/better/less common/more common... i tend to think it is all academic; both are a misery and a life threatening/changing event. someone with the other problem is lucky/unlucky...., i do not think so!

more to the point, my heart goes out to those poor sods who have hit a double and words escape me for those among us unlucky enough to have won the trifecta; oh dear.
 
COLLEEN S said:
Yes, sorry ..didnt mean to indicate that MVRs werent serious, they are definitely. I was just pointing out to the OP that mitrals often "prolapse" whereas aortics stenose, regurgitate, and more frequently become anuerysyms.
Click to expand...

I have seen some entries on the Tarrant County (TX, Fort Worth) Medical Examiner's public website of autopsied deaths attributed to MV problems.

MVs typically prolapse and then escalate into regurgitation; however, MVs can also become stenotic.
 
Hi Mileena i had my aortic done in 92 and mitral in 2009
I had rhuematic fever at age 16
My surgeon felt in 92 my native mitral would outlast the aortic mechanical
he put in...not so the mitral surgery completed 2009 and my 92 aortic
mechanical could also been changed out during mitral surgery,but
i am high risk surgery and was decided not to tamper with a double
valve replacement at the time,too risky
They are watching my mech aortic closely at this time and my cardio
feels eventually i will have my 3rd surgery as needed when time comes be
it sooner or later or as i see it (NEVER);)....i wish never but i can at least
hand it over to God and let him worry about it,cus my worrying is just
a waste of time and energy on my part and doesnt improve the fears i
endure with worrying so when it happens,if it happens my family and I are
ready for another round at the tracks....strike #3 so to speak
I am heading to my cardio this wed to check on things and or changes
But this is how i ended up 2 surgerys years apart into a possible future
3rd.
 
My Aortic valve became insufficient (leaking) around age 19 and neither I nor any of my family members remember that I ever had rheumatic heart fever...yet doctors all say that I should have had it and did not know!! I had a bad tonsillitis and right after it, I discovered that my aortic valve was leaking. Over the years, the Mitral valve got affected and started leaking too.
 
Eva said:
My Aortic valve became insufficient (leaking) around age 19 and neither I nor any of my family members remember that I ever had rheumatic heart fever...yet doctors all say that I should have had it and did not know!! I had a bad tonsillitis and right after it, I discovered that my aortic valve was leaking. Over the years, the Mitral valve got affected and started leaking too.
Click to expand...

Because I had had several bouts of strep throat from age 17 to my early 20s, I asked my doctors if I could have had rheumatic fever and not known it. The surgeon said my valve had no vegetation or other signs of an illness. My valve had prolapsed due to myxomatous tissue.
 
I have been greatly educated by some of the replies! I never meant to suggest (at all!) that one was worse than the other....of course not....was just basically looking for a count on who had what done here on VR.com.

Hi zipper/Deb:

This was one of my fears....that now that my Mitral is "fixed" that I might then turn around in a few years and have to have another valve replaced. Bless your heart for facing a possible third!

Mileena
 
Aortic valve replaced along with an aorta graft due to aneuryisms( caused by the narrowing valve). Heart murmur identified at age 45 via echo showed the aneuryism, and by age 58.5 I had a significantly narrowed aortic valve opening. Was told it could possibly be bicuspid or just a fused leaflet.

AVR and aorta graft 3/11/09
UAB Dr. McGiffin
 
tobagotwo said:
Mitral valve prolapse is a fairly common occurrence, so doctors who don't run into this type of thing a lot tend to think of that first. Fortunately, most people with MVP never do require surgery.

Mitral valve surgery is slightly higher risk than aortic valve surgery, and has a higher incidence of recurrent atrial fibrillation (Afib) post-surgery. The aortic valve is under the highest pressure of any of the valves, and is attached to the ascending aorta (the part close to the valve is called the aortic root), and so aneurysms and root replacements sometimes accompany an aortic replacement. Both valves are critical, and not correcting either one of them when they become critical will lead to a slow, unpleasant death, usually within two years for the aortic. So, that sort of level-sets them...

The aortic valve is more often the culprit on this site, but we do cover every valve. Right-sided valve problems are less common, offer slightly less surgical risk, but are still a very Big Deal, if it's you that has to have one fixed. The right-side valves operate under less pressure than the left-side valves (left side feeds the body, right side sends blood through the lungs). The tricuspid valve, which is the right-side's version of the left side's mitral valve, is considered the least critical valve, and is sometimes even left alone, if it's the only valve affected or the patient is not in a condition to handle surgery well. That doesn't mean that damage to it won't affect you, or that people don't ever get it replaced or repaired. The pulmonary valve often goes through a period of doubt for those who have the Ross Procedure. On less common occasions, the pulmonary valve has issues of its own, and just needs to be replaced.

Best wishes,
Click to expand...


Along with all Bob wrote, I do not know this for a fact, but I always thought some of the reasons not many people that post here need pulmonary valves, (beside them not being as common), is MOST people that I know of that need PVR usually need it as part of Congenital Heart Defects or result of surgery for a CHD, (for example a Ross) you don't often hear of Pulmonary stenosis being aquired. It is usally something that an adult has been having surgeries for since they were babies or small children, so they've grown up having heart surgeries and this isn't something new to them that they have alot of questions about. Also Since both the Tricuspid and pulmonary valve ARE on the right side and have less pressure, the great majority of surgeons will only use tissue valves,(too easy for clots to form because of the low pressure) so they don't have to do as much research trying to decide between mech and tissue and all that goes along with that discussion, that alot of the new members seem to be learn about. and last, for the most part they aren't on coumadin which is another thing alot of people find VR when they are trying to learn about
 
It would be a mistake to assume that everything else is all right simply because the doctor did not mention it. Many don't mention things that haven't gotten to a point where something can or should be done about it. While it's probably the case that he didn't mention your aortic valve because it's fine, I would specifically ask him about it. I never ceased to be amazed at what doctors think we don't need to know. Hope all else is fine.

Best wishes,
 
Lynlw said:
Along with all Bob wrote, I do not know this for a fact, but I always thought some of the reasons not many people that post here need pulmonary valves, (beside them not being as common), is MOST people that I know of that need PVR usually need it as part of Congenital Heart Defects or result of surgery for a CHD, (for example a Ross) you don't often hear of Pulmonary stenosis being aquired. It is usally something that an adult has been having surgeries for since they were babies or small children, so they've grown up having heart surgeries and this isn't something new to them that they have alot of questions about. Also Since both the Tricuspid and pulmonary valve ARE on the right side and have less pressure, the great majority of surgeons will only use tissue valves,(too easy for clots to form because of the low pressure) so they don't have to do as much research trying to decide between mech and tissue and all that goes along with that discussion, that alot of the new members seem to be learn about. and last, for the most part they aren't on coumadin which is another thing alot of people find VR when they are trying to learn about
Click to expand...

I think what Lyn wrote here is very true. I am one of the few on here with a tricuspid valve replacement. It is due to a congenital heart condition. I had my first surgery when I was 17. I was not given an option to have a mechanical valve for the exact reasons Lyn stated. Even though Bob wrote that the valves on the right side offer less surgical risk, I don't know that he took into account that alot of us with valve issues on the right side of the heart are dealing with complex congenital heart disease that usually involves other issues with our hearts that are sometimes dealt with in some way during the valve surgery. Not only that, but most of us will have multiple repeat heart surgeries in our lives.

Kim
 
Not fair, Kim. :)

It implies all else being equal. In your case (in many different cases), it's not equal. There was no intention to impugn or diminish one valve issue over another.

Please note that I said it's "a very Big Deal, if it's you that has to have one fixed". Tricuspid surgeries go through the same procedures as any other valve surgery. It is 100% as much open heart surgery as any done to anyone on the site. Hurts just as much, takes as long to heal, etc...

It's slightly less risky, all else being equal, just as aortic is slightly less risky than mitral. In your case (and a number of others), that doesn't apply.

Best wishes,
 
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