Tissue vs. Mechanical

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SB42

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 17, 2011
Messages
161
Location
No.VA
Just a curious question...

I am 42 and chose a tissue valve. I researched the pros/cons of both tissue & mechanical...Understanding that age may be a major reason for type of valve chosen...I was wondering, if you are willing, if you could simply reply with the following information

1) Username and/or name
2) Age
3) valve type selection

I will start: ;)

1) SB42 / Scott
2) 42
3) Tissue (Bovine)
 
if you don't mind me asking, kfay....how have the last four years been treating you?
 
Sarah Louise
13 week- Tisue valve (Part of my Truncus "repair")
13 years- Mechanical valve
17 years-Tissue valve
xx
 
Mom to Justin 23, got tissue valve at 17

BUT...
Interesting thread, to make it more helpful, You might also want to ask what year they had the surgery, since things like reccomendations change over the decades and it would probably be interesting to know what number heart surgery the valve replacement was. For example there are a few members who chose a tissue valve but already had 1 or more heart surgery, either that same valve or other surgery like Cort's recent AVR, was his 1st AVR but 4th OHS, so already knew what it was like going thru surgery and recovery (ies)

Then of course to make it even more confusing, :) WHAT valve was replaced makes a difference, for example most surgeons reccomend tissue valves for the right side of the heart regardless of age and how many surgeries you have had for a few reasons.

Justin is 23 His intial diagnosis at 1 day old, was Transposition of the Great Vessels (Aorta and pulmonary Artery were reversed so some blood just went from his heart to lungs and back over and over and other blood left heart to the body and back to the heart and back to the body without going to the lungs to get O2) VSDs and ASD (holes in the walls between both atriums and both ventricles, which was good in his case since some of the blood mixed and some oxygenated blood got to his body) and Pulmonary stenosis /atresia -the pulmonary artery was very narrow and valve closed, which is why he needed a conduit to take the blood from his right ventricle to lungs bypassing the closed areas) TECHnically it was considerred Right Ventricular Outflow Tract (RVOT) stenosis/atresia, since it really was his Aorta coming off the right ventricle that was stenosis when he was born, after his main surgery the conduit was then his pulmonary one
and a couple smaller things

1st surgery at 10 days in 88 shunt between Aorta and pulm artery so some oxgygenated blood got to body to let him get big enough for the surgery where they had to rebuild/reroute alot of his heart. It was a BT shunt, if you ever saw the movie "Something the Lord made" about the first heart surgery to save "blue babies' it was that shunt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUfOvjNTM2M

2nd surgery rastelli 18 months,1989 part of the surgery was a conduit made in OR from own tissue and gortex, from his right ventricle to pulm artery,(RVOT) but they left out a pulm valve since he would just outgrow it and to hopefully cut down on surgeries until full grown or close to.

3rd age 10 1998, Conduit revision- the middle section counduit that was calcified/stenosed was cut out andpatched with more of his own tissue. still left out valve

4th age 17 2005 replaced pulm conduit, with a section of dacron then tissue valve and then another section of dacron.

5th age 19 2007 another conduit revision, the first section of dacron conduit that "should' have lasted forever needed replaced, the tissue valve and 2nd conduit looked brand new so left alone.
 
Thank you for your valid response, Lyn. I realize, age, year and many other factors have effect on decision. I was just looking for dialogue and high overview feedback. Anyone, like you, is more than welcome to add as much information as they deem necessary outside of the three points I originally listed. Your level of detail is very welcome and helpful to people like myself to see this through a different perspective - thank you! Feel free to open a new thread as we can cut and dice this in a variety of ways ;) Justin sounds like an extremely strong individual and, although I will never know what it has been like for him to go through all of those procedures, I will be sure to put Justin into my prayer chain!

Blessings,

SB42
 

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