Bicuspid Aortic Valve Replacement - Tissue vs. Mechanical for a young guy

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Brian,

Just a note to tell you that many prayers will go up on your behalf. Do the same before surgery and go to sleep gently and wake up peacefully with it all behind you.

I hope you will have someone post for you. I'll be watching for news.
 
Brian,
Well it won't be long now before you'll be posting your personal war stories, relieved that it's all over and starting to heal. You know that waiting room isn't just for folks who haven't yet had their surgery. That's where we all hang out until we get news that all is well when one of our number gets rolled off on a gurney. Good luck Brian, can't wait to hear from you on the other side.
Sue
 
Good Luck Brian.
Im not sure when your surgery is but it sounds like tomorrow.
Maybe someone could put it on the calender.
 
Brian-

I just put you on the calendar for tomorrow. It looks like you have good company with Dale.

I want to wish you all the best for a highly successful surgery. You'll do just fine.

We'll be waiting to hear. Is someone going to post for you?

Talk to you later.
 
Hello everyone again...

thanks again for the continued replies and opinions. I mave met so many helpful people on this site - I never would have dreamed that there was this much support out there for people needing AVR!!

I heard about the Ross procedure when I first learned I was going to have the surgery (before I knew about this site)... from a friend who's a nurse in the cardiac/thoracic surgery center. as I've said, my cardioloist and I have been talking about this surgery and the options i will have for the last 10 years, and never once did he mention the Ross procedure. when I brought it up to him after my cath a few weeks ago, he was very against it. since then I have learned a TON about it.... so that's great...

I mentioned in another thread that I do ahve my surgery date now: April 13th! I technically don't need to decide on a valve until a few days before.... Even with all of the pro-mech valve comments that people have given on here, I am currently leaning toward a tissue valve. And the surgeon already told me that if I choose tissue, it will most likely be a bovine tissue valve. possibly a cadaver valve, but I believe he said something about it being more difficult to replace than the bovine. he also said to only expect 10 years out of the tissue valve...

anyway, thanks again to everyone and PLEASE keep posting your ideas on this issue!
-eddie
 
and I forgot - good luck Brian on tomorrow!
please post when you can afterwards and let us know how you are

-eddie
 
Best wishes tomorrow Brian. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Kathy H
 
Thanks again everyone, all of your warm wishes mean a lot. It's like one big family.
Eddie, One thing I and all of us will say..it's your decision, just make it an informed one and be happy with it and at peace with it, it's a decision that you'll have to live with for a long time.
I will try my best to post some results as soon as I can, maybe have my wife or one of my kids post the post surgery news.
I feel good about things and am totally comfortable with it all.
My surgery got bumped up from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., so I have to check in at 6:00 a.m. and we are 2 hrs away..so it'll be an early one.

Take care everyone and I'll be talking to you on the otherside...

Be good, have fun and enjoy our lives!! ;)

Brian Anderson
 
Brian get you some sleep my friend. Good luck. Let someone post for you so we know how your doing.
 
Eddies april 13th avr

Eddies april 13th avr

Hi Eddie,
I wonder if we can get a twofer ? I will also be having a aortic valve put in most probably April 13th, in Cleveland.
I have decided on the bovine. CCF uses the CE Perimount valve.
They are saying 15-20 yr. durability. Their newest valve isn't being used I don't believe. It has more anticalcification properties than the perimount. I also heard the homograft is more difficult going in and coming out; which means more pump time.
You are younger than me, I got out of high school in 74. Did your surgeon or cardiologist suggest a tissue valve or a mechanical for you ?
How are you holding up ?
I am just counting my days, trying to get anything that will need lifted, lifted and moved, moved. Made all the pet arrangments. I made out a will. O got a nice lounge chair out of the deal so I'm happy. I'm going to the dentist Thursday for a new filling and should be good to go. Am I missing something you have thought of ?
Best of luck, spillo
 
Funny stuff Spillo! I'll look into the two-fer idea... LOL

Is "CE Perimount valve" the brand of valve? I asked the nurse what brand of valves they used (tissue or mech), and she said "Carpentier-Edwards for tissue, and St. Jude for mech". So I'm not sure what I need to ask to get a more specific answer. maybe model?

My cardio has been talking about this with me for 10 years.. so he's never really given me what he suggests, rather he would always just lay out the options for me. when I met the surgeon, he was doing the same thing, and I finally asked "what would YOU choose if you were in my situation, my lifestyle, age, etc?" And he answered "I would probably choose a tissue valve"

I am actually doing very well as I get closer to 4/13, but I am keeping very busy! I just closed on a new house yesterday, and we will be moving in all this week! So I'll be getting a LOT of heavy lifting done before my surgery :D got everything squared away for my time off at work also, and for the band that I play with. that was really the biggest issue - the fact that I won't be able to perform for that long...

I have thuoght about the will - I really should do that. I don't know where to start with it though. and the other thing I need to look at more closely is how much I will be paying for this surgery through my insurance!

-eddie
 
Shock at CC

Shock at CC

I was just at CC a day ago and I was shocked when the cardiologist said the surgeon would most likily put in a mech.
valve. When I told him of the very contentious debate that goes on in this forum and CC bias for tissue valves,he said the decision
was mine but because of the problems of another surgery with
me, he wanted to give me the best chance of no more valve
surgeries. He said you get that with mech valves, where as with
tissue if you live long enough you are guaranteed at least one more surgery. Since I have no problems being ON warfarin for the longest he was aware of, why change now. Of course its
just me- others have different priorities.
No MORE OHS IS MINE!!!!!!
 
valve choice

valve choice

Hi everyone, a while back I couldn't make up my mind on which type of valve to choose and I was advised by many of you to go for the mechanical this time. For those of you who haven't seen me around yet, I've had three MVRs and all with a tissue valve. After having considered the pros and cons of each type, well, mainly due to the fact that I am, if you don't mind me saying, sick and tired of having to face the same old operation every once in a while, this time unless my doctor advises me against it, I'll give the mechanical valve a try. I was going to last time, but since I wanted to become a mother, and I have, I opted for yet another tissue one but enough is enough, and that's it, no more doubts except for the ones regarding the mechanical valve itself.which I hope some of you can help me with. I'm 39 years old and hope to live for many more to come. Most of you worry about cutting yourselves while being on blood thinner medication, well, my concern is that ever since I was a child, I've always loved foods which contain a great deal of VK and having to reduce them doesn't exactly make me happy. Anyway, just like a lot of you, I'll have to learn how to live with it. See you around, Débora
 
Debora, you may NOT have to reduce the vitamin K intake as long as you're fairly consistent about it. I basically eat the same as I did before surgery. Your diet is related to your dosage, so as long as you don't suddenly increase or decrease the vitamin K for extended periods of time, I doubt you'd see a problem. (Unless we're talking about extremes here).

This is just my layman's input, others may disagree.
 
Big Myth

Big Myth

Debora,
That idea that you can't have foods high in Vit. K is one of the biggest myths about warfarin that keeps repeating itself on
this and other forum. What you have to do is keep your intake
at the same level. Meaning what our mother have taught us from birth- eat a balanced diet everyday, day in and day out. I eat a high Vit. K everyday. I had some Lower GI problems and was advised to go on a high K diet. My protime, except for when I got sick, has been the same dose for three years. My INR does vary between 2.4 and 4.1, but as I'm sure Al Lodwick( the real
expert here) will tell you, one test a little below 2.5 or a little above 3.5 is not a big deal. I generally average between 2.8 and 3.4. As practically all who are ACTUALLY on warfarin (not just thinking about it), say that taking warfarin is not as scary as another OHS surgery. Whose advice do you want to take:
The ones who have actually experienced warfarin?
The ones who have just have an opinion about warfarin?
You and I are one of the few on this forum who have had multiple surgeries on the same valve so we share common ground with the others on this forum. I rarely speak for other people but I would bet you a 7 course meal at a 5 star restaurant
that a majority fear another surgery rather than the so called "nightmare of warfarin"!
 
Hi Debora--

Joe been on Coumadin for 26 years. He eats just about everything he wants and likes. Like everyone else has said here, you have to eat a balanced diet and most of us strive to do that anyway. Just eat some of the things you like each day or so, but you don't have to measure them or stuff like that, and don't eat an enormous plateful of high K things. Just a normal portion.

It really, really isn't as bad as you think it is, unless you end up with someone monitoring you who is clueless. Then it's a problem. If that happens go on to someone else who knows what they're doing. You'll be able to tell early on who knows their stuff and who doesn't.
 
Can someone pass me the Box of Brussel Sprouts, Spinich, and Brocoli please. :D

Eat as much as you want, but be CONSISTENT from day to day.
 
coming attractions

coming attractions

I'll send you some fresh asparagus from my garden to add to your mix. This warm rain will bring it up in a couple of weeks,
if we don't get a blizzard- you know Ohio weather!
 
Thank you all

Thank you all

Well, I must thank you all for finally having put my mind at ease here and I do agree that anything is better than having to face endless surgeries in my spare time, just a joke! Although my doctor's told me to go and see him only in July or August, I've decided to pay him a visit soon since I've been through a lot of stress lately as well as having to cope with the news I received about the old valve beginning to let me down. By the way, how have you been dealing with your ups and downs and what do you usually do when you feel irritated about every little thing and end up taking it all out on others? My moods have been so changeable and on many occasions I find myself so indifferent to things. I've even lost my vanity in many ways and can't be bothered getting my hair or nails done for instance. Any advice on that will be welcome.
 
Brian's Surgery

Brian's Surgery

Hello everyone! This is Brian's 15 year old daughter Carlee. He asked me to post for him while he's still in the hospital. The surgery went really well. He was done in 3 and a half hours instead of the expected 4 or 5 hours. The doctor said he got a good sized valve in too which is great! It took him a while to come out of the anesthetic which is no surprise becuz dad likes to sleep...alot. He needed to catch up on his sleep since he didnt get much sleep in the past month getting called out to work. So he came out of the anesthetic at about 7 pm. Saturday he said he was throwing up alot during the day which is crummy but when we got there during the evening he seemed to be doing alot better. Sunday was a rough day. He got moved from the ICU into a room with 4 other patients. He was having some back problems before he moved but all day Sunday he was having severe back spasms whenever he moved. He said it felt better to stand up and walk around tho. He says his chest isnt bugging him at all. Its only his back that is the problem. He told me that he would be doin laps around the hospital if it wasn't for his back! He usually doesn't have to use his heart-teddy to stand up or anything. I guess he feels pretty confident without it. He didnt even get one until sunday! His heart rate is still fairly high...it was about 104-105 yesterday and when his back started spasming it was around 117. His blood oxygen level is good and the nurse said his lungs sound awesome..just a little quiet down towards the bottoms of them. Well anyways i better get going so if any of you have any questions i probably left out some info you wanna kno feel free to ask! I'll try and find out for ya! Thanx so much for all you support it really means alot to dad and the rest of us in the family! Talk to you soon.

Carlee
 
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