Bioprosthetic Valve Shoping. SJM Quattro???

[ladyofthelake]

First Post

I was looking at newer research on prosthetic heart valves as there are several reasons I think I am going to need a bioprosthetic valve. I came accross this.

http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/71/5_suppl/S323
Early experience with a quadrileaflet stentless mitral valve -- Hofmann et al. 71 (5 Supplement): 323 -- The Annals of Thoracic Surgery

and was wondering if this valve is in use yet since it looks like this was published in 2001. Also if anyone knows anything about the St Jude Medical Quarttro Valve yet?

I have many questions but I am not in a good state with this new developement in my life to think them much less ask them. One that I can disuss is questions on antiarrhythmic therapy (meds) with a prosthetic valve?? I am wondering if it is possible to use anti arrhythmic medication and have a prosthetic valve. Also are there more risks on heart health with a prosthetic valve and frequent PVCs? If anyone has any input on any of these concerns of mine I would greatly apreciate it. Thank You,

Blessings,
Lisa

 

[ladyofthelake]

Bioprosthetic Valve Shopping. SJM Quattro

Bioprosthetic Valve Shopping. SJM Quattro

Thanks so much sheyla! I don't think I am going to be found to be repairable. I do hope I will be but my cardiologist said it will have to be a replacement. I think the reason for that is I have myxomatous degeneration with wide leaflet excursion and it started with the anterior leaflet. Other than my huge issues with the ticking of a mechanical valve and my long standing insomnia, I think my arrhythmia condition for the past 15 years may influence these factors. This is all just a large blurr to me right now, fortunately I am told I will have some years before I land in the operating room.

Lisa

 

[tobagotwo]

I'm not sure whether you were thinking about going east or west for surgeons from Pburg, but when it eventually does come time for you, don't rule out Dr. Tyrone Krause at the R.W.Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. I believe him to be one of the very finest surgeons in the business.

There are a variety of noninvasive (drug) treatments for arrhythmias, as well as semiinvasive ablations and pacing devices, and the invasive MAZE and similar procedures, usually done within the context of a valve replacement. Of course, each type works best for different causes of arrhythmias. I am not aware of any of them being directly negative with respect to replaced valves, though.

If you do require valve replacement, rather than repair, because of your myxomatous tissue situation, your heart tissue will probably want to avoid going through valve replacement a second time. Myxomtous tissue doesn't like to be disturbed, and has to work harder to hold in the results of a single operation, much less multiple stitch-ins. Unless you are at least over sixty five when you have your surgery, I believe that this would make a mechanical valve a very strong consideration for you.

There are still some years left, however, for them to work out that click that so concerns you.

Best wishes,

 

[ladyofthelake]

Valve Shopping

Valve Shopping

Bob,

Thanks so much. I am very new to this subject and I learned alot from your post. I appreciate the surgeon referral and will look into it. I may have some years before this happens and I am greatful to have the time to investigate rather than being thrust into such a big situation. I was considering Penn in Phila. but I will consider several locations that are experienced in the port access or key hole incision. I am no where near 60 yet and I don't want to have to be in the reop club but I can not see how I could ever learn to tollerate a mechanical. I guess life and death are the key words for tollerance. I hope that if this really does progress on me the way my new cardio is predicting then I would want to be repairable. I honestly don't know what is excluding me from the repairable class in her mind right now but I am aiming to find out in May. I have not seen anything written about a wide annulus or stretched chordae but that may be something that is not listed in my reports. My left ventricule and aortic root sizes have grown considerably in the last year but they are still way within normal limits. I was in a beta blocker withdrawal PVC arrhythmia for 10 months of this year and am still having frequent PVCs so I am not sure if that has anything to do with the size changes but no doctors seem to know anything about that either. I am hopping that the PVC arrhythmia does not exclude me from all OH surgery consideration if I will truly need it in a few years. Ablation is not an option for it and I haven't been very successfull with the anti arrhythmics. I don't have tachy or brady with it so the pacer/defibers are not an option either. Thanks again for the information.

Blessings,
Lisa