decisions, decisions

[Cary]

Hi
I'm new to this web site. My husband has to have a AVR and we don't have a good cardiologist or surgeon or hospital picked out yet. Went to Penn for cath test, and they said he had .9cm opening. nothing has really been explained to us. I feel really lost, and don't know where to begin. Thanks for any advice.

Cary

 

[Karlynn]

Welcome Cary! You've come to the best place.

Maybe you could fill us in a bit more on what part of the country you live in, how long your husband has known about his aortic valve issues, his approximate age and any other details you think might be helpful.

Take a deep breath, relax, you aren't alone in this - you're now part of our family.

 

[RCB]

RIGHT place!

RIGHT place!

Hi
I'm new to this web site. My husband has to have a AVR and we don't have a good cardiologist or surgeon or hospital picked out yet. Went to Penn for cath test, and they said he had .9cm opening. nothing has really been explained to us. I feel really lost, and don't know where to begin. Thanks for any advice.

Cary

Cary,
Welcome, this is a great place and if you search you will find a lot of information. Lots of people here have been through what your going through now, so you are not alone.
If you can share more about your husbands medical history, we can answer most questions.
Most important is try not to worry so much- You will be fine.
Looking forward to hearing more about your story.

 

[JimL]

I think my valve opening was in the vicinity of .1 cm when I had surgery -- but I was very symptomatic by that time; it would have been much better to have surgery earlier.
The cardiologist who did my cath directed me to a surgeon -- perhaps that was after I expressed a preference for one hospital rather than another. The surgeon then did a very brief job of explaining the situation and the surgery.
Relax, and start asking whatever questions you can think of. We're glad to help as much as we can.

 

[Cary]

Thanks to all who replied to my post. I will try to take a deep breathe and relax. My husband was first diagnosed three years ago with mild aortic stenosis. Now, however after a cath. it seems as if it's moderate to severe. Should we get a second opinion about the need for surgery or go right to a surgeon? We live in Central New Jersey. Right now, we're thinking of Columbia Presb. in NYC. Again, thanks.

Cary

 

[Karlynn]

Cary, even though we know surgeons like to cut it's been our collective experience here that a surgeon is better at making the call on when to operate than a cardiologist. The cardiologist tend to be a more conservative group and are more inclined to wait, sometime past the point of permanent damage. I would go to a surgeon for an opinion. Maybe even a few, if you aren't comfortable with just one opinion.

Best wishes.

 

[Moo]

Here's my 2 Cents...

Here's my 2 Cents...

I live in Middlesex, NJ so I might be of some help.

I have a Cardiologist in Summit, NJ; he's a harvard grad and just a really good doctor in general:

Andrew Beamer, MD
908-277-8723

As for surgery, .9 means nothing by itself. I had .9 for 2 years before I showed real symptoms. The valve area is not what they base it (surgery) on. If you don't have severe symptoms, then they won't feel it is required.

As for hospitals for you, theres only one choice (not really a choice then...),
Columbia University.

Yoshifumi (Yoshi) Naka, MD
212-305-0828

Let a good cardiologist decide when it's time to see a surgeon, and a good surgeon to decide when it's time to do a surgery.


Best of Luck,

Rich

 

[tobagotwo]

There is most certainly a choice for surgeons and hospitals in this area.

Aside from the fine hospitals in Philly, there is Dr. Tyrone Krause at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. I'll stack him against anyone at Columbia for AVR (excepting only Dr. Stelzer, and that's for Ross Procedures). RWJ has been getting a lot more experience with difficult cases.

You can get excellent surgical care at Columbia. But not better.

You are likely not aware of it, but some of Columbia's surgeons have been turning down difficult cases and sending them to RWJUH in NJ. It keeps Columbia's success numbers up, and my dander with it.

 

[Moo]

You can get excellent surgical care at Columbia. But not better.

You are likely not aware of it, but some of Columbia's surgeons have been turning down difficult cases and sending them to RWJUH in NJ. It keeps Columbia's success numbers up, and my dander with it.

Ahh... I guess that's why President Clinton, who could go anywhere in the world, went to Columbia University.

 

[RCB]

Clinton

Clinton

Ahh... I guess that's why President Clinton, who could go anywhere in the world, went to Columbia University.

Yes, Clinton could go anywhere- it was his first surgery, he is under 65, except for his heart- in good medical condition and he needed a CABG- which is a cake walk compared to an AVR. So he literally could have gone anywhere.

I know for a fact that Columbia turn down re-op CABG pt. because they thought he was too risky- he was my roommate at CC this last June. Had Dr. Lytle and went home in ten days feeling fine.

Everybody loves their own surgeon and hospital. Better to leave it at that!

 

[geebee]

As for hospitals for you, theres only one choice (not really a choice then...),Columbia University.

Rich,
I am so happy you liked your hospital so much, it truly makes a difference. However, I would hate for Cary to feel there is no choice of hospitals in one of the best cities in the world for such surgeries. If, for some reason, her husband would not be able to go to Columbia, you really don't want her to feel he is doomed. There are quite a few great hospitals in the NY area (I had surgery at two of them, St. Lukes and Long Island Jewish) and many that have fabulous OHS programs.

 

[tobagotwo]

Two weeks before he went there, his great doctors pronounced him cardiologically fit after a stress test. Hmmm. Maybe they aren't so good after all...

Best wishes,