And sometimes you get a surgeon like mine that said he was sure I would only get 11 years at most from my bovine. I passed that mark in 2015.
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arkiebelle
Member
I got 11 years out of my bovine valve. My 2nd valve replacement was Halloween 2018. There are a lot of things I didn't know about the 2nd surgery. It was much more complicated and risky. The recovery was slower and more difficult. And I thought, like a lot of others, that by the time I had to do my 2nd surgery, there would be an advancement that made OHS unnecessary.
NealR
Well-known member
Had my 2nd OHS in late April. Replaced both Aortic and Mitral. Got about 91/2 years, the mitral was shot with one leaf frozen. Essentially it wasn't working. Got Endocarditis 6 months earlier, which was cured, but did some damage to the valve, just never found out how much. In reflecting, I should've had the valve replaced in October of last year but I felt very good. The Surgery was terrible! For starters, my pulmonary pressure was some obscene number like 120, so we had to battle that, moving me from low risk to high risk. There were some cardiologist who thought I shouldn't have the surgery. I guess just let me die...Well the surgeon decided to operate anyway and I had a serious blood reaction from the transfusion. My lungs filled with fluid due to some reaction, and had to go on a machine I never heard of called and ECMO. Not sure how the blood transfusion went awry, I suppose I'll need a hemotologist and a lawyer to find the answers. I spend the next three days on the most extreme life-support there is and was basically dead for all practical and intent purposes. Somehow, I pulled through, which I don't understand how, and 11 weeks later, I am doing very well less some bed sores and some weird heart rhythm. In the end, I chose the bio valves based on the recommendation of the surgeon and the Cleveland clinic, that they would be replaced by a catheter in the future. Well, bcause of the MV, that didn't happen because it has not passed FDA. Interestingly enough, the hospital performed its very first MV, Valve in Valve, a week before my surgery. So the thinking is...these new valves (One Bovine, the other Porcine) and since I am theoretically calcifying less, these should last about 12 years(Im 60) and replaced both by catheter. So they say. In short...the second surgery was horrible, but I survived and doing pretty well. Not sure what happened during the blood transfusion, other than someones blood donation wasn't quite rigth. I suppose I need to action more on this. Lastly, Surgeons like tissue valves and love implanting them over mechanical s for better post operative results and chance of getting off blood thinners like coummadin. Scares the heck out of them. Hope this helps. Please reach out to me directly and I'll tell you more. Wish all the best of luck
Didn’t I read where you were only 36 when you had your first replacement? How many years did the surgeon expect it to last? I1 years for someone in their 30’s seems pretty good.
Superman
Well-known member
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
demand your money back? ... ;-)
Hard to believe, but I wouldn’t get much back. I was insured through my employment, and what it didn’t pay, my husband’s did. I think I paid a total of $160 split between the surgeon’s bill and the hospital’s.
calguy
Member
Well I'm new to this forum but the info I'm reading helps me with my wife.She had a Mitral valve replaced 10 months ago with a tissue valve, The reason she got the tissue valve was we were told that she wouldn't have to take blood test all the time. But that's not true. She has to take her reads once a week and if there high or low she get's a different dose of meds. She was told she would fill stronger ,yet she's always tired. The Dr's say everything is good, but my wife said she wish she never had it done. Me I want her around ,so I hope this works. Thanks for all your input.
marvsehn
Active member
We all get to make our own decisions, no one forces us. Yes, we get recommendations but the decision is still ours. I did my homework and spent many months choosing a surgeon and a hospital. I did also go to Cleveland Clinic as I had other surgeries there. I ended up closer to home at Duke. I went in thinking a bovine valve but came out with a mechanical due to sizing. Which was great. I was torn between the warfarin issue and the tissue valve (no warfarin but subsequent surgery). After the fact I am very happy I ended up with a mechanical and the good potential of no more surgery.
