Life Expectancy after aortic valve replacememt

[Ross]

I now feel that I belong to the most brave team of people in the world!

Brave? I don't think so. Were just like everyone else, you do what you have to do and if you want to live, you have to have the surgery. I know we were/are all scared like anyone else. That's why were here. We know how frightening it is, but were here to testify that it can be done and most everyone turns out fine.

 

[Nancy]

Joe had three valve surgeries and two lung surgeries, all very difficult thoracic surgeries. Guess which one he almost died from?

None of those.

He almost died from a gallbladder surgery when his liver got nicked. He had a massive and total bleedout, and it took him the better part of a year to recover from that.

So any surgery can have complications.

I would have to say that thoracic surgeons as a group are among the very best of the best as far as surgeries go.

 

[Petros]

Life Expectancy after aortic valve replacement.

Life Expectancy after aortic valve replacement.

Ross, I would like to be honest. On July 20,2008 will be my first year anniversary. Endocarditis destroyed my aortic valve in a period of just one month. Before that I was a healthy guy with no symptons, etc.
I spent two months in clinics (doctors were trying to find out what was wrong with me for over 40days). That was a very tough period for me having all those fevers, rigors, etc. When I was entering the theatre for my operation the idea of death never passed through my mind. During the whole period of my sickeness death never scared me. It is just now that I am afraid about any bad future outcomes.
Yes, I repeat that all people in this forum are brave. Looking back, all of us can remember his own story and noboby seems to wish to let things go down.
Afterall, we all came to be winners. Aren't we??

 

[BDMc]

Heroes

Heroes

I find myself admiring so many here. I had it so much easier than a lot of you. I have read many of your stories, and witnessed so many as they just continue on in their battles. I have a dear friend struggling with MS, and I so wish he had a place like this. I find inspiration from you, and I know my heart strings are tied to quite a few. What I really wanted to ask, is what basement is the party in?

 

[mrwjd]

Newer studies seem to have much more optimistic survival numbers, including durability of valve and survival with valve.

Also, those of us having AVR today will probably have even better statistics. Remember, people who now have had their valves 10-15 years (the roughly estimated lifespan of a tissue valve) actually got those valves in 1993-1998. Since then, the preservation technique for tissue valves is improved, and we can expect greater durability. But those figures won't be out until sometime around 2020, so stay tuned!

Of course, mechanical valves are constantly being improved, and it seems likely today's valves will last much longer with much less trouble than did those implanted a decade or two ago.

 

[terodac]

I don't like the odds of this! My doctor told me that my St Jude Valve would out last me! So I was 50 when I got mine and I only had six months to live, so I get up and go to bed Thanking God for my days! I am guessing I have at least 20 years, and that is fine with me! I love everyday I have been blessed to stay here with my daughter and husband! I will trust God and my surgeon, on this one. Some thing you read are not worth reading. I know people that are in there 80's that have heart valves.

 

[dick0236]

To Terodac . Posts like what you read come and go. They are necessary because "mortality" is a big question for many. Believe your docs. 20+++years is a more accurate figure for a mechanical valve.

I thought I would get only 20 years out of my valve. I blew thru that date 21+years ago. I'm shooting for 50 years now

 

[terodac]

Well Well, I don't like these odds! I will take my chances because it is better than my first diagonis two years ago, was only six months! So everyday I feel blessed and Thank God for everyday I have, with my husband and daughter, animals. My doctor told me my St Jude Valve would outlast me! So I will at least get 20 and I think that is just fine I will be 72!

 

[MarkU]

Well Well, I don't like these odds! I will take my chances because it is better than my first diagonis two years ago, was only six months! So everyday I feel blessed and Thank God for everyday I have, with my husband and daughter, animals. My doctor told me my St Jude Valve would outlast me! So I will at least get 20 and I think that is just fine I will be 72!

I would have lasted less than three years without my AVR - that was eight years ago. And I did my first triathlon four years later...

In many ways having my AVR has been one of the best things that has happened to me in my life (after my wife and kids). It has helped me to be a better person: kinder, more patient, and more appreciative.

Having a sense of your own mortality definitely helps you to focus your priorities on what's really important in life.

Mark

 

[vprnet]

Statistics

Statistics

It's impossible derive any encouragement from statistics unless your on the dealer side of the table or own the one arm bandit!

A week ago my heath care professional told me she just had a 71 year old woman successfuly complete replacement surgery of a 30 year old ball and cage arotic heart valve. If you know anything about this midevil valve you would be incredibly encouraged as I am about life expectancy.

People give people encouragement.

 

[Montrealer]

It's impossible derive any encouragement from statistics unless your on the dealer side of the table or own the one arm bandit!

A week ago my heath care professional told me she just had a 71 year old woman successfuly complete replacement surgery of a 30 year old ball and cage arotic heart valve. If you know anything about this midevil valve you would be incredibly encouraged as I am about life expectancy.

People give people encouragement.

http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/Images/caged-ball-heart-valve-repl.gif

 

[tobagotwo]

Please realize that those articles were based on information that was entirely unqualified, and are basically meaningless. This is Statistics Gone Wild or Gone Bad, or something. It is just an enormously incorrect, misleading, and improper way to present this type of data.

You can't lump everyone together, even by age, who is having an AVR and say, "this is the average you're likely to live, based on the raw statistic." Each AVR is different, and some folks have a lot more going on with their hearts, their lungs, and other organs that "just" a leaky valve. Those other factors weigh heavily in determining how long someone lives afterwards. When you add those into the mix, it has a chilling and entirely misdirecting effect on the outcomes.

When they say the average 65-yearold lived only 11.2 years after the surgery, well, statisitcally they would: average male life span - with or without AVR - is 76.

There is no discussion of comorbid conditions (other illnesses the person has at the same time) in the younger people who were counted as well. Also, as I believe was pointed out, these statistics go back into the bad days, before al lot of the surgical techniques had been worked out and before valves were improved (although Dick skipped needing an improved valve, and moved right on to the "live an exotically long time after surgery" road). At the very best, those numbers are both unqualified AND twenty years behind the times.

Another thing that was vaguely alluded to in the article was deaths through bleeding issues. The advent of self-testing is changing those numbers by the day. The poorly executed "Coumadin Clinics" of the medical community (especially of the past) have likely been responsible for as many problems as they have saved lives, through misunderstanding the dosages. Not to mention the number of strokes caused by demanding patients and halt dosages for minor medical procedures. Mechanical numbers can and are being improved greatly, and thirty years from now, the statistics will finally show it.

This is like determining your life expectancy with fingernail cancer by using the merged life expectancy numbers of people with all the different possible types of cancers, including those with and without other, lung, and other issues at the same time.

Best wishes,

 

[JeffM]

I read the the original post and the article and chuckled. And I knew, just knew this would ellicit lots of responses. And I'm glad to see them. My mother received her St Jude mechanical valve in 1985. She is now almost 71 and she is , I'm not kidding, in the best shape of her life. She works out with weights and does lots of cardio and feels and looks fantastic. These responses and the wealth of VALID information out there on the internet and from the health professionals ought to encourage anyone needing valve replacement surgery.

 

[dick0236]

It is only natural to wonder about "life expectancy" after OHS, but do yourself a favor and put it into perspective. What is your life expectacy WITHOUT OHS ?

When I had my surgery in 1967, I was 31 and life expectancy for a "normal male" was 73. I was hoping I would at least live to age 50. In about 3 months I will celebrate my 73rd birthday. That means that I have lived to "normal" life expectancy at the time of my surgery. Whoopeeee....and yes, I still have the original valve.

Normal life expectancy now is, give or take, 78. My docs now say that I have a very good chance to make it, at least, to that age. They also feel that it will be something other than the valve that will cause my death.

Yes Vprnet, I know a lot about the "midevil valve" you mention in your post and yes Montrealer, that IS what my "midevil valve" looks like. I have spoken with Dr. Starr who was the designer of the Starr-Edwards (ball-in-cage) valves and he told me that there were still a lot of those older valves in use. If these early valves are still in use, can you imagine the "life expectancy" you can expect with the newer designs.

 

[T-Money]

Skipped Heart Beats

Skipped Heart Beats

Hi Folks.
I wish I never would have read that article. I think it will disturb me for quite a while. I'm 35 right now and was 32 when I had my surgery. I still remember my surgeon telling me before my surgery that I would live a nice full life. That has really served as a foundation for me (security blanket you could call it). I really want to see my kid (born in 2006) at least graduate college. I'm now having chest pains and am very unnerved. So much so that I will probably call my cardiologist first thing Monday morning so he can tell me I have more years to look forward to than what the article said.

All that said, I really appreciate the skepticism those in the know have offered. It made me feel much better.

 

[Bryan B]

I was told by my surgeon that if my surgery was successful with no major complications it would be reasonable to assume that my life expectancy would be the same as the general population.

BTW...I could have very easily died in a car accident I had 9 days ago when I was hit by a deer (instead me hitting him [him being big buck], was pushed into a gaurd rail (doing 70mph), was shot back over towards the right shoulder, tried to "save it", did 2-3 360's, wen't off of the right shoulder ass backwards, hit a large hole approximately 2 feet deep (a drainage area that had eroded badly), shot up into the woods, and hit a lone pine tree at the edge of a very deep ravine.

Sooo...my advice would be to stop worrying about some lame article about life expentancy after valve surgery and get on with living your life, because you never know when your time will be up and it would be a shame if you wasted that time worrying about how long you have to live after valve surgery.

BTW...seat belts save lives (and in this instance pine trees do too ). I came out of it with a sprained left ankle, a brused right shoulder, and a problematic right hip that is now worse than it was before the accident.