Mitral Valve Replacement - new kid on the block

[Rocky]

Rather new granny on the block! I didn't know if this is the right place to post this but I came across your site surfing on the web looking for info re mitral valve surgery as my mum has been recommended this to solve her regurgitation and atrial fib and related symptoms.

What I wanted to know is..is it safe for my mum aged 74 to undergo such an operation? Apparently her heart is otherwise in great nick and her arteries are also good, and her health in general has been very good.

Also we will be meeting the surgeon to discuss the operation and whether it will be repair/replacement..is there any list of questions I should ask?

Looking forward to receiving any help for the new kid on the block ( and maybe she will be if this gives her the new lease of life they say it will!)

Thanks a million,

Rocky

 

[Ross]

Hi Rocky and welcome to VR

Your mom should do fine. This surgery is almost down to an exact science now a days with surgeons doing 2 and more per day. Don't get me wrong, there is risk involved but it's a far cry from what it was a short time ago.

If she is healthy in all other aspects, she should do well. She'll need quite a while to recover and will need help.

I'll leave the list of questions to someone else, but in the mean time, start writing any down that come to mind. Go over those with the surgeon and don't leave the office until your satisfied with the answers. Some surgeons don't mind taking time to answer, others are sometimes difficult to deal with. If you have a difficult one to deal with, you might want to look for another.

Welcome and give it a little time. I'm sure others will be around to help answer some of your questions. It's kind of slow around here on the weekends.

 

[Marty]

Mitral Valve Replacement for the elderly?

Mitral Valve Replacement for the elderly?

Rocky, Where are you from? You have a bit of an accent!
I had my mitral valve replacement at age 72 four years ago. I asked my surgeon if I wasn't too old. He said he just replaced a mitral one week before on an 85 year old who walked out of the hospital in five days. Basically its not how old you are but what kind of shape you are in that counts.If your Mom is in pretty good health, no history of heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, etc. she is not considered a bad risk. My surgeon put a mechanical St. Jude in me. I asked why he didn't repair which is the best choice if they can do it and he said my valve was so degenerated if he had tried a repair it was unlikely to last two years. He used a mechanical rather than a bio valve because he said he thought I might outlive a bio and then I would be old for surgery. While some bio valves last 15 or 20 years some don't. One of our United States Senators, the Honorable Jesse Helms had a pig valve at 70 and needed to have it replaced this year at age 80. He's OK however and didn't have to take warfarin for ten years. Nobody wants to fool with warfarin any more. I take it and it does't bother me but it is tricky for some.Have your Mom talk to the surgeon about repair and if thats not possible bio valve vs. mechanical.

 

[hensylee]

Hey, Rocky - UK, huh? Welcome to VR - you will get answers to your questions, but I doubt your mum is beyond the age for fixin up. Others can tell you as they come in. On weekends things are sometimes a bit slack, but pick up again on Monday. God bless

 

[Nancy]

Hi Rocky-

Welcome to this fantastic site. You mom will do just fine.

My husband is the patient here, he's 71 years old now, and had his mitral replaces in 1999. It sprung a tiny leak and he had it repaired a year later. He's got quite a few medical problems, including an aortic valve replacement too.

Heart surgeons are very skilled, and it's not uncommon to be operating on folks who are older.

As she approaches her surgery, I hope you will stay with us. We've got lots of wonderful people here with a ton of information to share, and lots of helpful hints.

 

[Gail in Ca]

My former pastor had open heart surgery in his 80's and came thru with flying colors.
Certainly, it is painful at first, but with a strong will to recover, I think patients of all ages do very well.
Gail

 

[Rocky]

I'm 'heartened' already!

I'm 'heartened' already!

Thanks so much for your replies and for those of you who were guessing, you were close..we're Irish, based in Dublin in Southern Ireland.

I feel better about this already after having read your replies and I look forward to hearing more as this progresses more for us.

Talk soon,

Rocky

PS is there any website that gives a list of good questions to ask?

 

[Ross]

PS is there any website that gives a list of good questions to ask?

This one is the only one I know of. You may have to do alot of reading, but most of your questions will be answered by doing just that. Someone not too long ago had posted some and I'm trying to find them.

You may want to look at the thread below and also see the thread that Nancy has in the second post of that thread.
http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3282&highlight=questions

Is anything specific coming to mind that you want to ask? Your in the best possible place to get them answered. I'm not saying that as a shameless plug for VR, it's the truth. We've all been there and done it, so we "get it" when it comes to this stuff.

 

[BillCobit]

Questions to ask

Questions to ask

Hi Rocky - welcome to the group.

http://www.heartcenteronline.com/ has a list of questions to ask your cardiologist. It looks pretty comprehensive to me, if a bit generic. For your convenience I've nicked them and posted them here (no doubt risking persecution by their Terms-of-Servivce-Police!).

Heart Center Online is an excellent site for learning about heart conditions and procedures. It's designed for "beginners," yet has a lot of substantive content and great illustrations. Definitely worth visiting.

The site does require you to register, and in the process asks the registrant a bunch of invasive questions that are none of anybody's &*$#! business but your own. HCO does, however, seem to be perfectly satisfied with fictitous data.

More advanced info can be gotten from the following pubs, written for physicians.

http://www.acc.org/clinical/guidelines/valvular/PValvulr.pdf

http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/10189758562391998 ACCAHA Valvular Heart Disease.pdf

**********
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR CARDIOLOGIST

( Medical Question, Health Question )
Why is a list important?

It's very common for people to leave their doctor with questions unasked. They may have forgotten a question or felt uncomfortable bringing something up. Because of this very common situation, you might want to be prepared as much as possible before you go to your cardiologist's office. This article suggests some questions that you might want to print out and bring with you to your appointment. If you don't feel comfortable asking some of these questions, you can just hand the list to your cardiologist to be sure that they are all addressed. Another tip is to prepare your family medical history in advance (see Family Tree).
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Why was I referred to a cardiologist?
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Will this visit be covered by my insurance company?
Are there heart-healthy strategies that I can be using?
When should I schedule my next appointment?
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Why is this test being performed?
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Should I bring someone with me for the test?
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What might the test find?
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Will my insurance company cover this test?
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Test results/diagnosis

What did the test show?
What were my exact numbers or values, and what is the normal range for other people my age?
Please explain to me what the terms on this printed-out report mean (e.g., "nonspecific T-wave abnormality" on an EKG, or "CBC" on blood test results).
Do I have a diagnosis, or is more testing necessary?
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Before a procedure is done

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Procedure results/treatment plan

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When should I schedule my next appointment?
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