My AVR and conduit scheduled for June 12

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Plumber1

Well-known member
Joined
May 3, 2007
Messages
130
Location
Olympia Washington, USA
I have my AVR and aortic artery replacement scheduled for 6/12.

I have a bicuspid valve and a some family history that includes some marfaniod-like symptoms. I am slated to receive a On-x valve with a Dacron conduit. Surgery is to take place here in Olympia Washington by surgeon with a lot of experience and a great track record.

I am 51 and my aortic artery is dilated to 5.7 cm so time is of the essence. My older brother died of dissecting aortic aneurysm in 1981.

I think I am cool with the upcoming operation. I have read lots of information here on VR and find this community to be very helpful.

Here is what I need help with: During CT scan for aorta a 1/2" node was discovered in the very top of my right lung, and now after a needle biopsy it has turned out to be cancerous (slow growing non-small cell, if any knows about these things). The current course of action is to take care of the aneurysm and aortic valve first and then as soon as I am able (perhaps after a month of recovery) I will go back in to remove the unfriendly material in my right lung. Doc's say this is a situation that is curable -- not just treatable.

Has anyone faced anything similar to this situation? I would welcome any thoughts, comments and sage advice. Prayers would be helpful too.

Thanks much.
 
I'm so sorry to read that you have to face this as well as the avr surgery, but I want you to know that I have a neighbor who had a similar lung cancer and now 6 years later, he is doing fine and cancer free. I put your avr surgery on the calendar and our prayers and best wishes will be with you.
 
I wish you all the best for the upcoming event and hope that everything goes well!
 
Sorry to read about this new issue. We had a member here recently who needed valve replacement and the doctors also discovered cancer on an organ, pre-OHS. I'll look for his member name and post it here and perhaps you can search some of his posts and threads. It was something like New Hampshire male, I think...

Ah, it's NH Male. That's his member name. I hope this helps. Hope all goes well for you. Take care and please post updates.
 
Wow! You have a full plate. I wish I had more to say than that. I will keep you in my prayers. Please let us know if there is anything else that we can do.
 
Thanks everyone for the well wishes and prayers. Susan I will follow your advice and be in touch with NH Male.

Here is the question that I didn't articulate very well in my first message:

As-soon-as-possible I will need to go in for a second surgery -- one on the lung as opposed to the heart. Is there advice anyone can offer about how soon after OHS I could possibly be ready for this? It will probably be another chest-opener but probably not down the sternum.

Any help or experiential advice about what to expect or how to get my mind in sync to go through two operations in quick succession would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
All the best Plumber!

Wishing you a very successful surgery!

Cheers,

Adam
 
Plumber1 said:
Thanks everyone for the well wishes and prayers. Susan I will follow your advice and be in touch with NH Male.

Here is the question that I didn't articulate very well in my first message:

As-soon-as-possible I will need to go in for a second surgery -- one on the lung as opposed to the heart. Is there advice anyone can offer about how soon after OHS I could possibly be ready for this? It will probably be another chest-opener but probably not down the sternum.

Any help or experiential advice about what to expect or how to get my mind in sync to go through two operations in quick succession would be appreciated.

Thanks.

My first heart surgery was through my back. One dumb doctor I used to see, when he would see the monstrous scar, would always ask me if I had lung surgery which made me think that some lung surgery scars could go through the back.

So, I don't know anything about lung surgery, but do you know for sure if they'll have to go in the front; you said it's at the top of your right lung so are you certain how they'll enter there, maybe from the side or from the back?

Also, that's one of the things NH Male was dealing with, namely how close the operations would be, including what he and his doctors thought about it. You could search his posts about it by looking him up in the Members List and then clicking on the option for the threads he started.

BTW - cuts through the back are much more painful than cuts through the front because of all the muscles and nerves and such.
 
Gosh, thanks so much for this info. I will try and open dialog with NH Male and see if he has any advice about how soon one can expect to have a second surgery.

-- Mark
 
Change of approach for me: Surgeon now says I will undergo lung operation on 6/12/07 and then come back and do the heart in 2 or 3 months. Yikes, I was all ready to go for OHS but am not far from being ready for a lobectomy.

Thanks for everyones prayers, well wishes and support!
 

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