Hi:
I have BAV discovered only a year ago. I'm 61 and have been healthy as a horse all my life and was a track and marathon runner in my younger days. Anyway, a visit to the doctor last year for the first time after many years picked up a significant murmur and echo showed BAV with 1.1cm opening. 6 months later the echo showed 0.9cm, then in another 3 months it was down to 0.7 cm. I am very active and still asymptomatic except when I took some cha-cha lessons a few weeks ago, I got winded after 20 minutes.
My cardiologist is more of a wait and watch type, but I went to Stanford to see Dr. Craig Miller, Chief of CTS there, in July just for some information. He took an interest in my case, was surprised I have no symptoms, but recommended surgery before the end of the year. So, I scheduled it for October 21st after talking it over with my cardiologist too.
CT scan showed portions of my aorta are dilated (4.4cm), so I will be getting that grafted as well. Exactly how extensive is to be determined intra-operatively. Dr. Miller is pretty aggressive in this regard. Even though aortas of this size can be stable for long periods of time, he argues in a paper he authored earlier this year that the increased operative risk is minimal versus the risk of catastrophic aneurysms, one operation versus two, etc. I don't want to misquote him, but that's my understanding.
Dr. Miller strongly recommended a mechanical valve rather than biologic at my age. I asked him about the newer 3rd generation biologic valves, purported to last 25 years, and he didn't think there was evidence for that. I'm not looking forward to lifetime anticoagulation. Even though I was trained as a pharmacist, I've never taken any medication stronger than an aspirin in my life. Anyway, he said he will put in whatever valve I want, but strongly recommends mechanical.
Any input welcome.
I know this is major surgery, but it seems to have remarkably low risk of mortality, at least, and I think at Stanford, probably the best OHS place in my local area (San Francisco Bay Area), I'll be in very good hands.
I've lead a charmed life. This is essentially my first major personal challenge. I lost my brothers and parents and some friends prematurely to health problems and always felt a bit guilty to have had it so easy. I guess this will get me over that guilt in a hurry.
Thanks for being here.
Bill
I have BAV discovered only a year ago. I'm 61 and have been healthy as a horse all my life and was a track and marathon runner in my younger days. Anyway, a visit to the doctor last year for the first time after many years picked up a significant murmur and echo showed BAV with 1.1cm opening. 6 months later the echo showed 0.9cm, then in another 3 months it was down to 0.7 cm. I am very active and still asymptomatic except when I took some cha-cha lessons a few weeks ago, I got winded after 20 minutes.
My cardiologist is more of a wait and watch type, but I went to Stanford to see Dr. Craig Miller, Chief of CTS there, in July just for some information. He took an interest in my case, was surprised I have no symptoms, but recommended surgery before the end of the year. So, I scheduled it for October 21st after talking it over with my cardiologist too.
CT scan showed portions of my aorta are dilated (4.4cm), so I will be getting that grafted as well. Exactly how extensive is to be determined intra-operatively. Dr. Miller is pretty aggressive in this regard. Even though aortas of this size can be stable for long periods of time, he argues in a paper he authored earlier this year that the increased operative risk is minimal versus the risk of catastrophic aneurysms, one operation versus two, etc. I don't want to misquote him, but that's my understanding.
Dr. Miller strongly recommended a mechanical valve rather than biologic at my age. I asked him about the newer 3rd generation biologic valves, purported to last 25 years, and he didn't think there was evidence for that. I'm not looking forward to lifetime anticoagulation. Even though I was trained as a pharmacist, I've never taken any medication stronger than an aspirin in my life. Anyway, he said he will put in whatever valve I want, but strongly recommends mechanical.
Any input welcome.
I know this is major surgery, but it seems to have remarkably low risk of mortality, at least, and I think at Stanford, probably the best OHS place in my local area (San Francisco Bay Area), I'll be in very good hands.
I've lead a charmed life. This is essentially my first major personal challenge. I lost my brothers and parents and some friends prematurely to health problems and always felt a bit guilty to have had it so easy. I guess this will get me over that guilt in a hurry.
Thanks for being here.
Bill
