On-X Aortic Valve

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SoCal Lori

Hi everyone. I am 50 years old and am having AV replacement Mon, Feb 2 at UCLA Dr. Hillel Laks. He is using an On-X mechanical valve made by MCRI - does anyone know about this valve? Thanks! Lori :confused:
 
Hi Lori

The On-X valve is what my surgeon wanted to use in me, but at the time of my surgery, they did not make one with a graft sleeve attached, so I got a St.Jude instead. According to my surgeon, ON-X is showing to be the finest valve on the market today, but has limited models available.

I posted a link and such to it about a year and a half ago, let me find the stuff.

http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1536
 
Impressive and informative website Ross !

If their claims prove true, On-X looks like the mechanical valve of the future.

What is the story on the St. Jude Regent valve which supposedly offers improved hemodynamics?

'AL'
 
On-X Valve

On-X Valve

Thanks Ross, I checked out their web site and it sounds very good and reliable. It would be super to hear from someone who has it.:)
 
Ross,

Thanks for the link to the MCRI site. I plan to ask my surgeon what he knows about this valve.
 
I've been sitting back waiting to see if anyone has had this one put in. I'm just as interested as the rest of you, so if someone has one, please speak up. :)
 
Ross, maybe I will be in guinesa pig (no pun intended!) on the On-X valve!!!

Lori
 
I don't think so Lori. If I remember correctly, someone does have one, but I cannot for the life of me remember who it is. I vaguely remember asking them how loud it was. The answer was that it was pretty quiet. I just don't know anymore. :(
 
The website really can snare a techy. It looks like the On-X was designed by fluid dynamics engineers, rather than doctors. If it's anything like described, it seems like they have delivered on a number of real improvements.

The noise reduction, the lowered amount of platelet damage, less pounding on the tissue it's attached to, and greater tolerance for INR fluctuations. The haemodynamics appear to have been much improved. This one is worth watching.
 
Yes, you do remember me. I started annoying folks here way back when it was Hanky's expanded homepage.

The need to operate didn't really come up as fast as they had predicted, but now it's my time. I thought he'd say, "Maybe another year or so," but instead he said, "Find a surgeon. Now."
I would've gladly waited another year, but they're thinking it could lead to permanent damage. I'm under 1CM, so I'm in the ballpark, and don't have too much arguing room.

I believe I have a really good surgeon, and a good hospital. I've done as much homework on it as I know how to do. One side is intellectually curious, and wants to know as much as possible, so I've studied and read a great deal. The other side is, well...

Do you remember comedian Bill Dana (Jose Jiminez)? He had a bit where he was an astronaut. They were giving him a TV interview, and talking to him about how he was risking his life for science, and what a wonderful, exciting thing he was doing. Meanwhile, he was stammering appropriate responses and nodding. At the end, the techs are guiding him to the launchpad, and the interviewer asks, "Do you have any last words for our home audience?" As he's being led away, Bill hollers back plaintively, "Yes...Please don't let them do this to me...!!"
 
I haven't had time to read the info in detail I'm afraid, but at first glance the On-X valve seems to have similar claims and improvements to the Sorin Bicarbon range:http://www.sorin-cid.com/bicarbon.asp
Jim's got one of these, apparently they're the best available over here in the UK (the third generation, with St Jude being second generation) - maybe On-X is the American equivalent?
 
Valve data

Valve data

As I interpret these study ( On-X and Sorin ) they seem to making a comparison between their new valve and other manufacturers
old valve design- ie., no mention that they claim they are better
than the St. Judes "Regent", which claims better hemodynamics
than some tissue valves.
Also, in recent years there is a bit of a controversy about the benefit of fitting larger valves for pts. - the trade off between levels of output and efficiency. These "studies" seem to be more
about puffing their valve and do little to answer question about are these really statistically significant.
Bottom line studies about whether these valve are safer and contribute to a better quality of life are yet to be done.
If I have misssed something here, please let me know,
cause I'm SHOPPING!
 
Hmmm,
I suppose that's a risk you run with manufacturers' home pages!
Jim's surgeon chose the sorin valve for 2 main reasons as I recall - the improved pressure gradient across the valve, and the fact they'd never had one fail structurally. Also the 200-300 year lifespan!! I presume his preference was based on more in-depth study than the one offered on the sorin homepage,but I'm afraid I don't know what or where that would be.
 
Gemma

My brother just had his aortic valve replaced yesterday in Leeds, England at Nuffield Hospital. Where did your husband have his done? I just talked with him today ( I live in Canada). The conversation was short, 2 minutes tops, as he is still in ICU but so far doing as well as expected. He did tell me that they put in a SORIN valve. I just found this site Tursday evening and it has been wonderful. I am learning so much. I had vaguely heard about the St Jude valve as being the best, back in September when my brother was told he had 18 months to live without the operation. I had never heard of the SORIN and of course, I hope it is a good one, the best one in fact. Can you tell me anything about it. Do you live near Leeds?
Thanks for any info you can give me. It's been so nice to read all your posts.
Peri
 
on-x mitral

on-x mitral

I just found this link too (loving this site!!!).
For anyone who hasn't read my other posts. My 4 year old , Chloe, has an ON-X valve (25mm - put in when she was 18 months old - June 2001) and is doing well with it.
It is very loud but i am assuming thats cos she is still only small and obvisouly hasn't got much of a chest yet!! (high hopes for that in a few years for her! lol)
Personally i love the sound of her valve cos it just reminds me she now has a 'healthy heart' and sad as it may be, i listen to that valve every night without fail before i go to bed to reassure myself!

On-X is supposedly the best on the market - Chloe was the first child in the UK to have it successfully implanted apparently, but i'm sure others do by now.

The makers of it have a website with huge amounts of information about the valve, which is made from pyrolytic carbon. The address is anyone is interested is...

www.mcritx.com

Emma
xxx
 
I have an appointement at the valve clinic next week. I'll see what I can find out. At the time of my surgery, I only asked the doctor what the name was, figuring all I had to do was come here to get my info from you guys :D Actually, I thought the doctor said "onyx", it was only until I saw it written here as on-x, that I realized the proper name.

They told me last year that it was the only type of mechanical valve they were using at the heart institute and the reason for that was to gather as much clinical data on it as possible. In a sense, I guess we are guinea pigs!

My valve is aortic and I rarely hear it. If I hold my breath, I feel a thumping or if I'm brushing my teeth bent over the porcelain sink with the porcelain tiles surrounding me, I can hear it very well. My daughter says she can hear it when I'm excited. :) On x-ray it looks very small. It's only visible as a narrow ring. I asked the doctor why the one he showed me in his office was so much bigger than on x-ray and he said he likely showed me a mitral valve. Perhaps the mitral valves are louder.

I'll see what info I can get from the heart institute...although I am several months late for your sugery....sorry, hope all went well!
 
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