Went in to see my cardiologist this week to discuss the echo results 8 months after surgery. The valve is leaking just as much as it was prior to surgery. The doc said that surgery failed somewhat completely. And here I am with a new round of TEE and surgery coming at the end of the year probably.
1. Since my first repair failed, does it mean I would have a mitral valve replacement this time around? I hope for a repair, since I'm in mid-thirties and have had a history of GI ulcer/bleed, so, I assume, in case of replacement, I would not have options to choosing a mechanical vs tissue valve? (should stay away from blood thinners)? Or I'm wrong? In my case, I had a complex mitral valve repair with St. Jude Tailor 35-mm annuloplasty band. As the surgeon said, I must have had endocarditis since the found a quite hole on a leaflet.
2. How to choose a surgeon this time, since we thought we had picked the best surgeon who we really liked and had such a bad outcome with? I feel like we still know very little about this kind of surgeries and the only valve related, US-based doctor datebase/website I've found seems to be biased (we live in the bay area). Does anyone recommend a surgeon in the US specializing on mitral valve repairs?
3. I had a lower mini sternotomy and was thinking if it's worth considering robotic approach? IS there anything important that I should think of/consider this time?
1. Since my first repair failed, does it mean I would have a mitral valve replacement this time around? I hope for a repair, since I'm in mid-thirties and have had a history of GI ulcer/bleed, so, I assume, in case of replacement, I would not have options to choosing a mechanical vs tissue valve? (should stay away from blood thinners)? Or I'm wrong? In my case, I had a complex mitral valve repair with St. Jude Tailor 35-mm annuloplasty band. As the surgeon said, I must have had endocarditis since the found a quite hole on a leaflet.
2. How to choose a surgeon this time, since we thought we had picked the best surgeon who we really liked and had such a bad outcome with? I feel like we still know very little about this kind of surgeries and the only valve related, US-based doctor datebase/website I've found seems to be biased (we live in the bay area). Does anyone recommend a surgeon in the US specializing on mitral valve repairs?
3. I had a lower mini sternotomy and was thinking if it's worth considering robotic approach? IS there anything important that I should think of/consider this time?
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