Regurgitation after OHS

[sheridan07]

I went for my echo on Monday and heard them say "record the regurgitation, because the doctor will want to see that". Has anyone gone through this before? I had ohs on 2/23/09 to have my aortic valve replaced. It bothers me to hear them say that. Is this nothing to worry about? I go see my cardio next Wed. Any thoughts are welcomed. Thanks

 

[abbanabba]

It's not uncommon for even healthy valves to have some mild form of regurgitation, so perhaps the regurgitation referred to is nothing more than this. I guess you will have to speak to your cardio to find out if it is anything more, or if it was even the aortic valve they were referring to. Sometimes medical staff forget that an off-hand comment about something that may be minor can be alarming to the patient.

Hopefully your cardio can answer your questions and it turns out to be nothing to be worried about.


A : )

 

[ChouDoufu]

isn't there almost always some insignificant regurgitation?

the techs must have known you had recent surgery - could be they were
recording the normal mild regurg so your surgeon could confirm that the
new valve is functioning normally.

did you ask the techs what they meant? you can do that. they won't mind.
they can even replay the recording for you, and point out things like your
new valve, and let you watch it open & close, and explain the meaning of
the colored patches on the screen. getting it first-hand during the echo
may be more enlightening that having a surgeon try to explain.

 

[Eva]

Brian,

While having my first echo after surgery by three weeks, I saw a leak and the technician confirmed it was normal for a mechanical valve to leak! I freaked out and became scared but was releaved when NP confirmed there was not leak and there was no mention of it in the report. So, I accepted it and said to myself that the technician was wrong.

My six-month echo report (at another clinic) mentioned mild mitral regurgitation...I freaked again and cried, I felt down, upset, scared, etc. etc. I was just recovering from the first shock 3 months earlier...the doubt was still hanging in the back of my head!.

When I saw my cardio, he told me that was 'physiological' leak and not to worry about it.

Afterwards, I saw my surgeon, he told me the same thing and his explanation was that the newer SJ Mechanical valves are designed to leak to wash away any blood precipitation that might form clots. He showed me the tiny openings where the blood would leak through, and he explained the first echo was interpreted by an experienced doctor who understand that newer mechnical SJ valves are designed to leak...so the leak was from the SJM valve not biological leak. The doctor who interpreted the second echo does not have the experience of the other doctor...echo showed leak, so a leak was reported before analyzing the source or necessasity of the leak!!

I look very much forward to hear your surgeon's opinion. So, please update us on this.

For more peace of mind, I checked with my niece's husband in France who is a tot notch cardio and attends all related conventions about the latests...He confirmed what my cardio and surgeon said. Despite all these affirmations, my heart is still sunk inside me and this had a bad psychological/emotional effect on me which I am trying to recover from....I felt thrown off from top of mount Everest!! whithout my skiis

If you like to read my thread: http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29959

 

[sheridan07]

Thank you for all of your feedback. They said the same about my LV and pulmonary vein. I don't want another surgery or 3 months of testing right now. I want to live and be healthly. I now have to deal with 3 spots on my lung. They said they are nothing but will check on them to see if they are growing. Thanks for your feedback.