Slight leakage?

[mtkayak]

I know and I have read on this site that slight or trivial leakages with new valves is normal. Even people with no heart disease can have slight leakages with a natural valve. Today I went for my appointment to have my stress test done with a new cardiologist. I still use my old cardiologist, I just used this one because she was close to work and that's where I'm doing my cardiac rehab. Anyway, the new cardio said she heard a slight murmur and slight leakage. Then she proceeded to say that it is totally normal for me to have this and not to worry. Anyway, I'm worrying! My 2 week post op echo, I was told, looked "wonderful" as my cardio worded it. He didn't elaborate on what "wonderful" meant. I was assuming it meant no murmur or leakage. I saw him 4 weeks later (6 weeks out) again, no echo was done but he did listen to me and do an EKG. Again, everything sounds great.

Today a the new cardiologist told me I had this slight leakage and murmur by listening to me and doing an EKG. Then we proceeded to do the stress test. The she announces I did great. By this point I'm totally confused. She knew I was worried and kept reasurring me that everything is fine. She explained to me that even a mechanical valve can have some slight leakage because of the way it opens and shuts and the way the blood circulates "swooshes around" a liitle before the ventricle contracts. Has anybody with a mechanical valve heard of this or experience it? Maybe I'm getting a little paranoid again. It just took me by surprise, I thought a mechanical valve would operate perfectly.

I put a call in to my old cardio, still waiting to hear back his explaination.

 

[gijanet]

You're honestly probably worrying yourself..........

You're honestly probably worrying yourself..........

over nothing, but, yes, I have heard of it, and, yes, your card is the best one to go to for answers. Please keep us posted. Many hugs. J.

 

[Andyrdj]

Might not all be bad

Might not all be bad

I have read somewhere that a slight leakage can be beneficial, helps avoid clots. But I'd like to know more!

 

[RCB]

Nothing is that perfect!

Nothing is that perfect!

I know and I have read on this site that slight or trivial leakages with new valves is normal. Even people with no heart disease can have slight leakages with a natural valve.

It just took me by surprise, I thought a mechanical valve would operate perfectly.

If you had knowledge of the first statement (which is true), how could you assume the second?

Everything in life is relative and I can assure you that the Laws of Physics
exclude an absolutely perfect valve!

I apologize to some on this board that may think this reply rude or too blunt.

 

[mtkayak]

I see your point but from my perspective..

I see your point but from my perspective..

Why would they tell me it looks "wonderful". All I've heard to this point is how great everything is. Even the surgeon said that the operation was a complete success and that everything was great. Somewhere down the line, you would have thought that somebody would have said "O by the way, you have a slight leakage". So, yes, it did take me by surprise. I understand the physics but don't understand cardios. I was a little frantic when I wrote the post.

 

[Mb]

Dear Mike:

My husband has dual prosthetic valves. Both have mild leakage. We have also been told, and have read numerous times, that trivial to mild leakage is normal.

My husbands' surgeon told us this. "You are not cured. You have exchanged one form of heart disease for another form of heart disease."

Marybeth

 

[Nancy]

Mike, I would guess that many people on this site have trace, slight leakage after surgery. Your heart will continue to heal and that small amount of leakage may get even smaller as your heart pumps better.

Keep up the good work in rehab and strengthen your heart.

It is normal to have fears about your heart's function--why not? It's been in trouble and is now fixed.

It is also normal to have some trace, slight type leakage after heart surgery.

Listen to your cardiologist.

 

[Der Biermeister]

Mike -- I went through something similar a couple of weeks ago. I went to see my GP for a general checkup and he listened to my heart and heard a "murmur". Said he thought he had read that all new aortic valves, mechanical or tissue, made their own distinctive sound. I said "is this a murmer?" and he said Yes. So I immediately came home and phoned my surgeon's office and they said everything is normal, all replacement valves do in fact have a different sound and some leakage is present, especially for a few months right after surgery around the suture ring -- scar tissue hasn't formed yet.

That was two weeks ago. Yesterday, I saw my surgeon's PA for my 5 week followup visit -- She listened and I asked -- LOL. Yep - definite murmur but everything normal. What it really comes down to is this -- is there any sign of Aortic Insufficiency (or regurgitation)? One good way to measure that is with the diastolic bp. With an AI problem, the diastolic pressure goes WAY below normal - down into the 40s, etc. My diastolic pressure is staying steady right around 75.

Others here on the forum also confirmed. So -- DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!

 

[Andyrdj]

hmmm.

hmmm.

That's a very discouraging way of looking at it, MaryBeth! I suppose you're right though, until they invent one which lasts a lifetime with no warfarin.

 

[Phyllis]

Dick had a slight leakage on his first echo too- anxious to see what the next one shows this July. He was reassured by the cardio that this was normal and of no consequence.

 

[Atlanta Sweetheart]

Mild leakage

Mild leakage

I too learned after surgery by ECHO I had a trivial leak in my repaired mitral valve. I was very worried at first. My cardiologist told me that this was normal that the surgeon could not make it perfect. The fact that my leak was so severe prior to surgery and is trivial now is wonderful. My cardiologist told me it was nothing to worry about, and that he could not hear the leak (no murmur) by stethoscope. He told me just to go on with my life, we would do 6 month ECHO's for the first year and if no change and annual ECHO after that. I asked if it could worsen and of course in can over the years, there are no guarentees in life. For now I feel great and this is the main thing! I am reveling in my good fortune and health!! From my reading here many repaired and replaced valves leak, so it isn't the valve type; I think it just must be the way it is.

 

[mtkayak]

So I immediately came home and phoned my surgeon's office and they said everything is normal, all replacement valves do in fact have a different sound and some leakage is present, especially for a few months right after surgery around the suture ring -- scar tissue hasn't formed yet.


My cardio called me back and gave me the above explanation. Of course, I have an appointment Monday morning with them. They claim they heard no murmur, at least, that's what they have in their notes. The other cardiologist said she did hear a slight murmur. Both assure me it's probably nothing and that it's normal. I will keep you posted.

 

[mtkayak]

Opps

Opps

My quote came from Der Biermeister post from above. This was the possible explanation my cardio gave me.