Stenosis AND regurgitation?

[dornole]

Saw this on another thread and thought I would start a new one - has anyone had their valve be stenotic AND regurgitant at the same time, and can explain how this happens? I thought they were kind of opposites.

My last echo, I'm pretty sure my cardio said that he was in disagreement with somebody else whether my valve was stenotic or regurgitant, or maybe they disagreed about which was a bigger problem, or maybe I actually have both which had not occurred to me.

I started out with moderate-severe stenosis, had a valvuloplasty which had an outcome of no stenosis but moderate regurgitation. Maybe now the valve is being crudded up again with stenosis and the regurg is still there?

Thanks anybody if you have something to share.

 

[Midpack]

Hi!

I dont know why you was under the impression that stenosis and regurgitation were somewhat opposites. Stated in a simplistic way:

Stenosis: the valve fails to fully open (thus restricting outward flow)
Regurgitation: the valve fails to close properly (thus allowing backward flow)

Just imagine an stenotic valve whose leaflets, at closing time, do not make a good coaptation and thus left an orifice by where blood can leak backwards...

In any case, if surgery is indicated and performed, BOTH problems will be addressed at the same time! So do not think about having 2 different problems. Its is just 1 damaged valve...

 

[Mentu]

Just as the MIDPACK says, they are two aspects of the same damaged valve. You might better understand how the two things are tied by looking at images of a stenotic valve. The valve leaflets can be so warped that they can neither open properly nor close completely. Here is a link:

https://www.google.com/search?q=image+of+stenotic+aortic+valve&rlz=1C2GGGE_enUS481US481&biw=1028&bih=595&tbm=isch&imgil=7yJzslK77XsiUM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcRxMzZtdBNtzrvcvRXIL-XA-b6VNR4Rcg8yIZLH-m0fZmaudm0X%253B700%253B466%253Brz3SSOEU7z9yXM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fen.wikipedia.org%25252Fwiki%25252FAortic_valve_stenosis&source=iu&usg=__SNgQi3hL9x4oQfQCxI1EmVQAs8M%3D&sa=X&ei=fCFgU8eTJ4mjyASh3oKYBA&ved=0CDUQ9QEwBQ#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=7yJzslK77XsiUM%253A%3Brz3SSOEU7z9yXM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fupload.wikimedia.org%252Fwikipedia%252Fcommons%252Fb%252Fb4%252FAortic_stenosis_rheumatic%252C_gross_pathology_20G0014_lores.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fen.wikipedia.org%252Fwiki%252FAortic_valve_stenosis%3B700%3B466

Larry

 

[Superbob]

What Midpack said. I had both, now nine years after surgery, I have neither.

 

[dornole]

Thanks. If I get a new valve, yes, I'd expect to be free of both problems . . . however with just stenosis or if the regurgitation is judged to be minor, I could maybe just have another balloon vs. OHS. I guess I was imagining the stenosis occurring in just the right manner to enable the valve to close fully rather than flapping around and not sealing . . . because that would be awesome . . .

But I get it now - theoretically if I had a narrowed valve opening that was left completely open like a hose, that would be stenosis and regurgitation, neither open nor closed.

Thanks for explaining everyone.