sucessful repairs

[tlhudson]

Having broused pretty much non stop the past few days after finding this site (much to work's shagrin) I have noticed that it may be a possibility that additional surgery will be needed with a repair due to leakage.

Is leakage after a mitral repair the norm? Or am I just parranoid?

I have yet to find out to what degree my regurgitation is (you best belive I will tomorrow when I see the surgeon for the first time), so I don't know how to judge this.

 

[Nancy]

Leakage can happen sometimes, but I wouldn't call it the norm. My daughter's MIL had a mitral repair using a ring, and so far it's OK. My husband had a mitral replacement which did start leaking after about a year, however, he had several nasty falls and faints because he had bouts of slow heartbeats. He has a pacemaker now and that stopped those. I feel he tore something loose during one of those faints because he was still healing from the replacement. His heart tissues are seriously compromised because of stenosis from rheumatic fever. His leakage was repaired and he's doing very well, heartwise. Everyone's heart is a little different. There are so many causes for valve problems. Ask your surgeon about it. I'm sure he will reassure you.

Take care,

 

[tlhudson]

Thanks Nancy for the reply!
I plan to ask my surgeon. I hope he plans on a lengthy visit as I have almost three pages of Q's.
I want to spend more time on this desision than buying my last car.

How ever still being a newby what is the MIL you refer to regarding your daughter?

Thanks again for the input.

 

[Nancy]

MIL is short for Mother-in-law.

 

[Travler]

It has been 1 month since my mitral valve repair. A ring was used to make the repair tighter. I went to my cardiologist yesterday for my check up. He said everything was good. While valve repair is different for each person, my cardiologist thinks my repair should last me, I am 58 now. So I was encouraged by that.
Be sure to ask your surgeon what your chances are for a good, lasting repair.
John

 

[Kim]

I am 47 and my cardiologist and surgeon definitely recommended a mitral repair. No coumadin that way! They said there was a good chance the repair could last my lifetime. A repair would need to be continually monitored with echocardiograms.

I have a replacement mitral valve and my PCP, during my physical several months ago, was reading aloud the report my cardiologist had sent her, and it said my replacement valve was leaking at 1-2. I about fell off the exam table! When I talked with the cardio nurse for my next protime results, she said that was not unusual to have some leakage. I would think that for a quarter of a million dollars for my St. Jude's valve (my hopsitial bill, including rehab and a 2 day hospital stay several weeks later for a low INR), that it wouldn't leak!!!!

My valve was leaking at 4+ when I had my surgery.

 

[weekycat]

Hi,

I was told after my repair that my mitral valve still leaked a little, but they told me that is absolutely normal, that almost everyone's mitral valve leaks some.

My surgeon did tell me at my 4 week check that my surgery should "last me a lifetime", and to "get out of here, I don't ever want to see you again". I guess he meant that in a good way. (I hope so anyway).

My mitral vavle was not an easy fix, both of my leaflets were flapping in the breeze. I had two chordae that were ruptured. They used an annuloplasty ring to fix it, and so I did end up on Coumadin for 8 weeks because of that.

Also, my surgery took a little over 6 hours which is long for a repair, but like I said, mine was a little more difficult. The thing that surprised me was, being "out" for 12 hours following surgery.

I was under the impression that I'd see my husband later on that afternoon, my surgery was scheduled for 7:30am. When I finally awakened, I remember looking at the clock and it was like 2:00, I naturally thought it was afternoon, but when I asked where my husband was they informed me it was 2AM and they'd sent him home to get some rest!!

I guess I was fighting the breathing tube, so they kept sedating me, and they couldn't get anyone to remove the breathing tube until shortly before 2am, and then they woke me up.

I was soooo mad, (and still am), that they sent him home. I think they could have found him somewhere to sleep, we live an hour and a half from the hospital. I remember just laying there watching the clock for the next 4 hours, just so I could call him on the phone.

All in all, everything went pretty well, but I guess I was a little upset that they never mentioned any possiblity of this happening to me, so I was not in the least bit prepared for it.

My thoughts and prayers will be with you on the 11th.

 

[R0Y]

I had a successful MV repair. I'm told it should be good for a life-time.

Before the operation, my surgeon said that a small amount of leakage afterward repair would not be unusual and is not considered a problem. Afterwards, he told me there was a very slight murmur, an indication of leakage. This was confirmed by an echo cardiogram. Interestingly, the murmur is so mild that only the surgeon and my cardiologist can hear it. Quite a contrast to my previous lub-woosh!

-- roy --