Surgeon Shocked: MVR, MV 3x's the size of a normal valve? Is this common?

[deek]

I'm 9 days post-op from having my mitral valved repaired and all has gone as well as can be expected. However, when my surgeon opened me up he was surprised to find that my Mitral Valve was 3x's the size of a normal valve...it required a lot of reconstruction before he could even proceed with placing the ring. Is this normal? Why wouldn't previous echos/TEE's pick this up? He was SHOCKED and Dr. Bolling isn't a shockable man. He said no wonder I was having so much trouble. Has anyone else experienced this? Just curious. Thanks a lot,

Dee

 

[Nancy]

did he reduce the size of it? And did he say what might have caused this--congenital or possibly caused by a malfunctioning heart?

 

[Eva]

My surgeon was surprised how I was functioning before the surgery...both valves were completey worn out and my mitral which he hoped to repair was beyond repair and very stiff with a 'fish mouth' shape!

The diagnosis for me pre- and post-surgery was rheumatic fever!

I am happy you are OK and may your recovery be smooth and speedy.

 

[deek]

Nancy, yes, he did reduce the size...had to before he could place the ring...apparently it took a lot of reconstructing...glad I was already in skilled hands or it may have been a replacement. He thinks it's congenital...but didn't say for sure. I'm waiting for his final report and follow up visit. I just can't believe it was never picked up! In fact, one opinion I sought at Cleveland Clinic said I had "functional" MR and surgery wouldn't help. Very strange, I think!

 

[deek]

Why wouldn't previous testing give some indication of this? Anyone? I just can't believe no one saw this? Has anyone else out there been told they had ab abnormally large valve?

 

[Pegasus]

My husband had a mitral valve repair and his mitral valve also had to be re-sized before putting the ring. It was just too big for his heart. They thought he was born with it. Surgeon wasn't shocked so I guess his bigger size was just routine-size for surgeon. His surgery lasted 4 1/2 hrs so everything went by the text book. My husband was completely asymptomatic before and he had a 4+ regurg. with ruptured chordae. He is now almost 3 yrs. out, on no meds and doing great (knock on wood).
Glad you got it fixed and wishing you a speedy, boring recovery!

 

[ChouDoufu]

Why wouldn't previous testing give some indication of this? Anyone? I just can't believe no one saw this? Has anyone else out there been told they had ab abnormally large valve?

what does your echo report say? does it list the valve area?

 

[deek]

No. I've been looking through all echo reports and nothing indicated this. My surgeon went into this thinking, "quick fix" but it wasn't. I guess THIS just goes to show you that they really don't know until they get in there. My echos varied between severe and moderately severe, depending on my blood pressure...Cardiologists sought basically said that my MR was functional, nothing structurally wrong with the valve and I wouldn't need surgery. This didn't sit right with me because of the conflicting echos as well as severe symptoms I had been experiencing...I pressed on and saw Dr. Bolling, surgeon, at the University of Michigan and he told me that it would be a relatively easy repair but that I NEEDED and operation.

 

[c terra]

I had this happen with my Aortic valve. All the test TEE, Echo, & Heart Cath showed
moderate to moderate/severe. I was very symptomatic and had done polum. fun. test
too. They decided to go ahead with the BAV replacemant. When the surgeron came out
to speak with my husband after surgery he said it was really good they went on in because my valve was much smaller than any of the test indicated.

Hope your doing well now !

c terra
BAV Nov. 5, 2008
Metronic pacemaker Nov12, 2008 total heart block
Mitral valve - mild leaking