surgeons implanted smaller mitral valve?is it normal?

[Ariyasaca]

Hello everyone.

Im using this website for long time, I recently got a replaced mitral and aortic valve, I should stand out that my problem was only biscupid aortic, but I can not understand 5 months later why they had to replace both and addition an pacemaker too..

today was my first check with my cardiology and I got the new the my mitral valve has moderately elevated gradient, I asked my doctor and he told me that apparently they place a smaller mitral valve than what they should have done.

any opinions??

I dont understand.

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Arlyasaca - No one told you why they replaced the mitral valve when your only problem was a bicuspid aortic valve ? Ask your GP as he/she will have been sent a copy of relevant reports. Perhaps you can contact the cardiac surgeon or his/her secretary ? Ask them for information. You should have been told why you were given a pacemaker too when you were in hospital. You should have been sent copies of all reports too (at least in the UK patients are sent copies of reports). Sounds very odd.

Regarding getting a "smaller valve" - I have a too small aortic valve so I have patient prosthesis mismatch, but they can't put in a bigger valve than the space allows. To put in a bigger valve they have to do other things, I only know what those things are with regard to the aortic valve and they didn't do any of those with me, I don't know why but I gather that to do so would have entailed more difficult/risky surgery. I don't know how they can put in a bigger mitral valve than the space allows - something you need to speak to a cardiac surgeon about.

 

[Ariyasaca]

Hello Paleowoman, Thanks for your reply.

My surgeon told me that when they finished replacement with the aortic valve, they saw in the transesophageal echocardiogram a severe insufficiency in the mitral valve, and they tried to fix it but there was not succeed, so they had to replace it with a mech valve...However my cardiology told me today that my mitral valve is nor working fine, because it seem like they put in smaller than one.

On the other hand, they had to put in a pacemaker because surgeon said that when the touch the heart they can damage the electric canal and a pacemaker is neecesary as heart not enough power.

I will visit another cardiology and maybe I will need to sue them..

In addition all this, after 6 months of my surgery I keep fighting with a polyneuropathy that adquired after 36 days in ICU and 10 days more in hospital. I was very close to die, they had to use ECMO machine because I got my lungs infected. now Im fighting to get back my foot as I can not move them.

 

[Ariyasaca]

Paleowoman,

do you have a moderate gradient too because of your smaller valve? because my doctor sais it not work okay and I should keep taking more dosage of emconcor .

Im really fear to cope with another open heart surgery, because I almost not live to tell it.

 

[Paleowoman]

Paleowoman,

do you have a moderate gradient too because of your smaller valve? because my doctor sais it not work okay and I should keep taking more dosage of emconcor .

Yes my pressure gradient is in the 'moderate' range, mean pressure gradient is 31mmHg. (pressure gradients for aortic valves are different from mitral valves) The valve itself is working okay, just small which causes the increase in pressure gradient and symptoms. I was prescribed Ivabradine to slow my heart rate just two weeks ago but that resulted in me not feeling so good and getting very high blood pressure so my cardiologist has taken me off it - as far as I'm concerned my heart rate needs to be as it is and I don't think it's too high (mid 70s to upper 80s). Cardiac surgeon has said that the valve should not be replaced until it shows signs that it is degenerating - mine is a tissue valve.

 

[Ariyasaca]

That is exactly the same gradient I had in my aortic valve when the told me to undergo surgery.. I think it is a mistake as the replacement is recommended with severe gradient 40mmhg up.

my valve is mech I have not idea what will be the outcome with ny actual problem .

 

[Trinalovescats]

Hey guys!
Its been awhile since I've said hello!

i had Mitral Valve Replacement ,19 months ago at 31.Because I am 4ft 9.I was given the smallest mechanical valve which is for kids.Im lucky..because they had a hard time trying to replace it.So its the smallest one!

 

[Ariyasaca]

How are you feeling since then?
the curious thing is that I've never had a problem with mitral valve and they ended up replacing it...I went in for aortiv valve replacement