Valve area after surgery

[jklump]

I had a post surgery echo today and wanted to know the valve area of the new valve. The tech told me she measured it at 1.2. She didn't give me numbers, but said the pressures were really low and everything looked fine. I thought the valve area would be greater than 1.2. My cardio told me after surgery that the replacements did a great job, but not as good as what God gave us.
Does the 1.2 area sound normal or am I just hung up on numbers?

 

[ALCapshaw2]

For starters, you would be wise to request a copy of the Echo Report to verify that number.
If it is correct, you may want to ask your surgeon if this "is consistent with" what he would expect from the valve type and size that he implanted in you.

As your Cardiologist suggested, the Gradient Pressures are the more significant numbers and if those are Low as she reported, you are 'good to go'. ENJOY ! Hopefully the gradient numbers will also be listed in the Echo Report.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[malibu82]

hey there

i have had this concern for awhile now. i had my replacement on may 21st almost 1 year ago. since then my valve area has been showing on the echo at 0.9cm.

i am being told that i am 100% okay and nothing to worry about, and that since i had my aortic aneurysm repaired during surgery is making a difference in my readings on correct pressure measurements via echos.

so, what i have learned.

as long as your doctors are not worried, you should not be either. otherwise you will be a wreck!

 

[normofthenorth]

My 27mm valve measured 1.6cm2 on discharge from the hospital. I was certainly disappointed. About a month ago my cardiologist said it had improved significantly (as my surgeon said it would), but I don't think he gave me an area. I forget the pressure readings I've gotten, though I've got a written report from the first one.

Even for serious athletes, I think many of these hemodynamic numbers are often meaningless, unless they measure something that's limiting, like a bottleneck. That could well be the case for somebody with a very narrow Aortic Root (and AV), who would be prone to prosthesis-patient mismatch. Otherwise, don't expect a super-sized AV to turn you into an Olympic athlete, or a slightly narrow one to limit your CV performance.

At least that's my reading of what I've read.