Valve Cards

[Jkm7]

I was told my card should have been given to me at hospital in my discharge paper work packet.
ALso told if it was not there, well then it got ate up at the hospital and that is that.
So I politely asked for the size, the surgeon assistant then gave me size and serial number.
I wonder if I contacted on-x if they could replace card then???

Brad

I never got a card for my bovine valve and when I called my surgeon's office, they were rather vague about it. I went to the Carpentier Edwards site, saw a contact us link and e-mailed. They replied very promptly and in short order sent me a card.

I need a new one and my surgeon has passed away so I'll need to go direct to Carpentier again. Hopefully, they will be as helpful now as before. Seeing my surgeon is no longer implanting their valves, I hope they'll still be helpful.

 

[dick0236]

"MRI Testing
If you are told you need to have an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), tell the doctor that you have an artificial heart valve and show your ID card, which contains important information about how to perform an MRI safely with your valve. Your doctor or MRI technician may request the following information:

I was refused an MRI four or five years ago because I did not have a "valve card". That was the first time since my surgery in 1967 that the question of my valve ever came up. As a result of that experience, I attempted to get a card from the old valve manufacturer, Edwards Lifesciences. No record of my implant was available in their records. That caused me to attempt to get information on my early surgery......and I found that almost all of my medical records had been "purged" over time, even tho I continued to see the same cardio group over all those years....I have since changed cardios. The hospital did have some skeletal records on "mico-fish" and I was able to show Edwards Lifesciences the I had a #9 Starr-Edwards valve implanted on 8/16/67. Edwards did produce a card with MRI information, for me, even tho the model is shown as "UNK-STARREW, 23MM, AORTIC POSITION and the serial no. is shown as UNK-178.....I'm pretty sure the UNK means "unknown" and that does not give me a "warm, fuzzy feeling". The upside is that there were few models available in those days and they have a pretty good idea of what I have.

This experience taught me that it is my responsibility to keep my own file of necessary medical information. You are your own advocate......and the only one really interested in maintaining information for the "long haul".

 

[cherbam]

I have an MRI tomorrow and my cards were in my wallet that got stolen. I have two St. Jude mechanicals and one bovine. Will my surgeon or cardiologist have the serial and model numbers? My surgery was in 2004.

 

[Lynlw]

I have an MRI tomorrow and my cards were in my wallet that got stolen. I have two St. Jude mechanicals and one bovine. Will my surgeon or cardiologist have the serial and model numbers? My surgery was in 2004.

St Jude could probably give you the info quickly.I would probably call them first , altho im sure your surgeon and card have them on file somewhere

 

[Jkm7]

I have an MRI tomorrow and my cards were in my wallet that got stolen. I have two St. Jude mechanicals and one bovine. Will my surgeon or cardiologist have the serial and model numbers? My surgery was in 2004.

The information should be in your surgical report/hospital records. My records from Mass General had the valve information.

Unless your MRI is at the hospital where you had your surgery, it's too late to give a medical release and get the records by tomorrow.

Your surgeon should have it in his files.
Good luck.

 

[LJM]

I try to keep recored of all things done & implanted. Just for my own OCD.

However when i went over the release papers from my most recent surgery there is no info at all on the paperwork about my valve,.. Nothing.. and thats weird.