Valve Repair Question

[cp172]

I am curious. If you have had a repair how well has it gone? Did the repair require a rework years later or have you gone problem free since the operation? I would like to hear your story.

I had mitral valve repair (minimal invasive surgery) in February involving the replacement of a chordea (replaced the near broken chordea with an extra one and installed a plastic ring). I was recently told by my surgeon and cardiologist that everything looks fine. The echo did reveal some regurgitation but I was told it was what you would expect for someone in their fifties. My blood pressure has dropped to 115-70 so I have come off high blood pressure medicine. I take an asprin in the morning. The surgery also fixed my AF. There is no heart murmur and no prolapse.


How has your repair gone? What can I expect for the future?

 

[Adrienne]

It has only been three years since my MV repair, so I guess time will tell. Right now everything is very good despite the fact that it was a complicated repair. I also have mild regurgitation, but it seems to have stayed stable. I didn't have an echo this year, so next year I will know more.

 

[Ross]

I had my aortic valve repaired and resuspended. It was never right after the repair and required AVR 7 years later.

 

[lb151]

I had mitral valve repair 11 years ago. It was good for about 7 years,then started giving me trouble. I had a replacement in August. It all depends on the damage done to your heart and if you have a progressive type valve disease. Mine was very gradual and treated with meds until my symptoms got really bad.

 

[Curtsmum]

My son had a mitral valve repair at 18 months old and then another one in July this year. We have recently found out that Curtis had a supra valve ring and apparently that means that a repair will fail. He is looking at another surgery to replace the valve, as it is leaking again but hopefully he will get to 18 before needing another surgery.
All the best and hope you get the best results from your repair. Tc

 

[Tom F.]

I had an aortic valve repair done in connection with an ascending aortic aneurysm in 2002. So far it is holding up quite well, no problems at all.

 

[WayneGM]

My mitral valve repair with be 3 years old in February. My last echo was in September and so far so good. Nice and tight, trace leak (less than many "normal" valves), enlarged heart chambers back to normal, and heart walls back to normal.

 

[tlhudson]

I had my MV Repair done six years ago last month. They did have to reattach several of the chordea when the ring was being done. But, so far all seems well. Good BP with little or no regurgitation.
I go the 12th for my annual echo. Oh Joy Oh Joy. Will let you know what that shows.
I do agree each case is different as it does depend on what damamge, if any, was done to the heart prior to the repair.

 

[ValveSurgerySurvivor]

I had a mitral valve repair 6 weeks ago at Duke. It was a moderate to severe MR and MP. The LV was very dialated - to the point where Dr. Glower recommended a repair in less than 6 months. When he opened the heart, he found my valve to be twice the size of a normal valve. He did the reing and resized the leaflets. The post surgical echo revealed no leakage. Dr. Glower now puts me on a normal lifespan. Today, I am jogging and essentially back to normal. I documented the story from symptoms to surgery at www.myvalvesurgery.com . I hope it is useful at least in seeing a similar experience. Best of luck to you with your annual echo.

Steve
My complete experience with minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.
http://www.myvalvesurgery.com
Diagnosis: Severe Mitral Regurgitation
Procedure: Mimimally Invasive Mitral Valve Repair
Surgery Location: Duke Medical Center
Surgeon: Dr. Donald Glower
Surgery Date: 10/17/2008

 

[geckley]

I had my mitral valve repaired in July of 2005. My pulmunary pressures were so high and the amount of damage I had done was signifigant because I ignored the little signs of something wasn't right. So 3 years later I just had the valve replacd with a St. Jude valve. So far so good.

 

[offwego]

I had my MR repaired using minimally invasive approach 5 years ago and 'felt' it was not holding up as well as it should have been 2-3 years later...my feelings were ignored by my cardiologist (not that it would ahve mattered I suppose), it's progressively gotten worse..still not really taken seriously until these past 4 months..I could stay on medication to control it but I feel subtle fatigue and have difficulty running or walking fast uphill. I've decided i just have to go back and do it again..

Not sure you want to focus on this yourself as there is nothing you can do and it might just increase anxiety wondering if yours will hold up.

 

[cp172]

Guys and Gals,

Thanks for the info. I have found it hard not to focus on my repair and wondering if it will hold up. I have hesitated asking the question about how other's are doing with repairs for fear of what I would hear. But I decided it was time to ask and get the question behind me.

I am lucky that no damage had been done to my heart. I had been under observation for 10 years and my cardiologist and surgeon were proactive in having the surgery done when it was time.

I guess the bottom line is that whether you have a repair, valve or normal heart things can and do go wrong. In the last few days I learned a friend who I thought was healthy as a horse was told that he needed a heart transplant or he would be dead in six months. He has been accepted into a stem cell program in Utah that is testing the regeneration of heart muscle.

Again. Thanks to all my VR friends for their info.