Valve Replacement Surgery and Atrial Fibrillation

[Seabush]

Has anyone ever started or stopped having atrial fibrillation after having valve replacement surgery? My mother is having her aortic valve replaced tomorrow. They are also going to either repair or replace her triscupid valve and look at her mitral valve. She current has atrial fibrillation. Can her atrial fibrillation problem be corrected by heart valve replacement? Has anyone experienced their atrial fibrillation getting worse after surgery?

Thanks

 

[Bill Hall]

I was afib periodically before surgery and was afib for one month after surgery. Since then, no afib for the past eight months. I think the surgery can improve the afib condition, but there are probably no guarentee. I guess your mother's surgery was today, so I will be saying prayers. Tell Lilian I am thinking about her and hope she does well. Please let us know how she does.

 

[John & Joann]

There is no guarantee that surgery will correct the atrial fib. Many valve patients have this problem before surgery and also many have it after surgery that did not have the problem previously.

There are treatments for the problem. They probably will wait a few weeks after surgery to start these medications. Medication and pacemaker are common forms of treatment. There are also new developments that are currently being perfected. Oblation is another treatment that changes the nerve patterns in the heart.

Hope this helps.

John

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi seabush,
my husband, joey, just had a ross procedure done (he's 49 and in great shape). he had a few bouts with afib before his surgery and we were told to expect that he might after the surgery as well. he was taking sotolol preventatively before surgery and a few days after, until he went into afib two days ago. then out of fib and then back in today. we are now planning to have him start amiodarone tomorrow for a month or two to see if that will do the trick.
i know there are lots of meds they can give post surgery to help control afib. ask your doctor about it, and good luck! when is the surgery?
please let us know how it all goes.
be well and God bless!
-sylvia