A
ALCapshaw
Has anyone had their Valve Selection request changed by the surgeon during surgery? (i.e., received a valve different from what you requested going into surgery?)
'AL'
'AL'
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M
mainframe
Yes, I did.
I originally wanted a Ross, but that was scrubbed due to some dialation of the aorta. I knew that a day or two prior to surgery. Then I wanted a stentless porcine valve. I went into surgery with that as the plan.
During surgery, the surgeon found the porcine valve woundn't be a good fit, due to the angle of my heart and the way my coronary arteries lined up. He decided to use a bovine valve instead.
Works for me. I still realize I'll have to have another surgery, but am hopeful that valve technology will improve and surgical technics will become less invasive. We shall see.
I originally wanted a Ross, but that was scrubbed due to some dialation of the aorta. I knew that a day or two prior to surgery. Then I wanted a stentless porcine valve. I went into surgery with that as the plan.
During surgery, the surgeon found the porcine valve woundn't be a good fit, due to the angle of my heart and the way my coronary arteries lined up. He decided to use a bovine valve instead.
Works for me. I still realize I'll have to have another surgery, but am hopeful that valve technology will improve and surgical technics will become less invasive. We shall see.
M
martha
Hi Al,
I did get the valve type that I wanted. However, on advice from a friend, I gave my surgeon an order of preferance. Then let him make decissions once he got in there. martha
I did get the valve type that I wanted. However, on advice from a friend, I gave my surgeon an order of preferance. Then let him make decissions once he got in there. martha
Ross
Well-known member
Mine wants to use the St. Jude mechanical with graft attachment. He said he would use the On-X valve if it were made with the graft attachment, but they don't make one yet. He also told me that the mechanical is first choice, however, he'll use whatever my anatomy will accept. He won't know for sure until I'm opened.
S
srwieland
Yes. I 've been told by several surgeons that their first option is always repair, even if unlikely. After that, they usually have a primary choice, but, depending on the situation they find inside, they usually have alternate contingencies lined up.
If I do have to have resurgery, which is up in the air now, I am planning to choose to have another SynerGraft, aortic this time, with a mechanical as a backup. It depends, however, on confirmation that the SynerGraft treated valve I already have functioned as hoped (i.e., has repopulated with my own cells) and that doing a tissue valve again is not significantly riskier than doing a mechanical due to the scar tissue.
My surgeon here in Florida, Dr. Zehr at Mayo, and Dr. McGiffin at Alabama are all supportive of this choice and are inclined to believe that the SynerGraft has repopulated and that another tissue implantation will not be any riskier than that of a mechanical. To be honest, their opinions have taken me a bit by surprise on this, but I welcome them.
I just spoke with Dr. Zehr from Mayo, who has reviewed all my records, and he is hopeful that my valve has indeed remarkably improved as my last echo indicates. He says he has never seen such improvement, especially over such a short period of time. He still suspects that one of the echoes, the bad one a month ago and the good one a week ago, was mistaken, and so he is awaiting the results of a TEE that I will be doing in 2 weeks. However, he believes that, if the improvement is confirmed, it may very well be due to the fact that I have a SynerGraft valve that my body can adjust as it would a native valve.
Good luck Al and keep us posted. I'll do the same.
Steve
If I do have to have resurgery, which is up in the air now, I am planning to choose to have another SynerGraft, aortic this time, with a mechanical as a backup. It depends, however, on confirmation that the SynerGraft treated valve I already have functioned as hoped (i.e., has repopulated with my own cells) and that doing a tissue valve again is not significantly riskier than doing a mechanical due to the scar tissue.
My surgeon here in Florida, Dr. Zehr at Mayo, and Dr. McGiffin at Alabama are all supportive of this choice and are inclined to believe that the SynerGraft has repopulated and that another tissue implantation will not be any riskier than that of a mechanical. To be honest, their opinions have taken me a bit by surprise on this, but I welcome them.
I just spoke with Dr. Zehr from Mayo, who has reviewed all my records, and he is hopeful that my valve has indeed remarkably improved as my last echo indicates. He says he has never seen such improvement, especially over such a short period of time. He still suspects that one of the echoes, the bad one a month ago and the good one a week ago, was mistaken, and so he is awaiting the results of a TEE that I will be doing in 2 weeks. However, he believes that, if the improvement is confirmed, it may very well be due to the fact that I have a SynerGraft valve that my body can adjust as it would a native valve.
Good luck Al and keep us posted. I'll do the same.
Steve
A
ALCapshaw
EXCELLENT suggestion Martha.
I give a strong second to your recommendation to prepare a LIST of preferences and your reasons. It might even be a good idea for you and the surgeon to sign the list and enter it in your records. That way there is a clear indication of your wishes if the first choice is not viable which may save precious time during surgery.
'AL'
I give a strong second to your recommendation to prepare a LIST of preferences and your reasons. It might even be a good idea for you and the surgeon to sign the list and enter it in your records. That way there is a clear indication of your wishes if the first choice is not viable which may save precious time during surgery.
'AL'
John & Joann
Well-known member
I never gave the doctors a preference. They told me what they were going to use.
During both surgeries (1971 and 1998) I had so many problems that I relied on their skills.
Once you have mechanical valves you must replace with mechanical valves. The second time there was really no choice.
John & Joann
During both surgeries (1971 and 1998) I had so many problems that I relied on their skills.
Once you have mechanical valves you must replace with mechanical valves. The second time there was really no choice.
John & Joann
joy
Well-known member
Hi Al, I basically asked my surgeon which he recommended for someone who is my age, and he told me that he preferred tissue valves. SO I trusted him and told him to use that. However, they tell you before your surgery, that if a tissue won't fit, that they go ahead and use the second best choice. I got a capentier edwards bovine mitral valve. I am very happy with it, and thank the cow that gave it's life for me. I am 24, I was 23 when I had my surgery. August 27th will be my 1 year anniversary. I'm looking forward to many more before my valve needs to be replaced again. Take it easy!
