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I forgot to mention that following my surgery, the nurses said they knew who had Talons because those patients made less noise, used less pain meds and were more active than patients with wires.

Ten years ago Sternal Talons were used to close my chest during my first valve replacement. My surgeon, Dr James Span, was one of the two inventors along with Dr Archy Miller. From the time I first got out of bed, I had no chest pain. I walked easily, took showers and even did a little...

Well, everyone, here is an image showing my "devices" on the lower right one can see the band of my old CE Magna. Center bottom is my 2nd Corevalve, the one working for me now. You can see its wire mesh support. Top center is the extra CoreValve. On the left are the sternal talons used to...

Johann, so good to hear from you. I seem to back to the first days after the open heart surgery. After any activity I must rest. And, yes, the ring is broken with a balloon. That part worked but my heart didn't respond well. However, I am home with my dogs now and this is better. I'm hoping...

Hi, everyone, well, as sometimes happenes I encountered some "bumps" in the road. I expected a routine straight forward TAVR. Then my Doctor added a Basilica procedure. Still nothing too exciting. They started my 1 hour replacement at 6:30 as planned but didn't finish until 2:00. The...

I posted a note a few weeks ago that I was back in the process of working up to a TAVR now that my Edwards Magna is failing due to calcification pretty much as my native valve did 10 years ago. After I learned that my prosthesis was failing, I assumed that everything would proceed in a regular...

Hi, JC, I do understand your concerns since I have shared them. I am older than you but, that aside, not much different. At 59, my aortic valve was replaced by a CE Bovine valve. In preparation for surgery, I learned that my problem was genetic and was a problem from my maternal Uncle and my...

Thanks for your kind note, P. I've thought about a mechanical valve but my Uncle Bob started with one but ended up with a porcine valve when his Mech was overgrown with pannis tissue. My surgeon warned that there was a better than average chance that the same might happen to me. My only real...

Hi, everyone, I am back after several years away. Currently, my Bovine Pericardial valve is failing after 9 1/2 years which is most disappointing. I started feeling a little short of breath about 10 months ago and when it didn't improve I finally had to admit that it had to be valve failure...

Do realize that a single report is not statistically meaningful. That said, my bovine pericardial valve is now failing at 9 years post surgery. As my cardiologist has pointed out, our prosthesis does not exist by itself. Failure is a function of the valve as it works inside our bodies...

Hi, Kevin, I have been away from this site for several years and now find myself preparing for a repair or replacement of my own AV. The first time, 9 years ago, I sort of let the doctors work out the timing. Hey, I didn't know any better and felt they were doing their job. In retrospect, I...

What I remember most clearly, is that on getting home you can expect to have no stamina for awhile. Just as LondonAndy says any exercise will leave you exhausted and in need of a nap. When you feel like a nap, give your body a rest and take a nap. I found that walking helped more than anything...

Hi, It's been awhile since I was in this space, however, I saw the note about your "Bump". Mine took over six months to disappear. As for the mention that the bump has something to do with wires, that's certainly not true for me. My sternum was closed with a set of Talons so I have no wires...

Your report is so nice to hear. At almost 5 years, I still can't quite image twenty years. 23 years would put me well into my 80s. As you suspect, very few of us will die from valve failure. Remember, even our first member, Mr Amundson lived for 10 years after receiving the first successful...

Hi, reading your remarks, I could not help but recall the terrible anxiety I felt before surgery. You are not alone, there because most of us have felt the same way. I worried about everything. Since I live alone, I worried that I might not be able to even care for myself once I returned...

I, too, was 59 when my valve was replaced with a bovine pericardial valve. My surgeon was the one who recommended this valve for several reasons. He thinks they the new generation valves are likely to last much longer than the older biological valves and they do not require anticoagulation...

I have come to think that the length of time until one is moving and feeling "normal" is most frequently directly related to how one manages one's recovery. I found that participating in my Cardiac Rehab group was the single best thing I did. I started at six weeks after surgery and completed it...

Dick, it is wonderful to hear you've passed another year without major issues. We newbies love to see you have passed another anniversary and hope our own valves can match your's. It doesn't matter how spiffy they are but that they keep on working. Happy anniversary, Dick. Larry

Hi, Kevin, welcome to VR. You may be the first I've seen reporting this problem although I understand that it happens to about 5% of people who have had heart attacks or heart surgery. I do have a slightly different problem although both are associated with inflammation. I have chronic...

Chris, playing the game of symptoms can be very frustrating. I would suggest that when you speak with your cardiologist directly that you ask him to lay out his triggers for surgery. My surgeon wanted me to display each of the primary symptoms Heart murmur Dizziness or Feeling faint or...