A new way to replace heart valves

[andresamia]

Found this on the net.

A new way to replace heart valves
Medical Update
Indianapolis
2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abstract:

Dr John Brown of the Riley Hospital for Children has pioneered the
pulmonary
autograph mitral valve replacement surgery for patients with a
malfunctioning
mitral valve. The procedure involves replacing the defective valve with
the patient's own pulmonary valve, which is replaced with a tissue from
a human donor. The new procedure allows the patients to function
normally.
Copyright Benjamin Franklin Literary and Medical Society 2003

Full Text:

A groundbreaking surgery pioneered by Dr. John Brown at Riley Hospital
for Children in Indianapolis may greatly improve the quality of life
for
patients who require replacement of the hardest working of the heart's
four valves-the mitral valve on the left side of the heart.

In the new procedure, the malfunctioning mitral valve is replaced with
the patient's own pulmonary valve taken from the less stressed right
side
of the heart. This valve is then replaced with tissue from a human
donor.

[IMAGE ILLUSTRATION] Captioned as: Four valves allow blood to move
through
the heart chambers in only one direction. Fibrous strands called
chordae
tendineae fasten the tricuspid and mitral valves to the heart wall and
help prevent the valves from being pushed upward by the forceful
pressure
of flowing blood. The aortic and pulmonary valves are subject to less
pressure,
and so do not need such fastenings.

"This procedure is a tremendous advance and offers great opportunities
for many people," said Dr. Brown, who is also Chief of Cardiothoracic
Surgery
at the IU School of Medicine. "It allows patients to function normally,
including athletic activities, and allows women to have children."

Dr. Brown is currently the only surgeon performing pulmonary autograft
mitral valve replacement surgery in the United States. Surgeons from
around
the country are being trained in the procedure.

Previously, use of replacement valves made of metal and plastic
required
that patients take blood thinners, severely limiting physical activity
and increasing the risk of birth defects.

 

[Ross]

severely limiting physical activity

There it is again! Why do they keep saying stuff like this? It's so untrue.

I'd like to know how long the pulmonary valve lasts in the mitral position. This is one to watch for a while and see what the overall outcomes are. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

Yeah, I'll bet they'd be surprised to hear that I've been able to INCREASE my physical activity because of the valve surgery and in spite of the "blood thinners".

Thanks for the interesting post, Andresamia!

 

[catwoman]

New way to replace heart valves <????> Sounds to me like a Ross procedure for mitral valves. Should have been worded New Way to replace mitral heart valves. But that's the nitpicky editor in my blood.

Ross:

Reporters write about topics of which they have no personal knowledge. You have to -- you can't be an expert on everything --but it's also dangerous to swallow someone else's opinion and offer it to the public as the Gospel Truth.
I've been in journalism for 30+ years, not counting high school or college. As a copy editor, I have seen stuff parroted by reporters that is erroneous and even harmful. Some of it is from misunderstanding and some from info taken out of context.

Johnny:

I agree with you -- because of surgery & the Coumadin, I'm much more active today than pre-op.