Aortic valve and tissue growth

[wrightthca]

Hi everyone I am new here and was wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I had my arotia valve replaced in 2006 with a pigs valve. This pass year I developed atrial fibrillation went in for a cardiac ablation and ended up being rushed to the hospital the next day. My heart was going crazy flip flopping beating fast then too slow. All kinds of test and they said it didn't react well to the procedure, I then developed the opposite too slow atrial flutter. So recently my cardiologist did an echo and a TEE and now I have tissue growth on the valve. I was too upset when he called to ask any questions but I am beside myself. He said we can wait and deal with it in the spring as long as the symptoms don't get worse. Shortness of breath, dizziness and very very tired. Anyone else have this issue and is so what did they do??? It's been a very bad year I lost a brother in Jan and in Feb I lost my mother I have been sick with all this stress and recently my sister has been told she has lung cancer, my doctor knows all this and I think that is why he wants to wait to give me a break. My concern is my daughter is getting married in July and I want to dance at her wedding and won't be able too if they plan on replacing the valve again in late spring. Please share your experience with me I am in Toronto Ontario Canada my doctor is in Newmarket
Thanks everyone:

 

[Heart Of The Sunrise]

It is called pannus. I was aware of this possibility. It was one of the reasons why I choose the ON-X valve. Part of it's design is to inhibit the growth of pannus.


Pannus is a medical term for an abnormal layer of fibrovascular tissue or granulation tissue. Common sites for pannus formation include over the cornea, over a joint surface (as seen in rheumatoid arthritis), or on a prosthetic heart valve. Pannus may grow in a tumor-like fashion, as in joints where it may erode articular cartilage and bone.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I can't offer any help, but I know how it feels to have a bad run. I had a aortic aneurysm diagnosed in Aug 2011, had it operated on in Nov, my father died in July 2012 and then my wife in August. Then an infection from the Nov 2011 surgery arose and I was back in hospital twice for 'debridement' operations.

I'm sorry about the dance at your Daughters wedding, but ... to be honest ... I'm sure she'll just be happy to have you around ... I know I wish my wife was.

all I can say is keep you chin up and take it one day at a time.

 

[wrightthca]

thanks for you kind replies.

 

[neil]

am so sorry you are going through such a rough time, try to keep positive

 

[RobThatsMe]

I had panus tissue develop around my St Jude mechanical valve after having it for 10 yrs.
It had to be replaced, or they gave me at most 6 months to live, as it was so advanced, yet I was asymptomatic.
I forget my exact numbers, but they were not good.

So, I had all my pre-surgery tests done, and made arrangements to have it replaced at Cleveland Clinic.
Mine was a complex surgery due to my prior aotic dissection, and also that they found an aneurysm on my arch.
For this surgery, I chose an On-X valve, as they are supposed help deflect panus growth away from the valve.

Rob

 

[Lynlw]

Hi I wanted to add, beside pannus, you can grow tissue that is more like scar tissue. Unfortunately Justin had it a few times, once it blocked his dacron conduit that "should" have lasted forever, but he needed that section of conduit replaced less than 2 years after his 4th heart surgery. Luckily his pulmonary valve he got at the same time looked perfect so they left that alone. His surgeon says he is a "scar making machine" I told Justin if he had to excel at something, Id like it if it was not on building internal scarring.. So far he has listen to me the past few years, knock on wood

 

[epstns]

Lyn - I think the rapid scar production may be related to the fact that the immune systems of the young are much more active than those of the older patients. Sort of related to why tissue valves in younger patients don't last as long.

 

[Lynlw]

Partly, but justins surgeons operate on children and young adults who have 3 and more surgeries all week long, and his surgeons always commoent on it during the preop and after surgery meetings on the amount of scarring Justin builds a couple have used the word challange when discussing him with us (or I over heard). It Is probably why his heart was fused to his sternum for the the 4th and 5th surgeries. I personally always wonderred if people who tend to get keloid scars on their skin cuts would build more inside too, but I've never heard or read anything saying that

As for going thru valves, I personally believe it is some how related to the body ability to build and grow bones. younger still growing children and young adults valves don't usually last as long. broken bones also tend to heal rather quickly in the young. Bones tend to heal quicker in someone that is in their 30s than 60 and the age group that bones aren't as strong or osteoporosis starts tend to have tissue valves last the longest. I have had discussions w different doctors in the long nights at different hospitals when I couldn,t sleep when justin was a patient, not official type conversations, just back and forth our thoughts on things and that seemed to be a possible relation but who knows.