Aortic Valve Repair instead of Replacement

[beauty4less]

I had severe aortic valve regurgitation with aneurysm. Last year at age 48, my surgeon recommended me the homograft replacement surgery but I flew to South Korea to repair my aortic valve and dilated ventrical.

Seven years ago the most famous heart surgeon in Korea developed an innovative aortic valve repair procedure with special materials. More than 100 patients have taken the repair surgery from him and 98% success is reported until now. No coumadin or No more valve replacement surgery is required after the repair surgery. The repair procedure with the materials is US patent pending.

My aortic valve was repaired by the surgeon in Korea 11 months ago and then I came back to America one month later.

Two months ago I took the first ECHO test in America after the repair surgery. I was reported the aortic valve was repaired successfully and the dilated ventrical was much less reduced.

I am well recovered and my heart functions much better than before the repair surgery.

If you have any questions, send me e-mail or contact the doctor as follows;

Dr. Song, Chief Dept. Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery in Asan Medical Center in Korea (Harvard Medical International Associated Institution)
Phone) 82-2-3010-3114 e-mail) [email protected]

Good Luck and God bless you.

 

[McCln]

Beauty4less

Beauty4less

This surgeon needs to be teaching our surgeons here in America, for they are always waiting for new breakthrough in this type of surgery. In my case, though, the repair was done that way it has been for years, thus the reason I have replaced the diceased valve. Glad that you had a good surgeon and things are looking good. That in repair, you do not have to be on coumadin or warafin. But should you need surgery again, replacement could still happen. Repairs are not totally guaranteed. But I hope yours holds out. Thanks for sharing your story and hope your repair lasts the rest of your life. Keep active and eat right. Take care and keep visiting in here.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[alan_delac]

Thanks for the information. I, and I assume many others, would appreciate any details that you could provide about the procedure.

Regards

Alan

 

[Harpoon]

For the record, traveling abroad for almost any surgical proceedure, can be EXTREMELY dangerous...

Setting aside the possibility of seeing a quack surgeon or "substandard" facilities and the like, international travel like that puts a certain amount of stress on your body. That stress can be exacerbated by an exsisting medical condition, especially heart-related. The flight alone is rough, long hours on a plane with no medical assistance and little, if any, opportunity to move around in flight. Plus the stress of the change in time zones, climates, altitude... It can all add up.

Most people that DO travel abroad for surgical proceedures either do it out of dire need or plan for a lot of time before surgery to "aclimate" to their new surroundings and after surgery for recovery before returning home.


It may be worth considering for your specific condition, however there's a LOT of extra risks (and benefits) that should be considered above and beyond surgery in your homeland.