Aortic Valve Stenosis Complications

[newarrior]

Dear All,

I will need AVR, mechanical, in a year or two and am wondering what are some of the common complications? I will have to pay 100% pre, op and post op so I am trying to budget out my costs. Any tips related to recovery ?

Thanks !

Dave

 

[Brokenhip]

Dave,

I would have thought you have asked similar questions over & over again. Why would you want to be concerned about complications before they even exist. I believe the major complication is your tendency to over think things. An observation I suspect already made & documented by other members here.
I suggest you stay as fit as possible going into surgery, follow the guidelines set by your team in respect to recovery, do your rehab diligently and then just get on with life & your new valve.

 

[BillDaThrill]

Am 7 months out from my AVR and aneurysm replacement and loving my mechanical valve. Recovery went incredibly well and am back to better than full strength. Like Brokenhip says, get fit before surgery (walk a lot) and then again, walk a bunch after surgery (was doing 5 miles/day, every day) and you'll be surprised how quickly you recover. Best wishes.

 

[carolinemc]

Dear All,

I will need AVR, mechanical, in a year or two and am wondering what are some of the common complications? I will have to pay 100% pre, op and post op so I am trying to budget out my costs. Any tips related to recovery ?

Thanks !

Dave

If you are fit, you should have not have much in complications, except sore chest muscles for a year, work your strength back up. Easy on the heavy weights for at least three months. And take leisure walks. Good luck there.

 

[carolinemc]

Dave,

I would have thought you have asked similar questions over & over again. Why would you want to be concerned about complications before they even exist. I believe the major complication is your tendency to over think things. An observation I suspect already made & documented by other members here.
I suggest you stay as fit as possible going into surgery, follow the guidelines set by your team in respect to recovery, do your rehab diligently and then just get on with life & your new valve.

When one has never had Open Heart Surgery, they will worry more about complications. Good that you gave him good advice.

 

[Brinntache]

Well I had a dropping event. Pericardial Effusion, or build-up of fluid in the sac around the heart. In my case 1.7 litres. Popped me back into the hospital for 5 days. Don't ignore a downturn in your recovery and try to tough it out.
It is pretty rare, about a 1% chance, and they just stick a drain tube through the side of your chest. Local anesthesia, fully awake. Had a bunch of med students watch because it was cool.
Pericardial effusion after cardiac surgery: risk factors, patient profiles, and contemporary management - PubMed.

 

[Unicusp]

Well I had a dropping event. Pericardial Effusion, or build-up of fluid in the sac around the heart. In my case 1.7 litres. Popped me back into the hospital for 5 days. Don't ignore a downturn in your recovery and try to tough it out.
It is pretty rare, about a 1% chance, and they just stick a drain tube through the side of your chest. Local anesthesia, fully awake. Had a bunch of med students watch because it was cool.
Pericardial effusion after cardiac surgery: risk factors, patient profiles, and contemporary management - PubMed.

Yours sounds worse, as I also had pericardial effusion after my first surgery. But I was prescribed colchicine as a first attempt and it was successful. Thankfully no drains required.

 

[Brokenhip]

If you are fit, you should have not have much in complications, except sore chest muscles for a year, work your strength back up. Easy on the heavy weights for at least three months. And take leisure walks. Good luck there.

Very little chest muscle soreness in my case, only minor muscle discomfort in the left shoulder region for a few weeks.

 

[newarrior]

Dave,

I would have thought you have asked similar questions over & over again. Why would you want to be concerned about complications before they even exist. I believe the major complication is your tendency to over think things. An observation I suspect already made & documented by other members here.
I suggest you stay as fit as possible going into surgery, follow the guidelines set by your team in respect to recovery, do your rehab diligently and then just get on with life & your new valve.

Thanks for the insults--any purpose to that ? Or do you just enjoy shaming me ?

 

[newarrior]

If you are fit, you should have not have much in complications, except sore chest muscles for a year, work your strength back up. Easy on the heavy weights for at least three months. And take leisure walks. Good luck there.

Very little chest muscle soreness in my case, only minor muscle discomfort in the left shoulder region for a few weeks.

thank you

 

[newarrior]

Well I had a dropping event. Pericardial Effusion, or build-up of fluid in the sac around the heart. In my case 1.7 litres. Popped me back into the hospital for 5 days. Don't ignore a downturn in your recovery and try to tough it out.
It is pretty rare, about a 1% chance, and they just stick a drain tube through the side of your chest. Local anesthesia, fully awake. Had a bunch of med students watch because it was cool.
Pericardial effusion after cardiac surgery: risk factors, patient profiles, and contemporary management - PubMed.

thank you

 

[newarrior]

Am 7 months out from my AVR and aneurysm replacement and loving my mechanical valve. Recovery went incredibly well and am back to better than full strength. Like Brokenhip says, get fit before surgery (walk a lot) and then again, walk a bunch after surgery (was doing 5 miles/day, every day) and you'll be surprised how quickly you recover. Best wishes.

thank you