Arnold Schwarzenegger - Thoughts

[Rush20]

Politics aside, I still consider the "Terminator" as somewhat of a roll model. It's nice to see someone who had AVR and apparently survived a failed Ross Procedure and now has a mechanical aortic valve live such a high-profile, active life.

Apparently, anytime the surgery question is raised, his canned response is "old news". Sort of nice to hear, however I wonder if he has any other side effects.

 

[bvdr]

Regardless of politics, I love to see someone who overcomes diversity and makes a success in life. Arnold certainly is one of those people.

I have met many people that truly amaze me. I worked with an ER nurse who had lost both legs as a child from complications of chicken-pox. She had two artifical limbs and yet she not only coped but was a wonderful nurse.

I also volunteered on a rescue squad and one of the members of my team had lost a leg in Vietnam. He also carried stretchers and was an inspiration to me. Another volunteer on our team was a minister who had survived a ruptured aortic aneurysm.

 

[Bryan B]

My nurse in the cath holding area was asking why a yougin like me was getting a cath and I told her for AVR. She showed me her scar and said she had a little piggy in her.

I wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't pointed it out and I told her how great she looked. She then said I was her favorite patient.

 

[rossfailure]

CORRECTION !

CORRECTION !

Arnold ended up with a HOMOGRAFT in the aortic postion not mechanical.

SO, he has two HOMOGRAFTs; aortic and pulmonary.

I know this because his surgeon performed both of my valve replacement surgeries.

Dr. Vaughn Starnes, USC Hospital, Los Angeles.

My Ross Procedure failed as well.

Apparently, not many Ross Procedures are being done on adults anymore because of a high rate of early failures.

 

[bethanne]

thanks for posting rossfailure,

I have been curious for a long time to know about his valve replacement. I had just found out about my bi-cuspid aortic valve weeks before knee surgery from a car accident. (7 years ago)As a I was going "under" the nurses/techs you know the ones in the green suits said, "so you have a bi-cuspid aortic valve" well you are in good company because Arnol Schw...... has one of those and he just had it replaced" Over the years, he has been my inspiration becuase I see how active he is and I think I can too!

But I am sure he was much wiser and his replaced sooner.

A homograft valve... Hmm very interesting.

Did you go with a homograft valve as well?

 

[rossfailure]

When you have a Ross Procedure you wind up with your native pulmonary valve in the aortic postition and a homograft in the pulmonary position. So, thats what I had until my transplanted pulmonary valve failed. It was replaced by a St. Jude mechanical.

SO, now I have a mechanical aortic and a homograft in the pulmonary.

working great so far.
since 1999.

 

[Tom F.]

The Ross is a tricky surgery. Some docs have great luck with them, including the one that did my valve repair. Others not. I think its a combination of luck and skill. According to the international ross registry overall success rates remain high, but I would only have one done by someone who has done many of them, and who have a good track record.

 

[Rush20]

When I asked about Arnold, my cardio said that he was given a mechanical. However, since he didn't perform the surgery or was associated with it, I'll go with the correction.

Maybe it's just a rumor as I know the idea of the Terminator on Coumadin would not help the PR.

Regardless, still an inspiration.

 

[Marge]

One thing I've always wondered about, since I first heard of AS's valve surgery, is the role steroids may have played in the development of his condition. At the time of the surgery, I recall there was quite a bit of speculation about this. (Schwarzenegger's PR people insisted that it was a "congenital defect," and that steroid use had nothing to do with it.)

AS has readily admitted that he used steroids in the past, and even if he had not admitted it, it is generally known that they are in common use in the body-building world -- it would be surprising if he hadn't used them.

I have never been really clear whether there is an established connection between steroid use and valve problems -- but certainly there are serious other health issues -- AS could do a wonderful public service if he were to go on record urging young people NOT to follow his example & to avoid steroids (which are becoming more and more common, now reaching down into high school athletics).

 

[Bryan B]

And the doubt starts to creep in.....

 

[pegne]

According to the international ross registry overall success rates remain high, but I would only have one done by someone who has done many of them, and who have a good track record.

And sometimes even those who go to the "best in the country, and have the "best" doctors still end up needing a surgery to undo the failed Ross. I have two homograft valves instead of mechanical.

 

[Bryan B]

I guess I'm an optimist (and maybe a little greedy). I'm hoping to be part of that > 80% line at 25 years.

First link: freedom from autograft explant:

http://www.rossregistry.com/_Charting/AGexplant.asp

Second link: freedom from pulmonary explant:

http://www.rossregistry.com/_Charting/RVOTrepair.asp

But this discussion will result in a call to my surgeon tomorrow to ask for his personal numbers.

 

[MarkU]

My surgeon and some of the OR staff were chatting with me about Arnold's surgery just before they put me under for my AVR.
With just a bit of bravado, my surgeon told me that "...if we would have done it he wouldn't had to have it re-done..."
I liked hearing that.

Mark

 

[Granbonny]

I heard or read? that AS blew his first one..doing too much..too soon..I think I heard he blew it riding a stationary bike? We should go to www.google.com and see what they have to say I think he should serve as Gov. of California..retire..take it easy and enjoy seeing his children grow up. They sure don't need the money....Bonnie

 

[Rush20]

I read that Arnold was in recovery and within 48 hours he had trouble breathing and was rushed back to surgery. Again, with a celebrity of this stature, before anything goes public, I'm sure the PR Spin Doctors provide their input.

He's obviously goal-oriented thus his move into politics.

 

[MarkU]

The story - perhaps a bit of an urban legend - is that Arnold was on an exercise bike within 48 hrs of his first surgery and "blew out" his first valve repair by exercising too hard.

Mark

 

[Marty]

Smart pumphead!

Smart pumphead!

I saw Arnold being grilled by Tim Russert last week. He was sharp as a tack. No signs of pumphead.

 

[tobagotwo]

My surgeon thought he had a failed Ross, and was brought back in as an emergency, having a porcine valve put in. Now I can tell him it was a homograft. Then again, maybe I shouldn't correct him until after the surgery...

 

[Mara]

I have to respectfully disagree with those who disparage the Ross Procedure.
Mine is doing great.

I think surgeons do the RP in people who are not excellent candidates for the RP and that is why they fail. I know of a lot of adults who have recently had the RP. But, adults in whom the RP failed often have other health issues besides Aortic valve disease.

The best RP surgeon might not be the guy who has done 1000 of them, but the guy who has the best outcomes.

I heard an awful lot about a doc named Elkins in OK. he has done a ton of them, but I definatley got the idea that a lot of those patients were "guinea pigs," too. No way would I go to him. He is just trying to build up his stats on the Ross Registry, which he owns and runs.


Arnold is not a heart surgery role model. He had a lot to do with his RP failing by trying to do too much too soon and blew it out. Plus all those steroids he did in the 1970's had a big part to play, too.

Sometimes mechanical valves fail, too. Let's think about Billy's poor wife Myrtle and her death caused by St. Jude's greed and arrogance. Plus, I am personally acquainted with 5 people who all suffered strokes as a direct result of a mechanical heart valve.

One valve is not better than the other. One valve may be better for you than for me, but don't say the RP, or homografts or mechanicals are bad just based on your opinion or experience. That valve might not have been right for you. What worked for you might not work for someone else!
As Liza Minnelli used to say: "Don't ick my wow."

 

[pegne]

Mara

Mara

I respectfully have to disagree with you when you say that people who have had a failed rp have had other health issues. I am a very healthy adult who, if it weren't for my heart would be an otherwise very healthy adult. This was also the fact when I had my RP. I am very happy that your RP is a success. There are, unfortunately, many of us that haven't been so lucky. I realize I should have taken a more active roll in what the surgeons at The Cleveland Clinic wanted to do to me but I just felt I was leaving myself in very capable hands. I was wrong. I also agree that this is a very personal decision one has to make. That is why there are so many valves and so may different procedures. Aren't we lucky to live in a place that is so medically advanced that we can have discusions like this and make our own judgements.