Bicuspid aortic valve repair and powerlifting

Zamininc · Jul 16, 2012

I'm an aspiring powerlifter (15 right now) and I was thinking of getting a minimally invasive bicuspid aortic valve repair so I wouldn't need to get it replaced/risk death in the future. I have some questions.

1: Would I be able to make a FULL recovery? I mean no limitations. I wouldn't imagine so, as the surgery fixes the problem and only leaves a minimal scar.
2: It won't be for another 6-12 months until I can actually get the surgery, in the mean time, should I slow down on weightlifting before I get the surgery? I have absolutely no symptoms, only a slight very slight murmur that my cardiologist couldn't hear and could only tell in the echocardiogram

I'm currently bulking and doing a modified version of rippetoe's starting strength

TheGymGuy · Jul 17, 2012

You have just brought a smile to my face and quite possibly made my week. The amount of invasiveness for this surgery would not make much of a difference over a long term, in my opinion. Whenever you do need the surgery let the surgeon decide on what the best approach is.

1. if you stay healthy, eat your veggies, drink your shakes, and stay natural - with some luck you will make FULL recovery. Speaking from experience, I am 3 month 3 weeks post op and as functional as 1 day before surgery.
2. You should consult your surgeon on this. If you do not have any aneurysms, training might still be ok, I trained almost up to the night before surgery.

I love rippetoe!!!!!! Bulking at 15!!!????!!! Awesome! If you can, or maybe you already do, try to get a competition or two in before the surgery in 100% RAW or USAPL unequipped.

Best of luck,
GymGuy

PS What are your numbers? AVA? Is Left Ventricle enlarged? etc? Give us some diagnosis that you know or remember.

Zamininc · Jul 17, 2012

Whenever you do need the surgery let the surgeon decide on what the best approach is.

I want to get it repaired beforehand though. My father almost had an aneurysm in his early 40s. That's why I was checked in the first place. I don't want to be stuck with getting an artificial valve that prevents me from powerlifting.

1. if you stay healthy, eat your veggies, drink your shakes, and stay natural - with some luck you will make FULL recovery. Speaking from experience, I am 3 month 3 weeks post op and as functional as 1 day before surgery.

That's a big relief. Thanks.

2. You should consult your surgeon on this. If you do not have any aneurysms, training might still be ok, I trained almost up to the night before surgery.

I think I should be able to. I don't have any symptoms of a bicuspid aortic valve. I just have a panic attack whenever my chest gets DOMs.

If you can, or maybe you already do, try to get a competition or two in before the surgery in 100% RAW or USAPL unequipped.

I'll try, but I don't think my lifts would be high enough to do it just yet. Maybe in another 6-8 months I'll be able to compete.

PS What are your numbers? AVA? Is Left Ventricle enlarged? etc? Give us some diagnosis that you know or remember.

The cardiologist said my heart was perfectly fine, had no problem with me exercising. Of course doctors have a very different idea of exercising than I do. Either way I only have a tiny murmur. The doctor couldn't even hear it. No left ventricle enlargement or anything. I'm getting a checkup in around a year or so. I have to get one every two years just in case.

TheGymGuy · Jul 18, 2012

If your heart is perfectly fine and you have just a little murmur, and there is no sign of BAV in your tests - maybe, you do not have a BAV. That would be pretty lucky, though, right?

Just keep healthy, exercise lots, and if you happen to lift in a meet, do let me know and I might make a drive up there to see ya lift. FYI, my lifts are improving weekly, and while I am not close to my pre-surgery totals, my raw squat is now 415, bench is 270 paused, and deadlift is 495, all are raw and without belt for the time being.

Another thought is that I was told I would need my BAV fixed when I was in my early twenties, and here we are 10+ years later, after I have set a national deadlift record and hope to beat it yet again. If you do not have exercise restrictions train away and have fun.

ElectLive · Jul 18, 2012

Zamininc - Am I understanding correctly that you definitely have a bicuspid aortic valve, that it is functioning well with no immediate need of repair/replacement, but you are considering repairing early as a preventative measure? If not, please correct, the powerlifting terminology is all a foreign language to me, so I could have easily been confused... :smile2:

Anyway, a few thoughts:

Repair of bicuspid valves is usually only an option for regurgitation not stenosis, and is more difficult than replacement. That being said, top level centers such as Cleveland Clinic do many. A repair to last a lifetime is by no means guaranteed, though. If I remember correctly, at CC, around 25% or so of repairs need replacement within 10 years.

In some ways, the valve is a secondary consideration to the aorta in terms of limitations. Repairing or replacing a bicuspid aortic valve does not "cure" the associated connective tissue disorder that affects the aorta in many BAV patients, particularly those with a family history of aneurysms. So a fully repaired valve would not necessarily improve your powerlifting prospects unless other things are done at the same time such as "preemptive" aorta work and/or blood pressure control.

Now, this may be sounding like bad news, but that's not at all my intent, just wanted to make sure you are evaluating the whole picture. Outside our own "gold star" powerlifter, there are examples of professional athletes (NBA, NFL, etc) that have undergone aorta grafting due to aneurysms including a full sternotomy approach and have returned to their world-class athletic lifestyles. It likely involves much more aggressive monitoring, but if you are open about your wishes with your professional team, and consult top-level second opinions if need be, you will likely have far fewer limitations than you might guess no matter what path you take with your valve. You may not need to repair to support your lifestyle, replacement might just be the best option.

Anyway, hope my original understanding of your situation was correct, otherwise I've rambled far too long on mostly irrelevant information. :rolleyes2: Best wishes to you moving forward.