Hello. I am currently 20 months into my second tissue valve. Stenotic native bicuspid aortic replaced with bovine tissue 2006, age 52. Then at age 63, that valve somewhat disintegrated suddenly (valve "flail" where one valve stuck itself open and caused severe regurgitation). The recent 2-3 year echo prognosis for repeat AVR proved false as the valve actually failed due to my stenosis build-up. I got myself to ER since out-of-breath symptoms were strong. Good on me! Saved my life. Surgeon recommended same, updated tissue valve which I had been very happy with so that's what I got.
First OHS was text book. Second OHS was textbook until I went into aFib on day 7 of recovery. Resolved with a cardioversion then went into Atrial flutter. Stayed in hospital 5 more days, sent home on Amioderone and warfarin. Please know that between those two OHS events I had a retinal occlusion (embolic stroke to the retina of one eye leaving that eye permanently black blind) and subsequent carotid surgery which was part of the reason they kept me on warfarin for 6 months after second OHS.
Now that I am over a year beyond the event and going great I do wonder what I'll choose the 3rd time around. We'll see if the newer "treated" valve lasts longer. I did walk away from this one feeling less certain about everything, to be honest. Rattled me a bit. Not sure, still, if I could handle a mechanical with all its (presumed?) constraints and noises (I'm extremely sound sensitive). I absolutely hated being on warfarin.
Please do get a second opinion -- and a third if you need it! Informed decisions are best and everyone has their own physical peculiarities of structure, need and lifestyle.
Good luck and keep posting!
After saying that about the [St. Jude mitral valve/sound] manmade valves they have and the sounds that they make, from time to time someone will say they hear it, at Drs office, all the time. It has never become a problem, I was thinking the same in making my choice, but then again I was 62+ at the time the attempt at a fix job [Done in 1998 in Cleveland Ohio/Dec.] began to fail. I was leaning to the Tissue for awhile, but was also was thinking on the terms of, I said after the first OHS that I was not going thru that again, and unless that special someone was in my life, I perhaps would not have even considered doing it at all, and was just not going thru that again, period.
So here I am now, 66+/May-12-2019 and still kicking, but mine was almost a no-brainer, I WAS OVER 65. So even the thought of a tissue Mitral Valve was like, NOT this time. And fact is, this is my last open heart, I will not go thru it again, no matter what. it is all in g-ds hands.
so in conclusion, from this person that is the owner of a Saint Jude Mitral valve, the sound from it is not all that bad. Another thing, I take THC oils for pain management, and even if I did hear it, i dont care, LOL I dont know where in the USA you are or even if you may get Medical Cannabis.
good luck with whatever you decide to do, god be with you, and everyone here!
