Dacron Graft Life expectancy

[Buzz132]

Hello people, i had an subclavian artery replacement with an dacron 8mm graft when i was 19 years old due to an accident that caused a ruptured pseudoaneurysma in my subclavian artery. I got rushed to the hospital when it happened and when i woke up the doctors told me about it.

Now im 28 years old an fairly active but i start to worry how long the graft is gonna last. The doctor told me it should last a lifetime but when i did some research on google they talk about some grafts failing after a few years. On this forum i found a post where people mentioned that it should last a liftetime for most people.

Basically can anybody share similar stories with dacron grafts? I try not to worry too much but sometimes its hard. Its not a valve replacement but i could not find another forum about dacron graft life expectancy

 

[nobog]

Good 'ol Dr. Google. Sleep easy, the graft material is very durable, I have never heard nor seen of a graft failure.

 

[Buzz132]

Thanks brother, im basically looking for assurence that i still have some years here

 

[pellicle]

Morning

Now im 28 years old an fairly active but i start to worry how long the graft is gonna last.

basically it gets fully grown into and sort of over by the body. Its basically the endothelia. Imagine a cottage with ivy over its walls. You couldn't rip it off if you tried now.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2958931/

Two types of synthetic vascular grafts, Dacron Triaxial and Dacron Gelseal Triaxial, were implanted into both the common carotids of sheep. The animals were sacrificed 1, 2, 8, and 16 weeks after surgery. Multiple specimens, obtained from grafts and anastomoses, were studied by light microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy.... Moreover, focal areas of stripping, platelet deposition, and thrombosis were observed at 8 and 16 weeks. In contrast, a stable endothelial coverage developed on the Gelseal Triaxial grafts after 16 weeks.​

emphasis mine

I'll assume that someone had a BBQ with the sheep ...

So basically I'm afraid you're stuck with it (and won't be able to return it).

These things are very durable. I'll just get in here before Superman does, but they are covered by a lifetime warranty.

*(rimshot)

Mine's been in there 12 years now.

 

[Buzz132]

Thank you Pellicle, i could not find any evidence for this in my mother language (im from austria). I was hoping that the body puts tissue inside and outside of the graft like a new artery.

Wow Thank god this is great news that means i can still have children without worrying they might grow up without a father, i could jump right now because of happiness.

Do we know if the graft is influenced by certain dynamics like heat?(longer periods in a sauna for example) because i thought to myself how the fabrics might become soft or leak some sort of plastics into the blood.

In the past i have been training mma, but i stopped because i thought it was to much strain on the neck with the chocking etc. But maybe sth. like kickboxing with big gloves + some kind of neck protection would be an alternative?

 

[Chuck C]

In the past i have been training mma, but i stopped because i thought it was to much strain on the neck with the chocking etc.

I've had a dacron graft of my aorta for 2 years now. I train a lot of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, with lots of choking involved. My cardiologist is aware I train in BJJ and does not have a problem with it. Does your dacron graft extend into your neck?

 

[Buzz132]

I've had a dacron graft of my aorta for 2 years now. I train a lot of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, with lots of choking involved. My cardiologist is aware I train in BJJ and does not have a problem with it. Does your dacron graft extend into your neck?

Yes, the graft is a few cm long and substitutes a part of my subclavian artery, i can feel the graft thru my skin here is a picture where its located.

Doctor told me that bjj and grappling are not a good idea but if im confident in kickboxing and stay away from hard sparring i could do that with some kind of neck protection, so i made myself an ice hockey neck protection where i have sewn a small pad inside, does not fit perfect but i think the protection + big boxing gloves should do it, its a difficult place to hit in boxing usually u hit head/chin before that.

 

[Gail in Ca]

I only needed my Dacron graft replaced after 20 yrs due to bacterial endocarditis.
The aortic valve needed replacing and the valve in graft procedure was the best for me, so the surgeon just took out the old valve and graft and replaced them.
I got a hemashield graft.

 

[Survived03]

I only needed my Dacron graft replaced after 20 yrs due to bacterial endocarditis.
The aortic valve needed replacing and the valve in graft procedure was the best for me, so the surgeon just took out the old valve and graft and replaced them.

Gail, if I read this before I forget but did you have the entire ascending aorta replaced due to an aneurysm? If so did you have valve sparing or new aortic valve inserted? Or “just” graft and valve?
TYIA!

 

[Gail in Ca]

Yes, in 89 I had ascending aortic aneurysm and leaking aortic valve. Surgeon replaced valve and placed a Dacron graft separately as he didn’t want the coronary arteries involved. I had another aortic valve (mechanical to replace porcine) in 00. They left graft alone. But, everything was replaced in 09 and I got a valve in graft replacing the old graft and mechanical valve. This one did involve coronary arteries. The bacteria did a number on my heart!

 

[thomas999]

At age 32 I had an aortic valve prosthesis that included 6 in of Dacron mesh aorta that replaced the aneurysm. I am now 67 years old, and still have concerns how long mine is going to last, lol. It's natural to have that concern, but to let it overwhelm us can be debilitating. All I can say based on my experience with Dacron mesh is that it will last at least 35 years.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

based on my experience with Dacron mesh is that it will last at least 35 years

I'm hoping for at least 45 years

 

[Chuck C]

All I can say based on my experience with Dacron mesh is that it will last at least 35 years.

Good info.

So, got mine installed at 52 years. 52 years plus 35 years = 87 years. I'm good with that!

 

[Buzz132]

At age 32 I had an aortic valve prosthesis that included 6 in of Dacron mesh aorta that replaced the aneurysm. I am now 67 years old, and still have concerns how long mine is going to last, lol. It's natural to have that concern, but to let it overwhelm us can be debilitating. All I can say based on my experience with Dacron mesh is that it will last at least 35 years.

May i ask what you mean with your experience? are you a doctor?

 

[Buzz132]

Hi

I'm hoping for at least 45 years

id hope lifelong, but in 45 years im gonna be 64 its better than nothing i guess

 

[pellicle]

Hi

now I know you weren't complaining, and I don't think you're specifically down, but:

id hope lifelong, but in 45 years im gonna be 64 its better than nothing i guess

speaking as one who has had his surgical career start at 10yo (then 28 and 48), for some of us the issues we have are not simple (like someone who was othewise healthy and got Scarlet Fever which damaged the valve surface and eventually resulted in its failure), we are more prone to follow up surgery. So don't be thinking "one and done" ... I mean you may get it, but nature has a way of showing us other issues. I had not even thought aneurysm would be something to me when I was 28 and nobody mentioned it either. I found out about these statistical associations after my surgery.

So here I am with a graft, like you. Do I spend any time thinking about my graft? No. I only do reading on the topic when someone asks (and I only do that because I'm actually interested in the topic and I like to help)

Now I have a complicated bovine anatomy of the arch, so if my graft ever needs redo its going to be tough. BUT I have time on my side because in 10 years from now the surgical techniques will most likely (I'm not counting on it) be better.

What if it fails? Well I'll consider my options, but genuinely I'll still seriously consider the surgery (and I have a few more complications than you may otherwise be aware of) and see what happens.

Life is the grand Casino, we roll the dice, we win or we die. But we were always going to die. So, as my signature says (which if you use a phone for this forum you may not see that), you only have two lives, the second one begins when you understand that you only have one. Back when I was a kid recovering from my 1st OHS I made the promise to myself I'd do the best I could but also live life as well as I could. At 28 when I went in I had no idea what I'd be like when I got out, but equally I put no thought into that (like rolling a dice).

In that time I've done 2 degrees, a masters, lived in 3 different countries, learned (to varying degrees) 3 other languages, got married and had many people around me die (including my parents {expectable}, and my wife {shockingly unexpeded}) yet I would say of myself



sure its an old cheesy song, and Elton had different problems to me, but the point is "I'm still standing" ... and so are you

HTH

Best Wishes

PS: I hate it when people just say "you can do it" or "you'll be ok" ... especially when you have no clue if they even understand. So, why I gave you my history is to say "I've got a clue" about what you have been through and what you may face.

 

[mecretired]

I had an aneurysm of my ascending aorta. Had it replaced with a st Jude grafted valve. My surgeon gave me a 30 yr warranty.

 

[pellicle]

I had an aneurysm of my ascending aorta. Had it replaced with a st Jude grafted valve. My surgeon gave me a 30 yr warranty.

hey, that's pretty good.

Interpretation: my 4WD was sold with a 5 year warranty (in 1989), I'm still driving it with 400,000km on it in 2014. Its needed one set of work which was provoked by my lengthy periods of absence OS and it being in storage 3 times (which is bad for a car).

 

[Buzz132]

Hi

now I know you weren't complaining, and I don't think you're specifically down, but:


speaking as one who has had his surgical career start at 10yo (then 28 and 48), for some of us the issues we have are not simple (like someone who was othewise healthy and got Scarlet Fever which damaged the valve surface and eventually resulted in its failure), we are more prone to follow up surgery. So don't be thinking "one and done" ... I mean you may get it, but nature has a way of showing us other issues. I had not even thought aneurysm would be something to me when I was 28 and nobody mentioned it either. I found out about these statistical associations after my surgery.

So here I am with a graft, like you. Do I spend any time thinking about my graft? No. I only do reading on the topic when someone asks (and I only do that because I'm actually interested in the topic and I like to help)

Now I have a complicated bovine anatomy of the arch, so if my graft ever needs redo its going to be tough. BUT I have time on my side because in 10 years from now the surgical techniques will most likely (I'm not counting on it) be better.

What if it fails? Well I'll consider my options, but genuinely I'll still seriously consider the surgery (and I have a few more complications than you may otherwise be aware of) and see what happens.

Life is the grand Casion, we roll the dice, we win or we die. But we were always going to die. So, as my signature says (which if you use a phone for this forum you may not see that), you only have two lives, the second one begins when you understand that you only have one. Back when I was a kid recovering from my 1st OHS I made the promise to myself I'd do the best I could but also live life as well as I could. At 28 when I went in I had no idea what I'd be like when I got out, but equally I put no thought into that (like rolling a dice).

In that time I've done 2 degrees, a masters, lived in 3 different countries, learned (to varying degrees) 3 other languages, got married and had many people around me die (including my parents {expectable}, and my wife {shockingly unexpeded}) yet I would say of myself



sure its an old cheesy song, and Elton had different problems to me, but the point is "I'm still standing" ... and so are you

HTH

Best Wishes

PS: I hate it when people just say "you can do it" or "you'll be ok" ... especially when you have no clue if they even understand. So, why I gave you my history is to say "I've got a clue" about what you have been through and what you may face.

Thank you, id say you are right 100%, when i had this accident happen and woke up with a graft inserted and a paralyzed vocal chord i realised how limited our time down here truly is, this was the start of a spiritual journey for me as well, now almost 10 years later and interestingly im 28 now (same age as you got your graft) i can say that i learned so many things and had so many experiences in this time that im not sure i had made if i did not have the accident.

Sometimes these thoughts of fear come in creeping again and again but i still know that our time here could end every moment (with or without grafts). Im thankfull for everyday that i can spend down here and especially with people i love.

 

[pellicle]

If I've discovered anything

Sometimes these thoughts of fear come in creeping again and again but i still know that our time here could end every moment (with or without grafts)

Its that almost nobody goes when they're expecting it