For the first 7 or 8 months, ( I am almost at 1 year), I worried about everything, when anything wasn't quite right. A little short of breath, a headache, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, excessive hunger, you name it.....However today was a good day. The news is exciting. The manufacturer of my heart valves, seems to be on the cusp of winning FDA approval for a catheter delivered heart valve. For now, intended for people too frail for OHS. But exciting to learn there is lots more in the works. The news is they are also fast approaching to replace current heart valves (tissue) with the same process. Not sure how this works, but appears to be quite doable. Meaning, a second surgery may not be needed. At least a OHS. I am learning more about this everyday, and this company, also is one of my customers! The bad news is that this type of "re-do" is surgery is a few years down the road, possibly 10 to 15 years. But, they are advanced enough to say that their goal is to replace 80% of exsisting aortic, or mitral, with this process. Very exciting indeed! I don't know if I will benefit from this emerging procedure, but am learning their is a growing consensus in the medical community that this will eventually be a reality. My contacts at this company inform me they are making generous progress on all fronts, form better anti-calcification applications, to even more durable tissue valves, possibly with a expectancy greater than 20 years. Whether delivered by a sternonmy or percuntaneus catherized process. For now, it is only a hope, but thinking of the evolution of heart valve replacements, the hope is sounding better everyday.
