How is tissue valve monitored ?

[Luana]

They also say the older you are the longer the tissue valve will last. I'm not sure at 51 what the lifespan of a tissue valve is. If you go to the cleveland clinic website there is a ton of information. But I have a friend with three tissue valves that he had recieved at 18 years old, he is just now having problems at 35 years old. Also on the cleveland clinic website you can chat with nurses, sign up for a chat they are having next week about precutaneous replacement with some of their surgeons.

I was around that age last year when I got my VR. Surgeon said if I got a tissue valve I'd be looking at 2 if not 3 more surgeries. I'm glad I got a mechanical valve.

 

[ottagal]

Howard,

It sounds like you are on a fact finding mission. Good for you! Good luck with your information gathering. As you will notice, some of us will answer your questions and will want to add our own personal feelings about 'valve choice'. It can become a pretty passionate topic. Your best bet is to do your research, consult with the experts, and read as much as you can on others' various experiences. In the end, it will be your own personal choice and decision guided by the experts.
Good luck with this as for many of us it was a very difficult choice.
Whether you go mechanical or tissue, it will still be a better choice than the valve you have.

All the best,

 

[BAVD John]

I've had my valve for about 15 months now. I was a few weeks shy of my 54th birthday at the time of surgery. I've been doing great and will have my first echo since my surgery in early November. I've seen my cardiologist twice since my surgery.

 

[Glenda]

I got my tissue valve in 2004. I was 61 at that time. The reason I went with a tissue is because I also have leukemia (CML) and the medicine (Gleevec) I take for it does not mix with Coumadin. I have a echo every six months. My cardio doctor says this valve is failing and I will have to have it replaced in the very near future. He's been telling me this for the last two years and I'm still going! ! They are going with a cow's valve the next time. I work in the cardio unit of our big hospital and work right beside my cardiologist and heart surgeon so I'm in a good place for things to go wrong. My cardio always tells me at the end of my appointment with him that he will see me in six months in his office of he will see me in ER. By the way, I have no symptoms at all of the valve failing. The cardiologist says the symptoms are fainting, dizziness or heart just quitting. I do have some light headiness sometimes but I always blame it on my sugar bombing. I have a bad habit of forgetting to eat! When I do that at the hosptial the nurses start feeding me peanut butter. It works on bringing my sugar level back up.

 

[dsouter]

Homograft, 1998 at 34 years old. Echo about every 12-15 months. Finally, for the last 2.5 years, stress echo about 24 months apart.

Apart from being 5 years younger, my experience was almost identical to Scotts.
AVR in 1999 with a Homograph.
AVR in 2010 with an ON-X and Ascending aorta.

I just had a yearly echo and then a CT scan as I deteriorated.

 

[coach14]

Bovine valve in July 09. Office visits to cardiologist every 6 months and echos every 2 years. Just went on Friday and she said all looked well and EKG was fine. No echo.

 

[Lisa2]

O.k., 31 years old - 6 yrs, 7 mos & 13 days, but who's counting? I have an annual echo