How many years will a St. Jude AV last?

[Marcus]

I had my aortic valve replaced in Sept. '04 with a St. Jude valve. The surgeon originally told me they could last 45 years, but I've also heard they can easily "outlive" me. I know the life can vary from person to person (or valve to valve), but I was just curious to see what others have heard. Thank you for your help.

 

[karlaosh]

Hi Marcus.

I'm about to have my AV replaced, probably with a St. Judes Regent valve. I'm 40, and my surgeon told me he couldn't say it would be a "lifetime" valve for me, because it's not that unusual for mechanical valve replacement to be necessary after about 25 years.

I'm sure other longtimers will jump in on this thread with some longevity data.

Karla

 

[Karlynn]

Bottom line is, you just don't know. I am 13 + years on my St. Jude mitral, with it looking pretty good on echo. We have a few members with mech valves that are 25+. Considering that this is with older model, less sophisticated mechs, that's pretty good. It's my understanding that with mechanicals, it's not the valve itself that wears out, but the shape of the heart area surrounding it.

I know it's hard not to project or wonder about the future, but live your life assuming that it's going to last a long long time. Deal with tomorrow, tomorrow.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

My card was pretty confident in saying 25 years at my recent check. He is predicting, 15-20 remaining. Given I am at 6 years....25 sounds just about right. I would love to prove him wrong!

 

[MarkU]

I've had mine for 4-1/2 years. Barring catastrophic failure, there's really nothing to wear out. As Karlynn mentioned, it would likely be other factors that would prompt additional surgery. If the thing breaks, then it's all over.
My surgeon joked that they probably could take mine out and give it to someone else when I'm gone...

Mark

 

[jeffp]

St. Jude's data (from their web site) on the valves rate them as having a mean time to mechanical failure due to wear of 200 years. (How to they get that figure? I'd like to know what the guy who had it go after that time did to get there!) More likely modes of failure are clotting around the valve leaflets and damage, changes or scarring to the surrounding tissues. In the aortic position clotting is a less of a problem then in the mitral position. I, for one, am hoping that the valve outlives me, as I don't really want to go through this again.

 

[perrybucsdad]

I was told it will outlast me. I'm going on 8 years with mine.

Also, I was told that the most common reason for replacement of the vale is doe to endocarditis (sp?). So take your antibiotics when you get your dental work and your endoscopies done.

 

[mmarshall]

I am getting my AVR done in about a month and I saw three different surgeons at three different hospitals with three different groups. Surgeon #1 told me that the mechanical will last about 30 years and the risk of being on coumadin will increase by about 2% per year. Surgeon #2 told me that the mechanical will last a lifetime and gave me the same figure about the coumadin. Surgeon #3...which whom I am going with...gave me the most options and best explanations of them all. He informed me...just like some of the other posts....the function of a mechanical will last a lifetime...but that does not mean that particular valve is going to stay in your heart for the lifetime. Mechanicals will last about 30 years give or take....just depends on how your heart reacts and functions....scaring...calcifying around the valve...clots...etc. He informed me that he has seen patients with mechanicals for 40 years...but at the same time...he has seen patients with them for only 15 years. Bottom line....there are no absolutes about not ever having to have another OHS not matter what you go with. At my age I am looking at another surgery no matter what, so I am going to go with the latest stentless valve as a back up to the Ross Proc. The latest stentles valve has been used the last 12 years and 98% of the patients are showing no signs of calcifying or wear out....hopefully that will prove to be a 20 year valve...then hope and pray that money hungry insurance and medical politics have the technology available to not even have to deal with OHS....lol

 

[Thom]

I've had my St. Jude's valve for 12 years. Two months ago a surgeon got a first hand look at the valve while fixing an aneurysmic ascending aorta. Although he considered replacing the valve prior to the surgery, after looking at it and cleaning a little fibrin off of it, he left it in place. He said I was good to go for another 30 years. I'm hoping he's right.

 

[Rich]

My surgeon told me 30-35 years.
He said at my age then (58) I would most likely die of something else before the valve gave out.

 

[della_anne]

valve

valve

I have had my valve for 10 years now and its still working great. My cardiologist has said they are supposed to last a lifetime.

 

[geebee]

Likewise - I have had my St. Jude mitral for 11 years. I fully intend to make it my last valve and my last OHS. My cardio and surgeon seem to agree my plans should be fulfilled (and I plan on living past 90).

 

[lcwhitney]

my surgeon told me that a mechanical valve can last indef.I have two an Aortic and a pulmonary.Aster that long as they work until i am old old old .I don't care what they do after that!
Lettitia

 

[Gemma]

My boyfriend Jim was also told his mechanical aortic valve (Sorin - I don't think they're distributed in North America, just the rest of the world ) would last a lifetime. He was 26 at the time of his AVR.

The thing with the valves that have lasted 30 years up to this point is that they are 30 years older than the ones people are getting now so newer valves hopefully will last a lot longer as new developments are continually being made in design and material. Obviously, other factors may affect it, but we're assuming Jim's valve will last forever. Seems pointless worrying about what may happen in 30 years anyway - a lot could happen between now and then.

Gemma.

 

[T-Money]

What Gemma Said...

What Gemma Said...

Marcus.
The quality and technology of these valves should--in principle--improve over time, so it is difficult to know what a 2005 model will do. In addition, I have not been very impressed with the age distributions in these studies. I'm 32 and my read of these studies is that they contain a fairly small 'younger' population. I suspect that failure rates might look a bit different than those for a group of 50 year olds. In general, I would suspect that the rates of failure improve as they learn more and more. My surgeon told me that it is very rare for the mechanicals to fail. I was told that the big concern was the growth of fibers on or near the leaflets. I don't think there are any guarantees when it comes to any kind of implant, but based on today's technology odds are that the mechanical valve will last a really long time.