how to Find HEART VALVE Is Leaking ?

[srinivassusu]

Hi friends,How to find HEART VALVE is leaking in a normal course of life after surgery ?Are there any SYMPTOMS & are there anyLEAKY HEART VALVE PROBLEMS ?

SRINIVAS

srinivas Heart History:
13/6/2008 2D Echo Diagnosed Ascending Aortic Dissection ,Bicuspid aortic valve, Moderate AR at the age of 38(2008)
9/6/08 CT scan shows Aneurysmal dilation of aortic root and ascending aorta with dissection extending upto brachio cephalic trunk and mild aneurysm
16/07/08 Operative findings & repair. Aortic aneurysm approx size 10 cms diameter.Aneurysm extd upto 1c m from innomiate artery. Mod. Bental DC Bono surgery procedure done to repair my anueuysm with#25 mm St.Jude medical valved conduit(SN 84094003.REF25CAVGJ-51400 AOROTIC VALVED GRAFT) At CARE Hospital Bangara Hills,Hyderabad,India. Surgeon: Dr K.s. Neelakandan gave me re birth! Dr . Sridar,Dr.Amreesh, Dr.Jagannatham completed the formalities.

 

[kfay]

SRINIVAS, After valve replacement, most of us have at least a yearly check up which typically involves an echo that would show any leakage of your new valve. If your new valve does leak, eventually, you would start to feel the same kind of symptoms that you felt pre-surgery. I had my valve replaced last year and it presently has a mild-moderate leak in it. It doesn't cause me any problems at this time.

Kim

 

[Nupur]

Srinivas, as Kim said, you should have yearly (or bi-yearly) visits with your cardio and echos. You might have trace regurgitation which which is normal from what I have read.

 

[Smiley2000]

The best way of knowing if your valve is leaking again: LISTEN to your body and be aware of changes. Every person is diffierent, but you KNOW your body.

A few weeks before I had my surgery I noticed a change in my BP (it used to be a perfect 120/80 and it changed over night to 80/60 and lower...) and I used to have very weak muscles and I was extremely lethargic. I could not do the same physical activities that I was used to doing before... dizzyness and shortness of breath is another indication.

Echo's and TEE's are the most accurate tests to indicate heart-function.

Hope the info helped