I need reassurance and support since I am the mom of a young man who is going to have

[Innercalm]

I Am The Mom Of A Young Man Who Needs His Mitral Valve Repaired Or Replaced. We Are Now Interviewing Surgeons. The Advice I Need Is Whether To Remain In The State We Live In Or Interview Very High Profile Surgeons Who Do Not Cut The Sternum Who Are On The East Coast. I Am In Arizona. Please Help.

 

[Hank]

Hello Innercalm

Hello Innercalm

Welcome to ValveReplacement.com.

What a coincidence - I am also in AZ. I live in Mesa.

I had aortic valve replacement surgery 6 years ago at Desert Samaritan (now Banner desert) hospital in Mesa.

My surgeon was Neil Steinhoff and he was excellent. Everyone pretty much says the same thing about him which is that his bedside manner leaves much to be desired, but that he is an EXCELLENT surgeon.

Since I don't really want to hang out and eat pizza with the guy who replaces my valve, I would reccommend him.

My personal opinion, there are many very capable surgeons here in AZ.

I know it is surely not routine for you and your son, but the procedure is more common than I realized before it happened to me.

If there is anything I can help you with, please let me know.. My email address is [email protected] .

I created valvereplacement.com for people like you and your son and I am sure that you will find much helpful information here.

 

[Cooper]

Hi Innercalm,

This is a big decision and no one can tell you what to do. Bottom line is that you need to trust whoever you go with. My husband just had a minimally invasive mitral valve repair at NYU and he's doing well.

Like Hank said, mitral valve repair is common and there are a lot of great surgeons all over the country. When we were interviewing surgeons we were told by our Cardio to look at NYU or Cleveland Clinic if we wanted "minimally invasive" surgery. Reason being, minimally invasive requires a lot of practice and training, and you want a skilled surgeon who has done A LOT of minimally invasive surgeries. Other hospitals offer minimally invasive but, in my research, NYU and Cleveland Clinic have the most experience.

One other thing worth mentioning is that minimally invasive surgery is still open heart surgery and there is recovery time. Minimally invasive offers some benefits such as less bleeding and a smaller incision, but it's still a BIG surgery. Also, each institution has their own minimally invasive approach. NYU goes through the ribs on the right side of the chest, usually below the right breast. Cleveland Clinic does a mini-sternotomy (they still break the breastbone but it's a smaller incision compared to traditional sternotomy). Some institutions use robotic assistance; others don't. So, it really depends on the hospital.

I hope this helps a little. Good luck with your decision.

Sincerely,

 

[gijanet]

Welcome to the group.

Welcome to the group.

This is a great group of folks. Could you give us some more details? Does your son have any other accompanying defects, or is this his only problem? How old is your son and how soon is he going to have surgery? Will your insurance allow you to travel? If the surgeon can't repair the valve, what type of valve are you going to request? Just curious as I am not much help on your questions..... My four year old daughter is going to have to most likely have her valve replaced, but she is going to require additional surgery due to her numerous defects. I'm sure that some folks will be along soon, though, to give you some more input. Hugs. Janet

 

[hensylee]

Mornin..... You have hit the jackpot for information and support. This is where you can find most anything you ask about. Welcome.

I know you, as Mom, are very concerned and worried. As you read in here and others come to speak to you, I believe you will find comfort and support - and of course the needed information. We are glad you came.

 

[jeffp]

I just had MVR with the traditional long sternal incision 2 months ago. If it can be done by a less aggressive incision, that always cosmetically better. A larger institution does not always guarantee a better result. There are great surgeons just going about their jobs at smaller heart hospitals, they just tend to lecture and write less, spend less time on TV and more in the OR. You and your son need to feel comfortable with the doctor and the hospital. Travelling any great distance is always stressful on the patient and family. Once he's discharged, the trip itself home can take it's toll. I know I was exhausted just as the passenger after the 1/2 hour trip home. Also the logistics of preparing and bringing food in during recovery can be a pain in the neck. (You'll find lots of threads here about the odd appetites after surgery and of course there'e always the tastiness of hospital food in general.) One FYI..Just because a minimal approach is planned, doesn't mean thats what always happens. If things come up during surgery, the surgeon may need to get better access to do what needs to be done needing a big or second incision. That happened to me, and I'm glad to be here thanks to his not being worried about getting more agressive. If the incision bothers me after all is said and done, there's always plastic surgical options later. Best long term result is what he's really looking for. (it seems for most of us here that we look at ourselves and what's a priority a bit differently after, than before.) Good luck and best wishes for both of you in this.