Interesting Arnold Shwarzenegger article

[carista]

So I happened to come across this little section about Arnold on a website and became curious....

Because Schwarzenegger opted in 1997 for a replacement heart valve made of his own transplanted tissue, medical experts predict he will require repeated heart valve replacement surgery in the next two to eight years (as his current valve degrades). Schwarzenegger apparently opted against a mechanical valve, the only permanent solution available at the time of his surgery, because it would have sharply limited his physical activity and capacity to exercise.

His own transplanted tissue?? opted against a mechanical valve because it would have sharply limited his physical activity and capacity to exercise??

Does this sound wierd to anyone else? Could this just be bad journalism?

 

[geebee]

It just goes to show that even the governor of California was given incorrect information about mechanical valves. Unless Arnold sky dives or the like, he would have no restrictions on his exercise or activities if he had a mechanical. This all goes back to the false conceptions of coumadin therapy.

As far as "his own transplanted tissue", I have not heard about that option. Maybe he had access to a procedure not yet available to us peons.

 

[carista]

As far as "his own transplanted tissue", I have not heard about that option. Maybe he had access to a procedure not yet available to us peons.

Thats what I was wondering and why i'm so interested in that remark.

 

[Karlynn]

I had heard he had the Ross procedure, that it failed shortly after and then had a tissue valve implanted.

The Ross uses your own pulmonary valve and they put a homograph, or other tissue valve in the pulmonary position. I'm assuming that the use of his own pulmonary valve was what they meant by "transplanting his own tissue".

At the time of his surgeries, he was still making movies and doing a lot of his own stunts, so this is why I'm thinking he didn't go mechanical.

 

[rbl1999]

Hi, I heard that he had to have repeated surgery because he was exercising on an exercise bike like a week post op and going very fast!!!!! Scary to think he is running one of our states!!!

 

[Marguerite53]

ya think??

ya think??

Quote: Scary to think he is running one of our states!!!
__________________

The man has like 6 Hummers in his garage of, what 20+ cars! Mr. Macho he may be, Mr. Envrionmental concern, he is not!! I'd better not get started........

Marguerite

 

[Tom F.]

My doc said that Arnold went in for a Ross, something failed a few days post op, and he went with a tissue value the second time around.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

Yep, he pushed it too hard while still in the hospital, and blew out his new valve. Had to have a re-do.

That information about mechanical valves limiting your ability to exercise may be a distortion of the facts around the *type* of activity that would increase his risk if he was on Coumadin. At the very least, it is sloppy journalism and the omitted detail leaves the wrong impression.

I can bench-press more than I ever have in my life, and leg-pressed 550lbs on the machine a few weeks back (I don't do this regularly - it was more of an "I wonder if"). As long as you breathe freely and don't bear down, even a guy with *two* mechanical valves and a pacemaker can work out as hard as anyone (barring any other conditions, of course). And yes, my doctors know I lift weights, but they are wanting me to focus more on cardio, LOL.

 

[Karlynn]

So not only lovely and talented, but also strong as an ox!

I also see by your signature that you have not been "assimilated" yet.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

hehhe I am fighting assimilation as hard as I can, but they keep saying something about resistance being futile. They do have this really cool laser eyeball thing, but it looks like it might hurt, and turn you kind of a pasty green.

 

[CCRN]

My doc said that Arnold went in for a Ross, something failed a few days post op, and he went with a tissue value the second time
around.

My surgeon told me the same thing.

 

[Ross]

The almighty "Scare them newbies to death about Coumadin" mongers have been hard at work. I think we need to give em a good ol attitude adjustment.

 

[debster913]

Don't even get me started about Arnold. I'm a Californian. Voting is tomorrow for his reform items.

 

[Curtsmum]

Quote: Scary to think he is running one of our states!!!
__________________

Dosn't affect me but still seems weird, i still see him as a action hero

 

[Tom F.]

My surgeon said that what he had heard indicated to him that there must have been a small tear in the tissue of the new valve, and that the tear became worse over time. My surgeon did not believe the story that he somehow blew out the valve by exercising post op.

 

[Mary]

Dr. Stelzer knows the surgeon who did Arnold's Ross. He told Shine on Syd that Arnold had the connective tissue disorder that goes with BAV, but Arnold's surgeon didn't realize it at the time. The valve didn't hold, and it had to be replaced.
Stelzer said that many early Ross procedures ran into complications such as that and the surgeons all lived and learned by each others surgical cases.

Shine on Syd posted this once before, but I can't find the post offhand.