mitral valve repairment out of the state

[hitomichiro]

Hello everyone,

I was diagnosed infectious endocarditis on the 2nd of September and is on the antibiotics treatment (about a week more to go.) now. My cardiologist referred me to the local university hospital to get the consultation from the cardiac surgeon. I was told I had moderate to severe regurgitation, need to get the surgery done within this year but sooner is better (within 1 month is best and 2 months is reasonable to get the surgery done), it would be 50% or less possibility to be able to repair it through the chest bone/sternal incision. I hesitate to have the scar in the middle of the chest and asked the surgeon whether he would be able to do it under my right breast area so it would be less visible. He said it would give him less flexibility to work on the mitral valve and it would be more challenging to repair it. I still hope I can repair it rather than replace it if possible.
So now I am thinking to go to the surgeon who is specialized or good at mitral valve repair with hopfully minimally invasive way or from under my right breast.
I am thinking to go to Cleveland clinic. I wonder who is a best surgeon to work on my mitral valve. My big concern is how does it work after the surgery to go back home (I live in seattle area). I do not have big support. I wonder how I can go back home after the surgery, how long do I normally stay in the hospital or in Cleveland, how follow up system works after the post operation. If someone has experience to go out of state hospital or cleveland clinic to get the surgery done and give me some ideas it woud be great.

 

[kfay]

I traveled for my surgery as well, from NC to the Mayo clinic in Minn. It is a very doable thing, traveling for your surgery, however, I wouldn't advise that you try and do it alone. You won't be allowed to lift anything weighing more than around 7 pounds, so carrying your luggage will be out and most surgeons recommend that you use a wheelchair while traveling through the airport itself.

I only stayed in Minn. for the duration of my hospital stay and then my husband and I flew out the day after I was discharged. Once I got home, I was really fine by myself for most of the day when my husband went back to work. You will need help getting groceries, getting to Dr.s appts. etc. There have been several members on here who have mostly done this surgery by themselves and seemed to have done quite well.

As far as follow-up care, my local cardio was happy to take care of me afterwards and if we ran into any problems, he was always happy for me to call my Dr. at the Mayo and get their advise, which they were always happy to give.

Do a search on here about traveling for surgery, there have been several discussions on it.

Kim

 

[onset]

mitral valve repair

mitral valve repair

My story is very similar to yours. I live in Missouri and am traveling to Cleveland Clinic in December to have a robotic minimal invasive mitral valve repair by Dr Gillinov. They said I would be hospitalized for 2-3 day and then needed to stay in the area for another 4-5 days. Once home, I can start driving when I am no longer taking pain medication.


http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/journals/

 

[bill hall]

hito - I had my surgery at Cleveland Clinic 10 years ago and flew back to Virginia. My wife carried by bags and we used a taxi. I did not use a wheelchair at the airport. The flight was very nice and no issues.
Bill

 

[hitomichiro]

Thank you for your response. Sounds like you did not have so much issues coming back home from those big clinics. I wonder how you ended up making an appointment with those clinics. I am concerning that I have to wait for long time to get an appointment with those surgeons. Did you have to go back to those clinics for follow up later on? Where did you go to the cardiac rehab after coming back home if you needed it?

 

[hitomichiro]

In addition, I wonder you have to wait extra to make an appoinement with those famous surgeons such as Dr. Gillinov to get the surgery done.

 

[kfay]

Hitoshi, the way I got in touch with my surgeon may be a little different than most, but I found his email and sent him a brief explanation of who I was and what was going on. I heard from him within a couple of hours and he told me to send my record to him. I had an appt. With him within a couple of weeks. I think most people on here haven't had a problem calling cc and scheduling an appt.

I continue to go back to the mayo clinic every year for a check up, but that is only because I have a rare condition and will have future surgeriees there. I don't think most people do that. I had cardiac rehab at home, set up by my local cardio.

 

[MS2]

Hitoshi,

I went on Cleveland Clinic's website and called their 800 number for appointments. They were very helpful in directing me to where I needed to make an appointment and having it set up. Good luck.