Moo

[Der Biermeister]

My story (not very pretty) is over on Heart Talk, but I want to relate what I have discussed with my surgeon who is going to perform my AVR on April 12. I am 63 (celebrated my bd last Monday in the CCU - ). The surgeon seemed to be on the fence between recommending a mechanical valve or animal. He finally decided recommending a Bovine valve , and I think it was because of my age, and the fact that I would be less likely to need heavy doses of blood thinners. He likes the Bovine better than pig valves as he believes he gets a few more years longevity (20-22), plus they have a larger leaflet opening. He'll be doing a triple bypass also, since he is "in there".

Question? How long do bypass' last? If they only last the same time frame, and would have to be replaced in 20 years, then I assume they could do a new AVR at the same time?

DB

 

[RCB]

How long?

How long?

Der,
That is a tough question. It is so hard to predict. Did your cardiologist
tell you how blocked your arteries were. You might be able to extrapolate that in to a life time rate. Your 63 and still alive, some people get blockages
in their 40s and die. So I think it fair to conclude that you tend to block at a
slower rate. My thinking would be that during my recovery from OHS, spend
my time thinking about how to change my life style to get the best possible
life out of my newly fixed heart. Exercise, Diet and medical check-ups can make a big difference in your quality of life and you can start today!
Good luck to you, you going to be fine!

 

[Der Biermeister]

RCB - thanks for the reply

Right now, I have two stents that continue to be wide-open after 14 months. They would bypass both of these, but the doc said blood would still flow through the stents - kind of like a dual highway I guess. There is a totally blocked artery on the other side that has sprouted new arteries, so there is blood flow. But this would probably gain the most benefit from bypass.

As for lifestyle changes - I have been pursuing that for many years. I walk 4 miles per day and am very discouraged right now (for the last two weeks), not being able to hit the bricks. Lost 40 lbs over the last year, but still have 40 to go to become a lean. mean fighting machine. While I am very careful with my diet, especially regarding low salt, I obviously need to ratchet it up another notch or two to get back to a slow but steady weight loss.

 

[Praline]

Der,

Der,

I just had a mitral valve repair and one bypass this past January. The surgeon said that they may have been able to do a stent for the blockage but since I needed the MVR and the blockage was "very long and narrow", they would do a bypass at the same time as the MVR. I am 64 and he seemed to think the bypass would be a permanent fix for that artery. They used an artery from my chest so did not have to cut my leg. He said it would be stronger than a leg artery.
I guess he assumed that I would eat healthy, exercise, and lower my cholesteral.