Mortality and valves

[Creed3]

Please correct me if I'm wrong...

Please correct me if I'm wrong...

but when I read this article, yes the stats were very scarey, but nothing that necessarily made me think that I would need to have another valve replacement. I have a St. Jude, and the stats there are scarey for complications, but that is why we have to be so very careful about paying attention to our health. I have read several posts here and wonder why people think they are going to have to have another OHS, unless they have had a tissue valve put in. I didn't read anything in that article that said specifically that mechanical valves will not last a lifetime. I read over it a few times. If I missed something, please correct me. I understand that if the valve were to fail, it would most likely be sudden death, but nothing gave stats on how often that happens. From research that I have done, that doesn't seem to happen very often. The scariest part of that article for me was the PVE. Again, we all have to be much more aware of what is going on with our bodies and take more preventative measures.

Phil,
There is no reason to apologize for the stats in this article. Like everyone else here has said, we all need to be aware of what could happen. Knowledge could very well save our lives. I am so very sorry for the very tough times you are going through. From what you have said, your dentist was so very very wrong. I can't even imagine having anything done and not taking an antibiotic. I wish you all the very best and God Bless.


Take Care!
Gail

 

[Les]

Hi Gail,
Based on what my cardiologist has told me, being that my first "lifetime" St Jude pulled loose at the suture ring which resulted in replacement and now this valve is doing the same thing, the placement might not last your "natural" lifetime. The St Jude valve materials will last but there are too many other factors that can result in replacement. Besides suture ring leakage,for example, your own tissue can begin to grow into the opening, interfering with flow and the closing of the leaflets. EF measurement is checking for this as well as the "pictures" evident in your annual echo. Thus, there can be failures that don't necessarily result in sudden death. You just have to (pardon the pun) go with the flow and live as healthy as you can. I have the first valve in a jar and it is in outstanding condition with not a scratch on it. (Wonder if I could unload it on Ebay?) I hope for all of us that we NEVER have to go through surgery again. Wouldn't that be wonderful...
__________________
Les AVR '93 / '95

 

[Creed3]

Hi Les,
Neither my surgeons or my cardio ever went over anything about the suture ring or the possibility of my own tissue growing into the opening. You would think that the doctors would inform you of this information. My cardio told me that he didn't even feel that I needed to have an annual echo done. He said he would be able to tell of any changes just by examining me. I told him that I wanted to have the annual echos, because my problem was never caught until they did an echo. He told me that that was my choice and that I could have them if I wanted. I definately want the yearly echo. The docs at Cleveland and my cardio at UVA both said that there shouldn't be any problems with the areas that were fixed. They said their main concern was making sure that the same thing didn't happen somewhere else within the heart. They don't know if I just had a weakness there or if there may be another weakness somewhere else. When they were in there during surgery, they told me that there was no evidence of being any disease or anything. It was just one of those things they can't explain. The one thing they did tell me was that because I went so long after the initial dissection and valve prolapse, that the tissue was no longer paper thin and that it was more like leather, which would make it better for surgery and replacement of the valve. Well, these are definately things I will discuss with my cardio when I have my six month follow-up in April. Thank you for the information and I also pray that none of us ever need to have additional surgery.
Regarding selling the valve on Ebay, who knows, there always seems to be someone out there willing to buy just about anything.....LOL

Take Care!
Gail

 

[Les]

Gail,
You are so right in demanding an echo. In '95, I ran the Tulsa Run 15K, went to Hawaii for a week and had my echo the day after I returned and was given the bad news that there was severe leakage requiring immediate surgery. You don't necessarily exibit symptoms. I was feeling great and healthy as could be so I was shocked, to say the least. Mara says it all in her post signature... "You don't work for the doctors...they work for you." Keep on keepin' on Gail...If you don't look out for number one, no one else will.
Have a great weekend and take care!
___________________
Les AVR '93 / '95 (and to never again...I pray...)

 

[Nancy]

I couldn't agree with Les more-

You know how your body feels to you, and you should demand testing when you feel something is wrong and the docs aren't getting it right.

You know the old saying:

"When you hear the beating of hooves, think horses, not zebras", well, in people with chronic conditions, sometimes it's zebras, not horses. Valve and heart patients have very complicated issues and everything means something. I think doctors are programmed to think of ordinary things first, but that isn't necessarily right.

Of course there are those times when there aren't any symptoms. The prudent thing to do when you know you have a heart problem is to request testing on a regular basis, not just when you have symptoms.

Safer is always better than not safer. Plus it will help to keep you out of the hospital, incurring enormous bills.