My surgeon is involved in the trials for transcatheter aortic valve replacements yay!

[malibu82]

This gives me hope for my future surgery! When I need my tissue valve replaced, I am hoping these will no longer be trials but the real deal!

Northwestern just did the procedure on the oldest person yet to receive it. She was 101, now she is 102. I love to hear all I can about this procedure !

you can read and hear videos about it here.



http://www.nmh.org/nm/partner+trial

 

[neil]

good stuff

 

[Bina]

My surgeon and his team in Montreal have also done these special AVRs. Amazing stuff.

 

[nngbwh]

Thanks for sharing the info.

 

[Greg a]

My surgeon and his team in Montreal have also done these special AVRs. Amazing stuff.

Mine as well here but via Ottawa Heart Institute

 

[malibu82]

its great to hear more doctors being involved in the trials! maybe they can get the ball rolling on getting this approved in the near future

 

[Greg a]

It is really amazing thhe breakthroughs we see ...... look at me ......who lived without a sternum in the past and now this ia a tailor made solution should I need a tune up in the future

 

[guyinva]

Not sure if my surgeon is involved in the trials, but the possibility of the transcatheter replacement being available in the future was a major deciding point for me when choosing the tissue valve. I had originally chosen the mechanical valve, but after talking with him and his belief that it was just a few years down the road (and not having to take Coumadin for the rest of my life), I chose the tissue valve instead. I'm only seven weeks post op and I don't even want to think about a replacement. But, I hope he was right and it is available when I need a new valve!

 

[BAVD John]

Yep, my surgeon was involved in the trails as well. He told me before my surgery that he thought there was a chance that my next replacement could possibly be by transcatheter. So I guess I'll wait and see how this procedure evolves during the next few years.

 

[Kathy McCain]

My cardio on a post surgery check-up ( not long after my AVR) told me he did not think I would have another surgery. Meaning it would be done with this procedure. He was very positive about it.

Only time will tell.

 

[Kathy McCain]

That women is AMAZING!!!!!! I can not believe she is a 101! She doesn't look, act or SOUND like a women of that age.

GOD BLESS HER

 

[epstns]

Wow - This is good to see, especially since I'm in Chicago.

To those whose surgeries were performed by Dr. McCarthy at Northwestern - any comments, opinions or advice? He is definitely on my short list for AVR next March.

 

[retiredmls]

My surgeon at UPenn is also involved in the trials. I don't have a post-op visit until Dec. 14th and want to ask him if he thinks it will be available for re-operations or just original AVRs. I, too am hoping that when the time comes my tissue valve can be replaced via catheter.

 

[Lynlw]

Quite a few of the larger heart centers are involved in the Sapien (Edwards) "PARTNER" trials. So far, there are 26 locations in the US and Canada right now http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00530894?term=sapien&rank=1&show_locs=Y#locn has them listed at the bottom of this link. I think it's great so many hospitals are involved so when they are approved, poeple shouldn't have to travel too far to find doctors/hospitals with experience in performing them.

The US trials for Medtronic CoreValve will be starting soon http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01240902?term=corevalve&rank=4 3 Canadian Hospitals are already involved in the Corevalve studies http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01051518?term=corevalve&rank=3

 

[Lynlw]

My surgeon at UPenn is also involved in the trials. I don't have a post-op visit until Dec. 14th and want to ask him if he thinks it will be available for re-operations or just original AVRs. I, too am hoping that when the time comes my tissue valve can be replaced via catheter.

There already are trials for REDOs (valve in valve) in Europe and the pulmonary valve (Melody) that is already approved in the US, are done in patients who have a tissue valve already. They have even replaced percutaneous valves with new percutaneous valves in Europe

 

[malibu82]

very interesting!

and kathy, i thought the same thing! that woman looks great for 102!

 

[retiredmls]

I forgot to add - read in my local paper that Johnson & Johnson (headquartered here in NJ) is vigorously looking to buy a company who manufactures the transcatheter valves. I guess they foresee it as an important (and profitable) advancement.

 

[Bryan B]

Not to be the negative one here but just trying to be realistic. I am up for surgery the minute I get some type of financial assistance or become emergent. I had my 2nd surgical consult in 15 months this past Friday and discussed this option with my surgeon. They are hoping to save my autograft valve (had Ross Procedure in 04), but if they can't I have to have to choose a valve to use. I asked him about the transcatheter method, and if I chose a tissue valve did he think the transcather method would be commonly used in patients of all ages by the time I would need a replacement. He said it's possible but he wouldn't count on it. He felt this method would only be used on patients that couldn't withstand an OHS for quite some time. BTW my hospital is Duke Medical Center and they have also been at the forefront of developing and testing transcatheter valves. He recommended the St. Jude mechanical valve but said he didn't think a tissue valve would be a bad choice either but to expect at least one more surgery whether it was via OHS or if lucky the transcatheter method. Also remember that if they have any problems during transcatheter replacement they are going to have to open you up anyway and replace the valve the traditional way. Also the risk factors will be similar to that of OHS so your main benefits will be less pain and faster recovery time (having gone through OHS these are GREAT benefits). I hope as much as everyone else that this technology continues to progress and that it becomes available to everyone needing valve replacement in the near future.

While the transcatheter method of valve replacement holds a lot of hope for all of us needing valve replacement, as Ross always used to say I wouldn't base my current decision based on what technology "may" become available 10 years down the road. Having said all that I am leaning towards a tissue valve because I think the current tissue valves on the market are lasting longer than ever. My decision is not based on having to take Coumadin because I was on it for 3 months earlier this year for A-Flutter (plus they found a clot in my heart) and I found it to be a non-issue.

 

[Skidude]

My 84 YO mother was just screened at Emory to receive the transcatheter Edwards SAPIEN valve as part of the PARTNER trial. We are hoping that she will qualify as she is not strong enough right now to go through an open heart surgery. We should hear if she qualifies in the next week or so.

Ski Dude

 

[Lynlw]

My 84 YO mother was just screened at Emory to receive the transcatheter Edwards SAPIEN valve as part of the PARTNER trial. We are hoping that she will qualify as she is not strong enough right now to go through an open heart surgery. We should hear if she qualifies in the next week or so.

Ski Dude

I hope she gets accepted. Please keep us updated