New leak after surgery??

[DanHill]

HI all! I had valve replacement surgery Dec. 4, 2003 (natural valve). Doing and feeling fine, but I had my first follow-up echocardiogram the other day, and the technician told me that I have a small leak on the outside of the valve now. She said it is probably due to a suture coming loose. I think the term she used is a peri-valvular leak. Does anyone in here have any experience with this? I'm kind of worried. Thanks.

 

[djacq]

Dan,

I had AVR Decemer 4th 2002 and about the same time as you, I had a "leak" problem noted.

I had to have a TEE done ASAP. Scared me to death.

There was nothing wrong with the stitches and I was told some leaking is normal for a period of time between the stitches.

I am anxious to see how your follow up goes.

I am fine now.

I hope others will be able to better answer your concerns but that was my experience.

Donna

 

[Jean]

I had a small leak after surgery ... Dr. said it was the one stitch that almost always leaks a bit at first. By a year, it had no leaking at all and all systems are still go after 3 years. I had a homograft.

 

[DanHill]

Thanks for the response!!

Thanks for the response!!

Thank you both! I just got off the phone with the echo technician, and she said that there is nothing to worry about. She also said that the leak won't get any bigger, and that it is indeed normal to have a tiny leakage after surgery. By the way, Djacq- I'm from Rhode Island too!! I live in Fort Lauderdale now, but I grew up in Cranston, and then lived in East Providence on Warren Avenue. What part of Rhode Island do you live in now?

 

[Nancy]

My husband developed a leak after his mitral valve implantation. He had a different scenario, though. He fainted several times, and on one occasion, he fell over without warning, flat down on his chest, and dislocated his jaw. I believe the concussion of that fall caused the leak, because soon after he developed symptoms. The valve was fairly recent surgery and prior to that, he was doing very well. It took a long time to finally get him to a repair on it, because this would then be his 3rd heart surgery. He had to be very symptomatic before the card would send him to the surgeon. Unfortunately, he did become very symptomatic and he finally forced the issue. The valve was repaired with a couple of stitches, and this surgery was done through the side, sparing his sternum. It worked out just fine.

But I do know that a fair amount of patients will have small leakage in the new valve, which eventually closes up on its own with scar tissue.