Remember Robby Benson?

[Marty]

Have any of you wondered whatever became of handsome talented Robby Benson? He had a bicuspid aortic valve which eventually led to four-yes, four open heart surgeries. I just finished his recent book about all this which includes a lot of very interesting features about show business.The name of the book is I'm NOT dead.....YET! or "The Corpse Moved" Here is the description of his fourth and hopefully final surgery " first, median sternotomy. Then ascending aorta replacement with a 26mm Hemashield graft using deep hypothermia circulatory arrest and retrograde cerebral perfusion. The right atrium was opened and a retrograde cardioplegia cannula was placed in the coronary sinus and the heart arrested with cardioplegia. Then Robbie was cooled down to prevent brain damage. Then Dr Petterson continued on with an aortic root replacement including a composite graft which included a 25mmOn-x valve and a 30mm Hemashield graft. Then Dr Petterson did a pulmonary root replacement to complete a "reverse Ross". It took three hours at the Cleveland Clinic. I saw Robbie on TV the other day and he looked good and was sharp as a tack. He is now a professor in the highly rated theater school at Indiana University.

 

[Duffey]

What did the three previous surgeries entail? The topic is one I follow since both our son and our grandson seem to have inherited the BAV type that I had replaced. In addition our 4 year old grandson has an aorta that's showing growth. How old is Robby now?

 

[ottagal]

Have any of you wondered whatever became of handsome talented Robby Benson? He had a bicuspid aortic valve which eventually led to four-yes, four open heart surgeries. I just finished his recent book about all this which includes a lot of very interesting features about show business.The name of the book is I'm NOT dead.....YET! or "The Corpse Moved" Here is the description of his fourth and hopefully final surgery " first, median sternotomy. Then ascending aorta replacement with a 26mm Hemashield graft using deep hypothermia circulatory arrest and retrograde cerebral perfusion. The right atrium was opened and a retrograde cardioplegia cannula was placed in the coronary sinus and the heart arrested with cardioplegia. Then Robbie was cooled down to prevent brain damage. Then Dr Petterson continued on with an aortic root replacement including a composite graft which included a 25mmOn-x valve and a 30mm Hemashield graft. Then Dr Petterson did a pulmonary root replacement to complete a "reverse Ross". It took three hours at the Cleveland Clinic. I saw Robbie on TV the other day and he looked good and was sharp as a tack. He is now a professor in the highly rated theater school at Indiana University.

Wow...that is quite and story and what an inspiration. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Marty]

Hi Duffey, First operation 1984 bovine tissue aortic valve. Lasted 13 years. Second operation Ross. Bad result Robby was sick and short of breath for six and a half years. Was told by surgeon at Cedar Sinai this was normal after heart surgery. Finally got so bad had #3 surgery in South Carolina because tests showed the pulmonic cadaver valve was stenotic. The surgeon said he had never seen such a botched Ross. The surgery was successful and Robbie could breath again- for a while, almost 7 years. However he again developed SOB and also chest pain. He was developing an aortic aneurysm. #4 operation required a complete "redo". Research revealed the best surgeon in the world for this type of surgery was Dr Gosta Petterson at the Cleveland Clinic. Date 2010 and so far very good result. Duffey for simple valve replacement I think there are many good centers. However for a Ross or "redo" Cleveland is the place

 

[Duffey]

Do you remember who did the Ross and was it at UCLA? I almost went with the Ross. I had decided to do it with Dr. Stelzer (New York City) but had enough small clots thrown from the valve to forget it and go for a straight replacement.

 

[Agian]

Do you remember who did the Ross and was it at UCLA? I almost went with the Ross. I had decided to do it with Dr. Stelzer (New York City) but had enough small clots thrown from the valve to forget it and go for a straight replacement.

The clots were from your native valve? What type of symptoms did you have?

 

[Duffey]

The clots were from your native valve? What type of symptoms did you have?

Native valve, several TIA episodes, the last one more severe and long lasting than the others.

 

[Agian]

Oh wow. I had one of these three months ago in my eye.
Did they put you on any medications for it, at the time? They weren't calcium clots, were they? What were your measurements then?

Sorry to bombard you with questions. I hope your replacement sorted all this out.

 

[Duffey]

I'll pm you so as to not hijack the thread.

 

[Agian]

Thank you.

 

[Marty]

In the book Robby saw "the cardiologist to the stars" who referred him to the unnamed "surgeon from hell" who botched the Ross at Cedars Sinai. Robby had his first operation at UCLA at age 28 in 1984 by Hillel Laks who put in a tissue aortic valve which worked well for 13 years. Robby liked Dr Laks and UCLA. Cedars Sinai not so much.

 

[Duffey]

Thanks Marty for answering which hospital it was performed at. I was thinking yesterday, after reading this thread, that we have never heard much about Arnold, the Terminator's, recent heart valve situation after his failed Ross.

 

[Marty]

Duffey ,I think its easy to botch Ross surgery. Its one of the most complicated operations and they don't get a lot of practice at it. I know nothing about Arnold's history.If any one in your family is being considered for this Ross surgery I would recommend Cleveland Clinic and Dr Petterson.

 

[Bina]

Marty, thanks for the interesting Robby Benson story.
I also know somebody in my community who had a Ross procedure and she isn't very happy with it. She now has a Mechanical valve.

 

[Wise]

Interesting thread. So old Robby was an Indiana native too. Good boy.

I had heard about his issues before, but it's interesting to read this. My brother Forrest also had a failed Ross, seven years after the surgery. He then received a mechanical valve. He has been dead for over 10 years now though.

Not to hijack the thread, but it's interesting to read this because I had mentioned this here years ago about my brother and I believed that several people did not want to believe that his Ross had failed. However, I don't think it's an uncommon occurrence.

Anyway, great to hear that Robby has persevered and hope he has many years left.

 

[Rachel]

Gorgeous Robby!!! I think what makes him even more so are his depth of experiences and his willingness to be open about them.

I really like the last quotes he gave regarding OHS in the people article back in 2012

"You need to have someone by your side who you love and trust, who loves you and trusts you, people you can talk these things through with because they're not secrets," he says. "This sounds bizarre, it sounds like I'm an old hippie, but you need to truly embrace it."

"If you fight it, you’re a fool," he continues. "If you're afraid of death, I would say, either fight for your life or come to grips with the fact you may not make it. And in doing that there shouldn't be bitterness. There should be a celebration. There should be an understanding of how lucky you are. That's how I feel."

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20636267,00.html

His book is on my list

 

[Marty]

Rachel, I loved the book. So much about show business and his family in addition to his heart problems. A lot of pictures too. I've got a granddaughter , a freshman at IU. She's not in theater but I'm encouraging her to take an elective with Robby.