Second post, husbands Operation is scheduled.

[haley1298]

Hi, this is my second post on here. My husband age 40, has severe coractation of the descending aorta. He has a fifty percent pinch, along with mitrol valve prolapes. Both leaflets are floppy so he has mild mirol valve regurgatation. Some mild leakiness of the tricuspid valve. He was sent for more tests to Mayo Clinic. We meet with the Congenital Cardiologist yesterday and with everything on computers now a day we actually got to see his aorta in 3-D. We obviously saw the coarctation right away as it is so severe. He has several blood vessels that have grown from his upper aorta to by pass the pinch and down into the descending aorta to help the blood flow. He will be having heart surgery to cut the pinch out and put the two ends back together on Sept. 22. They could barley feel any lower pulses in him at all. The blood pressure in his legs barly reach 100 so it is pretty severe and they told us without surgery his mortality rate is not good at all. We are pretty scared and worried, but waiting the next two weeks I think is going to be a bit hard. We have two daughters, one is 6 the other is 3 so we are trying to get them ready for him to be gone for a week or so. Has anyone had any of these procedures at such an older age as it is caught in most pediatrics?

 

[Mary]

Haley,
I guess you saw Karen's response to the first thread you started. She said they met a man who had his repaired at the age of 50 and did well with it.

Just a suggestion: you might want to save the body of your post, but go to edit and delete it so you can repost it with another title. (You can't change titles in the editing process). In the new title, mention coarctation repair so everyone will immediately know what the issue is. You might find members who have experience with it that way.

I know that sounds confusing, but I think you will get a better response if you reword your title.

 

[Lynlw]

I'm glad he is going to a congenital specialist. I don't know of anyone his age, but wanted to let you know I will keep your family in my prayers, My son Justin is 17 and was born w/ CHDs and just had his 4th OHS in May, Lyn www.caringbridge.org/nj/justinw

 

[Karen]

Haley, I'm glad you have the surgery scheduled and that your husband can look forward to getting this coarctation repaired. I was 15 when I had my surgery, that was almost 40 years ago. I can STILL remember how WARM my feet felt when I woke up. Before my surgery, the doctor couldn't get a blood pressure reading in my legs. HIS comment, as he felt the pulse in my feet afterwards, was that I was "really thumping now." I'm sure your husband will feel much better afterwards...

Good luck!

Karen

 

[PJmomrunner]

Hi Haley:

I found this abstract that answers your question about whether patients are usually younger when operated on for coarctation and gives a terrific overall prognosis:

"Ann Thorac Surg. 2005 Jun;79(6):1950-5; discussion 1955-6. Related Articles, Links


Long-term results of surgical coarctectomy in the adolescent and young adult with 18-year follow-up.

Carr JA, Amato JJ, Higgins RS.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA. [email protected]

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus in the literature regarding the optimal method for repair of coarctation of the aorta in the adolescent and young adult. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed operations in 45 patients treated between 1978 and 2003. RESULTS: From 1978 to 2001, there were 45 adolescents or adults between the ages of 11 and 53 years (mean 21, SD +/- 10) who underwent surgical correction. The perioperative mortality rate was 0% and the morbidity rate was 18%. All patients had improved blood pressure before discharge after a mean of 7 days, which ranged from 160/90 mm Hg to 90/50 mm Hg (mean 128/73 mm Hg, SD +/- 17/12 mm Hg). This was an average improvement of 35 mm Hg (SD +/- 26) compared with the preoperative pressure (p < 0.0005). Long-term results (defined as 5 years or more) were documented for 30 (71%) with a mean follow-up of 18.2 years (range, 67 to 293 months; SD +/- 70 months). At the time of last follow-up, the blood pressure was documented and averaged 122/73 mm Hg (SD +/- 11/10 mm Hg), which was a decrease of 36 mm Hg (SD +/- 29) compared with the preoperative pressure (p < 0.0005). Seventy-six percent of patients were on no medications for hypertension. None of the 30 patients available for long-term follow-up has required a second operation for recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical repair of coarctation in the adolescent and adult is safe and durable, with a high success rate in curing patients of hypertension and making them medication-free for life. The recurrence rate is low, and most patients will not require any further intervention."

I hope this helps to allay some fear.