Silzone Valve Tv Documentary

[Billy]

With reference to the U.K. Television Documentary on the recalled St. Jude silzone valve entitled 'Suspect Device' which was broadcast last October.....

Several members of VR.com recently expressed an interest in viewing this programme. Mr Hank has been very kind and transferred it from video to DVD which overcomes the difference in UK and US video systems.....

I imagine that most of you have access to a DVD player either on your TV or Computer, so if you would like a copy, please e-mail your mailing address to me, preferably within the next week to:

[email protected]

I will list the names and addresses and forward them to Hank and he has kindly agreed to send y'all a DVD copy of the programme. Your addresses will be kept absolutely confidential.

The programme investigated the after effects of the silzone valve and featured Myrtle, my late wife's story of her surgery and her sudden death ten weeks later.

If you receive the DVD and consider it interesting, might I appeal for a small donation to VR.com if you feel you can afford it, just to defray Hank's expenses.

Thank you all for your ongoing interest and support.

Regards,

 

[Rich]

Billy,
I'll have to think about that one.
After what happened to your dear wife and some others we used to talk with on Cachnet as well, it brings back a lot of bad memories.
Helping people on this site is a really wonderful thing.
Even though you may never meet them in person they become close friends.
Then if you lose one it is really tough to accept.

 

[Peachy]

Hi Billy,

I'm sure there will be a lot of interest in the DVD. Would it be better if the file was available for download, this would save you the cost of the DVD disks, postage and the time it takes to process etc...... only a thought.

 

[Billy]

Download....?

Download....?

Thanks Peachy for the suggestion. I imagine that it would take a long time to download unless we all had broadband.

Hank is sending me an original DVD back to Northern Ireland, so I can duplicate and send one on to you if you let me have your address.

So far I have 8 names and addresses.......and we will be accepting any more that come before the middle of next week. So if you want a copy of the programme and haven't replied as yet, please send a mailing address to:

[email protected]

and hopefully Mr Hank will produce the goods and get them off to y'all.....

Regards,

 

[fundyfun]

silzone coated valves

silzone coated valves

Hi billy - I was just reading your post about the silzone coated valves and I was one of the unfortunate people to have received one of these valves. I had mine implanted on Jan. 11, 2000 and they were recalled on Jan. 21, 2000. I can't believe the hospital had not heard of problems before that time.
Nothing I can do about it now, just have to hope it works well, and so far so good.
I'm in Canada and i've seen TV programs related to this heart valve. I just don't seem to run into anyone who has this particular one.
Just wanted to add my comments.........wishing you well.

fundyfun - aka - Sandra Pepperdine

 

[Sierra Bob]

Silzone Valve TV Documentary

Silzone Valve TV Documentary

Wow Billy. What a story!! I had no idea St. Jude was so cavalier in introducing the valve. I can't thank you enough for sending it to Hank so he could forward to us "Silzonees".

The silzone valve has presented me with an immediate problem. To paraphrase part of an "American Heart Association Guideline for Preventing Bacterial Endocarditis": For endocarditis to develop, two independent events are normally required. An area of endothelium must be damaged, and bacteremia caused by adherent organisms must occur. Endothelial damage and bacterial deposition occur in the low-pressure area immediately distal to an obstruction such as a regurgitant aortic valve. Thus, endothelium on the venticular side of a regurgitant aortic valve would be damaged. Trauma to the endothelium of a cardic valve or to the endicardium can induce deposition of fibrin and platelets, which leads to a nonbacterial, thrombotic lesion which is more susceptible to bacterial colonization than in undamaged endothelium.
I certainly meet one of the events. My Silzone valve does regurgitate.

I had a Radical Neck Dissection and seven weeks of radiation 4 1/2 months after the valve implant. For 4 1/2 years after the radiation I didn't have so much as a cavity. Then last December I lost 4 teeth. Two broke off at the gum line while brushing my teeth and two became loose in the socket. One socket never healed over the jaw bone so the oral surgeon split the gum and debrided the jaw bone. It still didn't heal. Last Wednesday he concluded I had osteoradionecrosis (death of the jaw bone due to radiation) and I will continue to lose teeth and supply the second event for endocarditis if something isn't quickly done. There is only one possible , not probable, cure for osteoradionecrosis: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy "HOT".

Monday I start six to ten weeks of HOT. This will consist of five days per week in a pressure chamber breathing pure oxygen for two hours at 2.5 atmospheres. Total time in the chamber will be about three hours as the pressure must be slowly raised and lowered. As there is no HOT facility here the the Sierras, it means going to the San Joaquin Valley. We'll take our 5th wheel and stay down there during the week and come home on the weekend.

Thanks St. Jude! I am really upset St. Jude did not advise me of the problem and I had to find out about it on the original VR site. But, neither did my surgeon nor cardiologist.

Thanks again Billy. Sierra Bob

 

[Ross]

Note for Billy

I unstuck this thread today. Let me know if you need it stuck again.

 

[Turkey Hunter]

Hey Billy,

I received my copy of the DVD & it won't run. Any advice?

Ben

 

[Ross]

Are you getting any error messages Ben? If so, can you post it?

 

[weekycat]

Try another player?

Try another player?

Hey Billy,

I received my copy of the DVD & it won't run. Any advice?

Ben

Hi Ben,

I received my copy directly from Hank when we were in AZ. I think he said that there may be certain DVD players, (probably the older ones), that won't play a DVD-R/RW. Do you have another player by any chance, maybe a DVD drive on your computer?

I only tried mine in my little 9" TV/DVD player and it works just fine in that, but that's brand new.

 

[Hank]

Hey Ben

Hey Ben

Some DVD players just don't play nice with DVD's that were burned on a PC. The only thing I can suggest is to try it in another one. I burn a lot of DVD's and had to go buy a $40 DVD player so they would play.