Spontaneous resolution of BAV?! Imperfections of diagnosis...

[Halya]

So, yesterday was my 2-year follow-up from the echo that diagnosed BAV with aortic stenosis. Today my family doctor calls up to tell me that I now apparently have a heart that is "within normal parameters" and a normally functioning tricuspid aortic valve??!!

My head is spinning but I think I should be celebrating!

Thanks for the great folks of this forum for being there. Your support is what got me through on some dark days. It's been a very interesting journey...

 

[honeybunny]

Wow! When I was first diagnosed with a BAV in May 2015, I was told by the cardio that I needed to have a TEE to verify that it was bicuspid. I guess the fact that I had aortic stenosis could have camoflauged a tricuspid valve. So I understand how your bicuspid valve could now show as tricuspid. The stenosis I'm not clear about. But either way I think I'd go with a second opinion and perhaps more definitive diagnostic testing.

 

[dornole]

Wow talk about messing with your mind. My kid had "lab-a-dosis" once so that we thought he had a blood disorder, but it was a lab error. Sorry you had to go through that but thrilled if this new result is confirmed!

 

[Halya]

Luckily my family doctor is doing his job. Just about the first thing he said was that he would refer me for a follow-up echo even though I now no longer meet the criteria for routine follow-up. He sounded fairly puzzled when he called me. The first echo I had about 10 years ago also didn't show BAV.

It helped that I saw the monitor during the echo. The image was very clear yesterday. The valve looked clearly tricuspid, even to a lay person, and was opening well. The tech took me through some of what she was looking for.

Pressures are still somewhat elevated and the murmur hasn't gone away. So, sclerosis but no longer stenosis...

It was rewarding to see that my cardiac output has greatly improved. I guess losing all that weight and consistent exercise has paid off. However much this might have messed with my mind, I see it as an overall positive experience. Perhaps this was just the kick in the butt I needed to take control of my own health. So, thank you doctors, even if you got it wrong.

 

[epstns]

Hi, Halya,

I, too, am glad that things are clearing up for you. I doubt that you had a bicuspid valve and it "went away" though. More likely the echo was imperfect and somebody interpreted it to be a bicuspid valve. I remember that several of my earlier echos were interpreted as "probable bicuspid aortic valve" but they went on to qualify their findings by saying that the images were not clearly defined.

Glad you're doing well, too.

 

[JulienDu]

Yeah it is great that the mistake has been done this way. 24 years ago when I had an ultra sound as a kid, they told me my valve was a normal Tricupside but couple years after it turns out that it was a Bicupsid haha.