stented or stentless

[alpha 1]

hi everyone,
here i am still asking questions i guess they will never end, there will always be something. anyway the surgeon said today that he uses the stented bovine valves so is there any advantages or disadvantages to this, dont know which one is better than the other. was reading the stickys and dont really know what securing the aortic root means to do, how is that done? well really wanted to know which one would last longer. if anyone knows. thanks
alpha 1

 

[Phyllis]

Maybe this thread will help: http://valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21778&highlight=stentless

Also just put in a search under the valve choice thread for "stented or stentless".

 

[Marguerite53]

All I can add is that my surgeon preferred the stented valves because they were simply easier for him to manipulate. There's more to hang onto, I guess. More to attach things with. His comment was something like, choose any valve you want, but I would prefer not to use a stentless valve because they are more difficult for me to work with.

I would venture to guess that once they get in there, they may decide one over the other because of the individual make-up of the patient. You can choose all you like, but if the surgeon gets in there and sees something that just won't work with the chosen valve, he is going to use whatever he deems as appropriate. This doesn't happen often in our numbers, here, but it can happen.

Keep asking. Learning is helping you. We are not counting your questions!!

Marguerite

 

[AngelaR]

I certainly don't know much on all this yet, but I read and I will go back and try and find where. That the stent is harder to remove when the time comes to replace the valve. They have to cut more out than with the stentless.


I am not 100% sure on that, like I said I read it and I will go back and try and find where I read it.

The questions never seem to stop do they =) Hope you are holding up OK. How are things with Cleavland Clinic? Have they gotten any more personal?

 

[AngelaR]

I've looked at so much stuff the last few weeks, I can't seem to locate it. But the tidbits I did find I took away that the stentless has a better blood flow, but it is harder to sew in which can result in longer surgery time and the risks associated with that. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. I know someone will chime in with some factual knowledge for you.

 

[Superbob]

I did a lot of agonizing at age 63 as to tissue versus mechanical, but as far as stented versus stentless, I more or less went with my "gut" feeling, to be honest. Stentless seemed more natural and seamless, somehow -- plus it was a feature of the combined root and valve I needed. My surgeon, who is tops, thought it was an excellent choice.