Surgery date has been set to 03/27/2012

[TheGymGuy]

We have set the date for my OHS to March 27th, 2012.

On the menu we have a replacement of my BAV with an On-X valve (I will talk about that in a second), fixing the aneurysm in my ascending Aorta with a dacron graft, and reinforcing my aortic root with surgical felt.

Some decisions that I trust my surgeon to make will be to examine my aortic root when he is in there and to determine reinforcing it, which is what he thinks he will do, or replacing it as he is taking care of my ascending aortic aneurysm.

The On-X choice vs St. Jude (SJM) was not an easy one. I know that SJM is a gold standard with longer track record, and I know that On-X looks like a copy of regent series (or is it vice-versa) which will possibly make it same or slighly better if you believe On-X marketing claims. I discussed it with the surgeon and he said he would install whichever I preferred.

Things I still have left to do is contact On-X and make sure that their rep is present during the surgery with all possible valves/parts and, just in case, full dacron attachments, and also check if we need to bank some of my blood in case I need some extra post/during surgery.

Vadim

 

[SB42]

Good luck, Vadim! My thoughts and prayers will be with you. Let me know if you still want to try to connect.

Take care,

Scott

 

[Sarah_Louise]

Good luck
Will be thinking of you
Love Sarah xxxx

 

[escargome]

Good Luck Vadim. I will be thinking of you on the 27th and sending lots of good vibes to you. I hope your surgery is successful and your recovery bump free.

 

[Lynlw]

Good luck with everything. Where did you decide to have your surgery? I'm not sure but unless it is the first time they are using the ON-X I dont think they would need the rep there, they should have everything they might possibly need in various sizes., the rep is usually there the first time just because somethings are slightly different placing it, so can help if the surgeon has questions. So I wouldn't worry about that..now if it is the firt time an On-x valve was used, thats different.

As for wether to donate blood or not, I know you didnt ask but.... This close to surgery, I personally wouldn't donate or have a family member donate, if they were having surgery. First donated blood is really pretty safe these days with all the testing they do, but while it only takes a few days for the volumen (fluid) of blood to be replaced, it can take 4-8 weeks to replace the Red Blood Cells lost by donating. RBCs are the ones that carry all the O2 to rest of the body and what they normally would replace if your aneminic, So donating this close to surgery, you pretty much are making it that you would be going into surgery low on Red Cells. So for a surgery that normally only loses such a small amount that wouldn't require blood, donating this close before hand might be the only reason you would need to get the blood back. So pretty much donating 1 unit this close could end up being a wste of time and money. Also if there does end up having a bleed, chances you'd need more than 1 unit of blood and other blood products anyway even if you didnt start out "low" going into surgery

 

[ElectLive]

I asked my surgeon, 4 weeks prior to surgery, about blood banking and he said not to do so, because of many of the reasons Lyn mentions. Best wishes to you.

 

[JeffF]

Good Luck Vadim! You will do great.

 

[Ovie]

Good luck! and congrats on setting a date. I know you're big into lifting competitions and what not, have you spoken to your surgeon about if lifting the amount of weight you do now will be an issue or if you'll have limitations as far as the gym goes afterwards?

 

[TheGymGuy]

Thanks for the support guys and gals. Here are some answers. I will be doing surgery at the Suburban Hospital in MD. This would be a first time with On-X for my surgeon, but he has done hundreds of STJ and had no problem with On-X. Spoke to On-x and they will have a rep on-site.

I undersand the blood thing and Red Blood Cells (RBC) count, thanks for explaining and pushing me to read some more on the subject In this case unless they ask me to donate I will not push the issue.

My surgeon understands my exercising demands and hopes as I do as well, that we can get back to lots and lots of healthy exercise post surgery.

Thanks all,
Vadim

 

[RTZdad]

Good luck Vadim! My thought and prayers will be with you. I'm jealous that your recovery will start before mine. I look forward to sharing our recovery stories with you. I considered banking my blood too, but was told that it wasnt a very common practice nowadays. The nurse at Cleveland said that they do a really good job at limiting blood loss, and that in the event I needed blood, the 1-2 liters of my donated blood wouldnt make too much of a difference. I chose not to donate mine. Lyn's point of the affects of donating your own is also extremely relevant. You don't want to be heading into surgery less that 100% healthy if you can avoid it.

Tom

 

[Greg a]

I posted you to the family calendar Godspeed

 

[Boston Tiger]

Best of luck in the next three weeks. We're here for any of your last minute questions.

 

[TheGymGuy]

My surgeon suggested we do bank 1 unit (pint) of blood just incase. It's only 1/12 of my total blood so it should be ok. If I do decide to go through with it, the earliest American Red Cross can do is next Monday, 2 weeks before my surgery. I've done some research and it takes your body 2 or more weeks to replace all RBC. It can be spead up with diet and exercise, so I am still considering it.

Had a great chat with an anesthesiologist today and they answered lots of my questions, so I was pretty happy about that too.

 

[bdryer]

Hey gymguy

Like you I was the first for my, or any surgeon in my home town to receive an On-X AV. The On-X rep did the training but , WAS NOT in the OR for the procedure. Virtually all valves are implanted the same. Their are some differences in the tooling and sizing. Over sizing of the On-X is a no-no. Post surgery my surgeon said he tried to implant a 25 mm AV, considering my athletic life style. He said the sizing tool could be forced in situ but as a result was a no go. Hence he implanted an 23 mm AV. [We had the St Jude Reagent as a back up]. I also required a graft of the ascending aorta to eliminate an aneurism.

Go with the anesthesiologist recommendations. I came out of surgery pain free! Well at least until the drugs wore off. LOL!

 

[SusQ]

Hubby is scheduled for May 8 and they will not let him bank blood. I am the same blood type as him, so I will be doing that instead.

He jokes that he's less than thrilled to be receiving blood from me as he thinks he'll go grayer faster. :rolleyes2: However I happen to know he's wrong. :biggrin2:

 

[dcc617]

I had asked about banking blood and was told it wasn't necessary. They use the cell saver and reuse my own blood. Also there were 4 units ready to go if needed. But...didn't need it. The other issue is if your surgery date is moved for some reason. (mine was moved twice)

 

[Lynlw]

My surgeon suggested we do bank 1 unit (pint) of blood just incase. It's only 1/12 of my total blood so it should be ok. If I do decide to go through with it, the earliest American Red Cross can do is next Monday, 2 weeks before my surgery. I've done some research and it takes your body 2 or more weeks to replace all RBC. It can be spead up with diet and exercise, so I am still considering it.

Had a great chat with an anesthesiologist today and they answered lots of my questions, so I was pretty happy about that too.

I'm only replying to this since others will read this forever, but unless you are VERY large, you probably dont have 12 units of blood in you, ave is probably 8-10 units. FWIW when transfusing blood in bad bleeds after 8 units they consider it that all your blood has been replaced. I'm not sure where you found that RBCs will be replaced in 2 weeks and you can speed it up even more, since most reputable sites it takes closer to 4-8 to replaced all the RBCs, The soonest i have seen from actual studies is about 3 weeks ( 20 days) but the ave was 36 and it took up to 56 days
besides the Bone marow having to replace the RBCs lost by donating they also have to replace the cells that normally die off to. The reason people who are donating out of the kindness of the heart have to wait 56 days between donation is because of how long it takes to replace the RBCs, both for their own health and so people getting the blood get the best possible (and to replace the Iron lost is longer than RBCs).
You Can try to incease the amount of RBCs with better diet, but even that probably wouldnt have you going into surgery with your normal amount of RBCs or iron or where you would be if you did not donte
depending on the exercise you could also destroy more RBC and since you are pretty active now I dont think 2 weeks would show any big change..But Im, not a doctor.

 

[TheGymGuy]

Lyn, as always your posts are very very helpful, thanks for adding this here. I got my data from RedCross website. The more I think about this the more I think I will not go donate blood. Let me find out my blod type and maybe ask a close relative to donate some for me I bet, they cannot wait for me to ask them assuming we are a match. I remember years back someone telling me I was AB+ that means I could virtually use anyone's blood.

 

[Lynlw]

Lyn, as always your posts are very very helpful, thanks for adding this here. I got my data from RedCross website. The more I think about this the more I think I will not go donate blood. Let me find out my blod type and maybe ask a close relative to donate some for me I bet, they cannot wait for me to ask them assuming we are a match. I remember years back someone telling me I was AB+ that means I could virtually use anyone's blood.

If your surgeon told you you should donate I'd go by what he says, since he knows how much blood HIS patients having the same thing you tend to need., So IF it is important to you not to get donate blood, and you thin it would bother you after surgery, getting someone elses blood etc

But FWIW, I was surprised when you said you read the 2 week to replace RBCs at the red cross siteWhen i looked at the Red Cross FAQ it said
"How long will it take to replenish the pint of blood I donate?
The plasma from your donation is replaced within about 24 hours. Red cells need about four to six weeks for complete replacement. That’s why at least eight weeks are required between whole blood donations"

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/donation-faqs

 

[Matunucktuna]

Hi Vadim,
We have the same surgery date. I'm scheduled for a bovine aortic valve and repair of the ascending aneurysm (5.6cm). I just wanted to wish you a smooth surgery and speedy recovery.