Surgery Second Opinions

[dornole]

I have a second opinion / alternative surgeon process going with the Mayo (less than 2 hours away from my home) that I mostly started due to frustration with poor communication with the heart valve group I've been seeing fro 20 years, and that did my very successful repair in 2002. Of course, as soon as I started the second opinion process my group finally called me, and I am scheduled for mitral valve replacement on 10/16. I didn't tell them I have a second opinion going.

The issue I am wrestling with is the recommendation that I proceed pretty quickly. I was advised by my original group on 8/29 that having surgery "within a month" was a good idea (and then they ghosted for almost a month). When I got an educational consult from Cedar Sinai last week, they also said a 1-2 month time frame because of my TIA. I feel mostly okay as long as I don't have afib . . . I am worried about the afib becoming permanent in the next few weeks and making surgery more difficult, or having another TIA. So that by farting around with a second opinion and maybe having to wait longer to be treated at the Mayo, I'll screw myself over.

I do feel like my local group is capable, it is a comprehensive valve center involved in a lot of research. I'm concerned about some really poor communication and if they have other systems/processes that are not well organized.

Theoretically I can at least meet with the Mayo surgeon before my 10/16 local surgery appt. -- they told me 10 business days max. I didn't do any second opinions for my repair because it was more of an urgent situation, so this whole process is new.

Can anyone share what they did for second opinions and how you decided, felt about it, thought about the process?

 

[3mm]

I have a second opinion / alternative surgeon process going with the Mayo

Can anyone share what they did for second opinions and how you decided, felt about it, thought about the process?

I am about 2.5 hours south of Mayo, and I have relevant experience. In Aug, 2023 I asked Mayo for a 2nd opinion regarding my open heart surgery which was scheduled for late Oct at the University of Iowa. Since I had all the necessary test results in my U of Iowa records, within 2 weeks Mayo gave me their 2nd opinion, which was consistent with the U of Iowa plan. Mayo was VERY helpful during this process. The process started with an experienced cardiology nurse interviewing me for a full hour to ensure she fully understood and documented my case.

Important point: She gave me useful insight into the tradeoffs between a bioprosthetic aortic valve and a mechanical aortic valve. I am grateful to her for that discussion which went beyond generic statistics and platitudes. She helped me consider this decision from my personal background and status.

Mayo also offered me a mid Sep surgery date with Dr Daly. I decided it was best for me to do the surgery in Sep rather than waiting until the end of Oct, so I had my surgery at Mayo. Mayo is an AWESOME place for heart surgery.

Note: I think the University of Iowa Hospital has great medical staff, and I still have my cardiologist and electrophysiologist there. They are a very, very good medical team. However, Mayo got me in 6 weeks sooner.

 

[pellicle]

Wow

Important point: She gave me useful insight into the tradeoffs between a bioprosthetic aortic valve and a mechanical aortic valve. I am grateful to her for that discussion which went beyond generic statistics and platitudes. She helped me consider this decision from my personal background and status.

from 12 years here that's about the only time I've ever read anyone get that ... fantastic.

I think that it must be systemic down there at the Mayo, because Dr Schaff is from the Mayo.

Heartening stuff