Surprise Bicuspid

[Nocturne]

I've been reading AVR testimonials and noticed a fair number of people revealing that their bicuspid valves went undiagnosed until AFTER their AVR surgeries, when their surgeons told them. These are people who had numerous echoes done while watching and waiting.

Is this typical? Is it really that hard to tell if a valve is normal or bicuspid? I asked the techs who did my last echo if my valve was normal or not and they seemed to do a lot of chimpish squinting and head scratching ("What do YOU think, Carl?") before hem-hawing a fairly noncommittal "It LOOKS normal."

Anyone else gotten a surprise after surgery that their valve was bicuspid the whole time?

 

[Protimenow]

I'm not sure if they knew that my valve was bicuspid or normal -- but the murmur was evident, the doctors did numerous studies to determine that there was aortic regurgitation, and eventually agreed with me that it was probably time for OHS. I'm not sure if it mattered to them whether or not the valve was bicuspid - the symptoms of a poorly functioning valve were obvious - and they made the repair.
My point is that it may not matter whether your valve is bicuspid or tricuspid - if you're having symptoms and showing signs of needing valve replacement, just getting the issue resolved should be a primary concern. (Of course, if you have kids or siblings, knowing that you've got a bicuspid valve may be information that you'd want to share with them, just to put the possibility that they, too, may have a bicuspid valve so that they can get some perhaps unnecessary screening just to be sure that they're okay).

 

[epstns]

I can only speak from my own experience, but for many years I was diagnosed with "probably bicuspid valve" as they could not visualize it clearly enough via echo. We only knew for sure after the valve was removed and replaced.

Echo's are tests upon which we place a lot of our emotional value, but they are surprisingly vague. Sometimes they can clearly see, other times not.

 

[Trinalovescats]

During my MVR they accidently discovered my Tricuspid needed to be repaired...so sometimes they don't find things until they open you up.

Tricuspid and Bicuspid sounds a fancy chocolate

 

[Trinalovescats]

During my MVR they accidently discovered my Tricuspid needed to be repaired...so sometimes they don't find things until they open you up.

Tricuspid and Bicuspid sounds a fancy chocolate

Mitral Valve Replacement and Tricuspid Repair
May 3,2016

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