Mechanical vs Tissue - This forum has provided me a wealth of information about mechanical and tissue valves and I'll forever be grateful to those who shared their stories. I've read that the longevity of a tissue valve is about 10 yrs, however when reading thru this forum is seems more like 2-5 yrs. Has anyone actually had their tissue valve for 10 years or more?
Tissue Valve - 10 yrs?
- Thread starter onset
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Hi Onset.
Tissue valve longevity is significantly affected by the age of the patient receiving the valve. The older the patient the longer the valve is likely to last.
2-5 years is not normal in any adult patient age group, failure in this time would normally not be related to the structural deterioration, the primary reason tissue valves to fail.
Failure in this short time period would most likely be related to other issues such as endocarditis, loose stitching, leaflet tear or patient prosthesis mismatch.
I had my original tissue valve for 6.5 years and it was still functioning fine and the pressure gradient across the valve was still not near the level that would require surgery or have any effect on my ability to exercise vigorously, my valve was only replaced because I needed an aneurysm repair and it was thought easier to do it then than have surgery again in a few years time.
The surgeon advised the valve would have lasted another 3-4 years. I was informed at the time of the original surgery to expect 10+ years from the valve and this is what looked likely.
I was 41 at the time of the original surgery.
Tissue valve longevity is significantly affected by the age of the patient receiving the valve. The older the patient the longer the valve is likely to last.
2-5 years is not normal in any adult patient age group, failure in this time would normally not be related to the structural deterioration, the primary reason tissue valves to fail.
Failure in this short time period would most likely be related to other issues such as endocarditis, loose stitching, leaflet tear or patient prosthesis mismatch.
I had my original tissue valve for 6.5 years and it was still functioning fine and the pressure gradient across the valve was still not near the level that would require surgery or have any effect on my ability to exercise vigorously, my valve was only replaced because I needed an aneurysm repair and it was thought easier to do it then than have surgery again in a few years time.
The surgeon advised the valve would have lasted another 3-4 years. I was informed at the time of the original surgery to expect 10+ years from the valve and this is what looked likely.
I was 41 at the time of the original surgery.
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Phil
Well-known member
Hi,
I've gotten 10 years out of my human tissue valve replacement. It was put in when I was aged 44 years and is in the process of heading south. It seems it will be replaced sometime this year.
Cheers.
Phil.
I've gotten 10 years out of my human tissue valve replacement. It was put in when I was aged 44 years and is in the process of heading south. It seems it will be replaced sometime this year.
Cheers.
Phil.
ElectLive
Well-known member
Short answer - Yes, you've heard from one already, and other folks here have also reached the 10 year mark. And while I'm not aware off-hand of anyone here, published longevity studies have certainly included patients at the 20 year mark as well. 2-5 years is more the anomaly, as Emu said, although the upper range of that potentially less of an anomaly for someone in their 20s.
Long answer:
While surgeons do this all the time, it's a mistake, I think, to ever say that a tissue valve will last "x" number of years, certainly not without speaking to age groups, and even also when a given age group is identified. The reason I say this is this: even in a best case age group (for analysis puposes, call it age 60 - old enough to have good longevity odds but young enough to maybe live long enough to prove it) there is still a wide range of longevity represented by individual patients. A very small percentage may have only lasted 6 years in this age group, but the vast majority have lasted into the 20 year neighborhood.
So, there might be approximately 10% odds a tissue valve would fail somewhere between 6 years and 15 years in this age group, but 80% odds it would last 20 years. Now, I'm being very big picture here with my numbers, so forgive me and bear that in mind, but they are loosely in the range of some of the proven tissue valve models that have been studied. My point here, though, is not about exact numbers, but that tissue valves longevity is better seen as a range of probability, not a defined "average" number of years.
In the younger age groups, the range of probability certainly shifts, in some ways the inverse to the above. The forecasting also becomes even harder, because many less patients have been studied. Then, for any age group, add the fact that most of the currently used valves have been in use for less than 10 years, and it becomes even more difficult.
Long answer:
While surgeons do this all the time, it's a mistake, I think, to ever say that a tissue valve will last "x" number of years, certainly not without speaking to age groups, and even also when a given age group is identified. The reason I say this is this: even in a best case age group (for analysis puposes, call it age 60 - old enough to have good longevity odds but young enough to maybe live long enough to prove it) there is still a wide range of longevity represented by individual patients. A very small percentage may have only lasted 6 years in this age group, but the vast majority have lasted into the 20 year neighborhood.
So, there might be approximately 10% odds a tissue valve would fail somewhere between 6 years and 15 years in this age group, but 80% odds it would last 20 years. Now, I'm being very big picture here with my numbers, so forgive me and bear that in mind, but they are loosely in the range of some of the proven tissue valve models that have been studied. My point here, though, is not about exact numbers, but that tissue valves longevity is better seen as a range of probability, not a defined "average" number of years.
In the younger age groups, the range of probability certainly shifts, in some ways the inverse to the above. The forecasting also becomes even harder, because many less patients have been studied. Then, for any age group, add the fact that most of the currently used valves have been in use for less than 10 years, and it becomes even more difficult.
normofthenorth
Well-known member
+1 to what EL said. We're not statistics, but the best scientific evidence is based on statistics. Some of the best statistics (best stat. significance AND best results) is in the study entitled "Hancock II Bioprosthesis for Aortic Valve Replacement: The Gold Standard of Bioprosthetic Valves Durability?" by Tirone E. David, MD, Susan Armstrong, MS, Manjula Maganti, MS, in Ann Thorac Surg 2010;90:775-781, abstract at ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/90/3/775? . Only the abstract is available free, but it's pretty informative, and I've posted a number of full-text passages on this site from the copy my surgeon's office faxed me. They've got pretty solid majority 20-year majority in the over-60 crowd, as you can see. They're also careful to count freedom from Sig. Valve Deterioration, rather than the misleading "freedom from reop", which includes patients with failing valves as successes if they're not candidates for OHS.
Most people spend a lot of time on websites like this when they're having problems, not when they're happily living their lives. (A few of us addicts are exceptions! ;-) )
Most people spend a lot of time on websites like this when they're having problems, not when they're happily living their lives. (A few of us addicts are exceptions! ;-) )
plus2 to what el and norm have said, yes you may get the odd one which doesnt last past 3 or 4 yrs but then again you get get some mech ones which dont last a life time and you finnish up with a re op, but overall tissue seem to last out pretty well, my porky pig is over 4 and still honking away lol,
Beside what everyone else mentioned. This site is only about 11-12 years old, Most people join when they need surgery or having problems, so the thousands of people who've had any kind of valve longer than a decade or so with no problems,or questions (valves , Coumadin etc) most likely wouldn't be a member here. Both tissue and mech valve patients, For quite a while even the members who had their origonal mechanical valve 20 years ago or more were often on their 2nd or 3rd surgery,
And even people who did join and are doing well with their valves tend to dissapear
Also i'm not where you read/heard the longevity of tissue valve is about 10 years, because from everything i've read and heard unless you are really young that is pretty low for the average.
And even people who did join and are doing well with their valves tend to dissapear
Also i'm not where you read/heard the longevity of tissue valve is about 10 years, because from everything i've read and heard unless you are really young that is pretty low for the average.
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Yes, Lyn, I guess we "older" folks have learned how to make our things last longer. Those young whipper-snappers just wear out their toys so fast. . . we have to get them special long-lasting ones.
I agree. I have had this little cow in me for close to 4 years and I have never felt better. I have never even thought about longevity. So rather than worry about numbers, just live every day enjoying everything (well almost).
Gregg
Member
FWIW, my surgeon (same as Steve's above) said at my age of 45 that I would be at 80+% at hitting 10 years and 50+% for 20 years with my tissue valve.
Sarah_Louise
Well-known member
Hey 
I'm 18 and already had 5 heart ops and waiting for number 6, My pulmonary valve is a tissue valve and has lasted me 10 years (thats what i'm waiting for to be changed) But you need to remember the aortic valve works "more" than the pulmonary valve.....my aortic valve was able to be repaired untill i was 13 years old, but then it got to the point they couldn't repair, nor stent it, so i had a mechanical valve put in; i had a lot of problems with anti-coagulants, (BUT my docs, heamatologist, cardiologist, & surgeons, all semi/retirired had said they'd NEVER seen anyone in all their time s consultants, have the problems like i did with anti-coagulants) and ended up having emergancy OHS to change my aortic valve back to a tissue one, (thinking behind it, no mechanical valve, no anti coagulation, no clots) My consultant said it should last me anything between 4 and 8 years
Love Sarah xxxx
I'm 18 and already had 5 heart ops and waiting for number 6, My pulmonary valve is a tissue valve and has lasted me 10 years (thats what i'm waiting for to be changed) But you need to remember the aortic valve works "more" than the pulmonary valve.....my aortic valve was able to be repaired untill i was 13 years old, but then it got to the point they couldn't repair, nor stent it, so i had a mechanical valve put in; i had a lot of problems with anti-coagulants, (BUT my docs, heamatologist, cardiologist, & surgeons, all semi/retirired had said they'd NEVER seen anyone in all their time s consultants, have the problems like i did with anti-coagulants) and ended up having emergancy OHS to change my aortic valve back to a tissue one, (thinking behind it, no mechanical valve, no anti coagulation, no clots) My consultant said it should last me anything between 4 and 8 years
Love Sarah xxxx
The disproportionate number of unsuccessful valves you read about on this and other forums is a function of the forum's function, and not reflective of the success or longevity of the valves. Most people who get tissue valves simply move on after they recover. There's no longer any effect on their life, other than an annual cardio visit.
Some people with mechanical valves stay around to learn more about their Coumadin dosing, and then may hang around to help others. They have more reason to develop and maintain longer term relationships here. Some people with either valve develop relationships with other posters while they wait for their surgeries, and then they stay.
But anyone who has a problem with their valve is very motivated to get back on the forum and talk about it, and find out more about it, and whether others have had the problem as well. As a result, unhappy valve customers are bound to be overly represented in these forums. It's the nature of the beast. It's like the line at the customer service desk at the grocery store. If you don't have a problem, you're not in that line: you're home with your groceries.
Best wishes,
Some people with mechanical valves stay around to learn more about their Coumadin dosing, and then may hang around to help others. They have more reason to develop and maintain longer term relationships here. Some people with either valve develop relationships with other posters while they wait for their surgeries, and then they stay.
But anyone who has a problem with their valve is very motivated to get back on the forum and talk about it, and find out more about it, and whether others have had the problem as well. As a result, unhappy valve customers are bound to be overly represented in these forums. It's the nature of the beast. It's like the line at the customer service desk at the grocery store. If you don't have a problem, you're not in that line: you're home with your groceries.
Best wishes,
Jkm7
Well-known member
I sent a PM this week to a VR member who came here several months ago all frazzled about facing OHS and valve repair/replacement. They asked all their questions, posted often, got lots of support and advice, gave us an update after the surgery that all went well and they were in the process of a great recovery........ and then disappeared.
This is so common.
People come, learn, take from this site the support and encouragement they need and then 'hit the road' and don't return unless they develop a problem.
I suppose it is natural for some to want to forget about the whole experience and don't think about helping those who come behind them.
Thus, we don't hear much from those who had a successful surgery and great recovery and are doing great.
They don't figure much in the day to day conversation but for a small percentage of us.
This is so common.
People come, learn, take from this site the support and encouragement they need and then 'hit the road' and don't return unless they develop a problem.
I suppose it is natural for some to want to forget about the whole experience and don't think about helping those who come behind them.
Thus, we don't hear much from those who had a successful surgery and great recovery and are doing great.
They don't figure much in the day to day conversation but for a small percentage of us.
Gail in Ca
Well-known member
My first valve, porcine, lasted 11 yrs in '89,and I was 34yrs when I got it. My surgeon told me to only expect about 10 yrs from a tissue valve when I was facing my 3rd surgery at age 54, 3 yrs ago. Everyone on this site seems to have been told slightly different information about the valves. Heck, my mechanical only lasted 8.5 yrs because of endocarditis ruining the tissue surrounding the valve! So, you never know how long any valve will last until you get it and then just live your life and hope for a long lasting valve.
I had the Carpenter Edwards Pericardial 3300FTX tissue valve installed at age 64 . My cardiologist recommended this tissue valve and I also agreed that it was the best solution for me. He made his recommendation after all his testing and indicated that other than the bad valve my heart was in excellent shape. He indicated that at my age I could expect to get 20 years plus from the valve and with all the new things being done with valves should extend the long term forecast. I must note here that the surgeon who did the surgery was in favor of the mechanical valve and I think it is just her preference for everybody and probably what she is comfortable with. As my cardiologist says " Who knows where valve surgery will be in the next 10-20 years ". If I get anywhere near that 20 year mark I will consider myself very lucky. Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring so I say make your decision and live with it and move on.
Well said, CAWWindy1! Nothing is certain in this life!
Continued good health to you!
Continued good health to you!
OinkHeart
Member
I had a porcine mitral valve installed at age 31. Nine years later it is starting to fail. I will probably get a mechanicle valve next.
