Tissue Valvers. How Old is Yours?

[jcgtok17]

Juli,
My AVR operation earlier this month was OHS, I was noting that for future operations it may well be possible to avoid open heart surgery with the TAVI/TAVR procedures. JCG

 

[ozsky]

Can people mentioned their age at implantation along with the age of the valve ? would help a lot

totally agree，i was about to choose magna ease bovine valve when i took aortic valve replacement 3months ago in china，beijing An zhen hospital。 my surgeon strongly recommended i to choose mechanical valve since i was 36 then，too young for the tissue valve。Finally i accepted his advice to choose st jude mechanical valve

 

[ozsky]

Can people mentioned their age at implantation along with the age of the valve ? would help a lot

totally agree，i was about to choose magna ease bovine valve when i took aortic valve replacement 3months ago in china，beijing An zhen hospital。 my surgeon strongly recommended i to choose mechanical valve since i was 36 then，too young for the tissue valve。Finally i accepted his advice to choose st jude mechanical valve

 

[ozsky]

Can people mentioned their age at implantation along with the age of the valve ? would help a lot

totally agree，i was about to choose magna ease bovine valve when i took aortic valve replacement 3months ago in china，beijing An zhen hospital。 my surgeon strongly recommended i to choose mechanical valve since i was 36 then，too young for the tissue valve。Finally i accepted his advice to choose st jude mechanical valve

 

[67walkon]

AVR July 6, 2007 at age 57. Almost 10 years old and working like a champ.

 

[palmaceae]

My Edwards Perimount bovine tissue valve is still cranking at 8 years 8 months. I get an echo every year. I will be 55 in a couple weeks.

 

[Mike From Michigan]

I have a Medtronic Mosaic (Porcine), 13 1/2 years old (surgery June 2004). I had my annual echo and heart check-up last month and my cardiologist said there was no signs of deterioration whatsoever - it was functioning as well as when it was put in. Needless to say I was very happy to hear that news. He said keep living right and he'll see me next year...

 

[alesia]

Mitral valve replacement with a cow valve 6 years ago. Now have an afib and on beta blockers. I am hoping they can tell me what happened and why it didn t last. And that I can have another chance of a pig or cow valve before getting a mechanical valve.( I am 45 years)

 

[manus0142]

I'm a 70 year young post Ross (1998) and have a homograft in the pulmonic position. It's working perfect according to Drs (wow, 20 years and cranking). I do now have an ascending aortic aneurysm at 6.0 cm and will have to have it fixed soon. I get mixed opinions from different surgeons about whether to replace the perfectly working homograft during the aneurysm fix. The latest opinion is "if it's not broken, don't fix it". With the advance of intravenous repair/replacements they say I should never need another OHS even if does go bad. I'm not a fan of coumadin so if that happens, I don't want an artifical valve, but rather, a tissue valve. I'm confused whether or not current technology allows for a tissue valve to be intravenously inserted in the pulmonic position to replace the current homograft. I will be meeting with a surgical team soon to the the question answered but, before then, I am curious about what others say from different bases of experience. Thanks.

 

[Bryan B]

I had a Ross in March of 2004 so my homograft in the pulmonary position is 14.5 years old. I had my ascending aorta repaired in February of 2011 and a CE bovine aortic valve and root replaced as it was leaking. They decided to leave the homograft alone as it was functioning fine (it was 7 years old at the time). So my CE bovine aortic valve is a little over 7.5 years old and my homograft in pulmonary position is a little over 14.5 years old. Due for my biennial checkup in March but everything seems to be working as designed atm. As for your question manus they can use the transcatheter method to replace pulmonary valves.

 

[Chris]

I had a BAV replaced with an Edwards 3000TXF in 11/2010 (SAVR). I was 41 years old.
Now, 8-1/2 years later, I’ve severe aortic stenosis again and am going to have that valve replaced. It’ll most likely be a St. Jude mechanical.

 

[Penny2003]

Hello! I was 55 when my aortic valve was replaced by a Medtronic Mosiac Porcine valve. The year was March 2003 so I have gotten 16 years so far. The main reason I wanted the Porcine valve was I didn’t want to be on blood thinners and was hoping medical advances would mean no second open heart surgery. So far so good!

 

[pellicle]

I'm a 70 year young
...
they say I should never need another OHS even if does go bad. I'm not a fan of coumadin so if that happens, I don't want an artifical valve, but rather, a tissue valve.

Given your age I would not see any significant benefit to a mechanical nor any significant downside to a tissue prosthetic.

 

[Debster]

My mom's Porcine mitral valve was put it April, 2005. So far so good-she has an echo in a week so we shall see!

 

[doclewis]

74 years old. Had Edwards Bovine tissue valve 4 years ago AVR with repair of ascending aortic aneurysm. No problems with surgery or post-op recovery. See cardiologist every 6 months and have echo every year. I am told that everything perfect and that I am "boring". I really don't have clear idea of how long it will last. If I live long enough next one will be TAVR. I chose tissue valve because of my age and anticoaguants associated with mechanical valve. Surgeon chose which valve and I have no idea why he chose the one he did. Hoping it will last the rest of my life.

 

[rosalia]

Hi Doclewis - you and I had the same procedure - except mine was 3 1/2 years ago with the Carpentier Edwards Perimount Magna Ease Aortic (21mm)... things are going very well! I was 51 at the time, and had quite a roller coaster ride trying to decide between mechanical and tissue. I ended up going with the tissue valve because I already have thin blood. I am not sure if it was the right choice, because I am quite active and have read that active people end up with stenosis on their tissue valves sooner than not, but I can't go back now. I am assuming the repair of the aneurysm is a one time thing? (I hope) I would love to know in advance how long my tissue valve will last, but that will be a mystery until it starts going down hill. Hopefully many years to go!

 

[BillB]

69 Years Young - this Saturday is the 12 Year Anniversary of my AVR/aortic root graft surgery. So far...so good...I feel terrific! Weather permitting, I still walk the golf course 2-3 times weekly, carrying the clubs. This anniversary does have me thinking more and more about the possible need for a re-do as I was told the life expectancy of the valve (Edwards-Bovine) was 15 to 17 years.

 

[doclewis]

Hi Doclewis - you and I had the same procedure - except mine was 3 1/2 years ago with the Carpentier Edwards Perimount Magna Ease Aortic (21mm)... things are going very well! I was 51 at the time, and had quite a roller coaster ride trying to decide between mechanical and tissue. I ended up going with the tissue valve because I already have thin blood. I am not sure if it was the right choice, because I am quite active and have read that active people end up with stenosis on their tissue valves sooner than not, but I can't go back now. I am assuming the repair of the aneurysm is a one time thing? (I hope) I would love to know in advance how long my tissue valve will last, but that will be a mystery until it starts going down hill. Hopefully many years to go!

 

[doclewis]

I too was very active before my surgery. I had been walking 5 miles in less than 15 minutes or riding a bike 20 miles every day. Because of frequent migraines that occur during exercise I have cut way back on my exercise. I too have read that valves last longer in people who are less active. My surgeon and cardiologist both encouraged me to resume my exercise program and I did till migraines became a major issue. I was also told by surgeon that bovine valves restenose and porcine valves will regurgitate as they wear out. He preferred dealing with stenosis.

 

[67walkon]

My bovine valve and aortic graft will be 12 years old in July. I'm 69. I ride my road bike 100+ miles a week, walk for an hour 3 days a week and hit the gym after walking. My valve is still performing perfectly. My local cardiologist, not the surgeon, is a fitness buff and encourages my exercise routine. He says there is no way to know how long the valve will last. Carpe diem!