I had my aortic valve replaced (St Jude) on 6/3/93. Been on Warfarin ever since. Blood checked every 6 weeks. After the first couple of weeks the ticking went away and I barely have thought about it. I was born with a defective valve and it became so calcified that it had to be replaced. No heart disease. I am 80 and exercise daily aerobic and resistance. I wonder how much longer can I expect to last with this valve?
Valve anniversary soon
- Thread starter PhilipF
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pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
Hi
welcome and congratulations
To the best of my understanding, no forseeable limits. @dick0236 here has an old ball and cage "platelet smasher" that's still slammin around so as you have a much later generation bileaflet valve from St Jude I believe that as long as nothing else goes wrong (aneurysm ...) and you are within INR range of 2~3 most of the time you'll continue to be fine.
Best Wishes
welcome and congratulations
To the best of my understanding, no forseeable limits. @dick0236 here has an old ball and cage "platelet smasher" that's still slammin around so as you have a much later generation bileaflet valve from St Jude I believe that as long as nothing else goes wrong (aneurysm ...) and you are within INR range of 2~3 most of the time you'll continue to be fine.
Best Wishes
Warrick
Well-known member
Hi Philip, my father had a St Jude implanted in 1984 which was still ticking problem free when he passed last year, so they really do last your lifetime
I also have a St Jude.
I also have a St Jude.
Superman
Well-known member
My version is telling people that it has a lifetime guarantee. Should it ever fail, guarantee’s up!
LOL.....since you have successfully survived 30 years with your current valve it is probably safe to say that your valve will last the rest of the way.......whenever that is. At 80 you have already passed normal life expectancy. Welcome to this forum.
Thanks to all the re-pliers. I appreciate the dark humor and good information. I have had an image in my head all these years of being in my grave and my valve still ticking away.
I saw an ad for burial plots, and thought to myself this is the last thing I need.
I saw an ad for burial plots, and thought to myself this is the last thing I need.
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Hi and welcome to the forum!
It is so encouraging to hear all the reports of these valves lasting 25+, 30+, 50+ years.
These valves were built to keep going and going. Here is a 30 year study on the St Jude mechanical valve, the valve which you and I have. The study observed recipients of the St Jude aortic and St Jude mitral valves.
"CONCLUSIONS
The St Jude mechanical valve remains highly reliable. We observed no structural failures in more than 30 years of follow-up, and reoperation was rare."
https://www.jtcvs.org/article/S0022-5223(18)32341-9/pdf
It is so encouraging to hear all the reports of these valves lasting 25+, 30+, 50+ years.
These valves were built to keep going and going. Here is a 30 year study on the St Jude mechanical valve, the valve which you and I have. The study observed recipients of the St Jude aortic and St Jude mitral valves.
"CONCLUSIONS
The St Jude mechanical valve remains highly reliable. We observed no structural failures in more than 30 years of follow-up, and reoperation was rare."
https://www.jtcvs.org/article/S0022-5223(18)32341-9/pdf
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
shhh ... there'll be a whole bunch of angry people in denial about that
It's also fair to say you have become hard of hearing at 80 from all the swing jazz then rock and roll to disco and now hip hop.
The valve didn't go quiet. Hearing said I am outta here.
The valve didn't go quiet. Hearing said I am outta here.
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
personally I did quite a lot of audio work for bands in my 20's and while I now hear cicadas all the time I can't actually hear my valve, only feel it (like a 60hz kick drum sound that's felt at concerts)
its a lottery ;-)
