Valvuloplasty Info Needed

[ALCapshaw2]

I'm looking for information about and / or personal experiences with Mitral Valve Valvuloplasty.

Questions include:

What are the SUCCESS RATES ?
(National average? Specific Cardiologists?)

How long does the benefit last?
(Any statistics such as for 90%, 50%, 10% still working?)

Recommendations of GOOD EXPERIENCED Cardiologists / Hospitals?

What is it like going through the procedure?
Do they keep you awake or put you into never-never land?

'AL'

 

[fdegranville]

Mitral Valvuloplasty

Mitral Valvuloplasty

Hi Al,
I had a mitral valvuloplasty a year ago April. I have rheumatic heart disease and was diagnosed with MS and AI 24 years ago. My valve area was 1.0. Normal is >3.0 and <1.0 is considered severe and operable. They were only able to open the valve to 1.2. Once they got in they realized my left atrium was larger than they thought and it caused problems getting through to the valve. They inflated the balloon once, maybe twice and the valve started to leak. They had to get the chief of cardiac imaging to come down and do an echo to determing how much it was leaking. After he did that they decided not to proceed. I went into A Fib during the procedure and they had a hard time getting the balloon out. It took 3.5 hours and I think that is longer than ususal and the doctor said it had its "tense moments". I had it done at New York Hospital, which is one of the best. I think the procedure has better results for younger patients (Bunny Rabbit had a successful one), but they try it if you are willing, in hopes of delaying OHS. They thought I would be a good candidate but they never know until they get in. You are awake and the procedure is preceeded by a TEE. Would I do it again? Probably not.

I hope I have answered all your questions.
fdeg

 

[bvdr]

Hi Al,

About a year ago now I was evaluated to see if I was a good candidate for mitral valvoplasty (some refer to it as mitral valvotomy). It was hoped that I could forestall valve replacement for a few more years. I was not a candidate since I also had moderate mitral regurgitation. Mitral valvoplasty tends to increase regurgitation. If I had been able to have it done it would have meant an overnight stay in the hospital or possibly two days. My understanding was that I would have had conscious sedation and would have remembered very little if any of the procedure.

Since most of the mitral stenosis in adults is a result of rheumatic heart disease it is in this population that most of the mitral valvoplasties are done.

Joy had it done while she was pregnant so maybe she will see this thread.

There is a Dr. Andrew Wang at Duke that is a recognised expert with this procedure.

Are you having problems with your mitral valve?

 

[Bunny_Rabbit]

Hi Al

As Fdeg said I had a successful Mitral Valvuloplasty done in September of 2002. You're kept awake throughout the procedure but obviously given some sort of seditive to keep you in "la la land". However the drugs really didn't seem to do anything for me, and I unfortunately remember pretty much the whole thing. I started off by having a panic attack that lasted throughout the procedure and they kept pumping me with drugs to try and keep me calm. Oh well it's the thought that counts right?

Anyhoo, I think it's a pretty simple thing. They insert a balloon tipped catheter into a hole they make in your groin and feed it up into your valve, position it, and then inflate the balloon. I believe it's pretty quick, and provided you have enough sedation, rather painless. Because the incision is so small you don't require any stitches. However you do have to spend a night in the hospital and have to spend quite a few hours of it flat on your back...listening to your room-mates husband clunk around the room, talking, and eating something from a crinkling paper bag until all hours of the night. Oops, back to the topic.

My doctor said that my Valvuloplasty should last me approximately 10 years (give or take) and at which time, I would possibly be a canditate for another Valvuloplasty or just have the valve replacement. As far as the success rates go, I really think it has to do with if your doctor thinks you're a good candidate for it in the first place.

I live in Canada so obviously I had mine done here. However in case you're into paying high Canadian prices and travelling I had mine done at St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto and it was done by Dr. Robert Chisholm.

Even though I remember the whole thing, and DID feel the pain of it, I would ABSOLUTELY do it all over again. Without the panic attack though.

Hope I helped. Take care.

p.s. My Mitral valve area went from 1.5cm² to 2.38cm²

 

[medtronic of borg]

be done with it...

be done with it...

I look at like this if your car is stuttering and you suspect water got into the line you can;
A. Buy the fuel additive for a $2.99 and you still may have to go further or.

B. You relace the fuel fillter for $4.99 and be done with it.

Just food for thought.
Med

 

[fdegranville]

To try or not to try the BV

To try or not to try the BV

To Betty,
Did they tell you why a BV wouldn't work if you had AI? As you know, I have 3+ AI and that was never mentioned as a reason not to proceed with a BV, they did it and it didn't work, but that was just because the mitral started to leak. And yet for you, they told you that, but didn't replace your aortic valve when they did your mitral??? I have always been confused about that?

Hope you are doing well Betty,
fdeg

 

[bvdr]

Francesca,

They didn't say the aortic regurg was the reason but the mitral regurg. I've got aortic regurg 2+ and now mild aortic stenosis (l.4cm) but it didn't seem like that was the problem but they were concerned that the moderate mitral regurgitation would increase to severe and combined with the other problems would make the overall picture much worse.

 

[fdegranville]

Sorry Betty

Sorry Betty

I am a pumphead even before surgery. I just read your original post again and you stated that very clearly...

 

[carlapv]

Mitral Valvuloplasty

Mitral Valvuloplasty

I had a mitral valvuloplasty in March 1995. I was told at the time that it was not a permanent fix but that it should last for a while. It lasted until 1 year ago when my symptoms started coming back. That's 8 years. I had mitral and aortic replacement January 8, 2004. I think that's pretty good and I am glad that I went that route. Dr. Doug Morris at Emory University Hospital In Atlanta did the procedure and I think he is terrific. I don't know what the measurements were at the time but I know he said they were able to double the area. I really felt terrific afterward. The procedure was no worse for me than the catherization.

I hope this information helps.

Carla

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Thanks FDeg, Betty, Bunny, Med, and Carla for your informative replies.

I sometimes experience SOB and arrhythmias on exertion (and often do NOT) which tracks fluid retention (a real pain to maintain proper balance when working in the yard, especially with the Sultry Summer WX coming on now).

My cardiologist suspects there may be some contribution from Mitral calcification (but wants to WAIT 6 MONTHS before doing a repeat echo, i.e. once a year). After CABG and AVR, complicated by Radiation Therapy for Hodgkins and Coumadin for my mechanical valve, he's hoping a Valvuloplasty might be viable treatment 'down the road' so I'm just trying to be a good Boy Scout and BE PREPARED when the time comes. As I said following an earlier angioplasty, "8 good years for an hour in the cath lab? -I'll make that trade anyday!"

Looks like it's time to go back and chart / track my Mitral Valve measurements and data.

Thanks again for your help and insight.

'AL'

 

[dawnwit15]

Balloon

Balloon

Al
I had the mitral valvuloplasty done 10/2002, for me it failed 6 months later and I was back in congestive heart failure. The surgeon said the success rate varies from person to person. I became friends with a girl I met at the cardiologist office, she also had it done around the same time as me and she was a success. No problems to date.
The procedure itself is no biggie, absolutely nothing compared to open-heart which I just had this past January. I had the valvuloplasty done at the Univ. of Pennsylvania hospital in Philadelphia. You are completely under anesthesia and they enter your body through the groin area with tiny incisions. One night in the hospital to monitor your vitals and the next day your home. I was running 3 days later.
Trust me when I tell you, this procedure is nothing to get anxious about. When you do have to do something down the road, rest assured that this is the easy procedure to get through. You'll be fine.
Good luck to you and keep us updated.
Dawnwit15