Your experience with "past performance" questions

[JoeWanderer]

Last week I've had my control echo, and some numbers are slightly worse, while others are weirdly better. The initial reaction from my doctor has been to hold it a bit longer, but he told me he'd talk to the surgeon and also to the doctor who performed the echo for further analysis.. Today I got the news that the surgeon who works with him wants to see me. As I don't believe he wants to talk about soccer or politics, I'm preparing myself for this to be a pre-surgery consultation. I've just read the great set of questions fixed on this forum, and a particular section worries me a bit - the questions about past performance, such as:

Questions about the surgeon & rate of success:
1. How many valve replacements have you done?
2. What has been your success rate? Your long-term success rates?
3. Have you had much/how much experience with bleeding disorders?
4. What is your mortality rate?
5. What is the risk of stroke? Paralysis?
6. Do I have the opportunity for a minimally invasive procedure? Robotics?

Maybe it's a cultural thing, but I worry that the surgeon may consider I'm questioning his experience, which could lead to a rocky start in a relationship with someone who will literally tear my chest apart. So, what's been your experience with dealing with such questions? Should I perhaps start doing them somewhat indirectly (asking how may surgeries are done at the hospital, for example, instead of going direct for the surgeon's experience)?

Also, since the fixed thread is somewhat old, any suggestions for other relevant questions, specially considering whatever relevant technical advances recently? Also, the valve brand (not the type, for me I'm 99% sure it will be mechanical) is a decision done by the surgeon normally?

Once again thank you so much for your support! Even knowing that's a very common procedure, it's hard not to get stressed by the whole thing...

 

[3mm]

JoeWanderer - You WILL BE FINE. You are fortunate to catch these issues ahead of time so this is a planned surgery which you can prepare for.

what's been your experience with dealing with such questions?

This is a business transaction, so no one should be offended as long as everyone handles the questions professionally. When you buy a car, you ask for reliability statistics, and your heart is far more important!

But I also want to make appropriate use of resources, so I've given many of my questions to the cardiology nurses. At Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, USA, I was scheduled for an hour-long conversation with a Cardiology nurse whose full-time job was dealing with incoming patients. She could answer many of these questions. I also have sent these sorts of questions to the surgeon's team via a hospital's secure online messaging system. That ensures I ask all my questions, and it allows the nurses to consult with their records, other staff, etc. before they answer.

the valve brand (not the type, for me I'm 99% sure it will be mechanical) is a decision done by the surgeon normally?

I left this decision to my surgeon because I didn't have enough knowledge to make this decision. A year after my surgery I did ask the surgeon's staff about this choice via the secure online messaging system. One of the surgeon's PAs (Physician Assistants) told me that some Mayo surgeon's prefer On-X, and others prefer St Judes.

There also are some cases where they may lean toward one or the other valve type such as the patient's valve size. But we are now beyond my knowledge limits!

I pray everything goes well for you!

 

[Bee]

I made sure I had a written list of questions and would go through them with either the PA or the two surgeons I interviewed for my surgery. You have to be your own advocate to feel confident that your surgeon and his team will do the best job fixing your body.

I chose the surgeon who answered all my questions, wasn’t in a hurry, and was methodical with his planning of my surgery. Plus when surprises came up he switched to plan B quickly and repaired what he was not expecting.

I’m glad I got a second opinion because I could compare the approach each surgeon had and make as educated a guess who would be my best fit. Plus you have to have confidence in the recovery team of nurses at your hospital because you depend on them to get you home and healthy. Search for reviews on line for both your surgeon and the hospital. Good luck in your search.