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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Mitral and Aorta Valve Replacement
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
Mitral and Aorta Valve Replacement
by Marie__0__0, Jan 01, 1995 12:00AM
Posted By Marie on April 07, 1998 at 14:23:02:
Hello,
My mom is 60 and is told that she will need a mitral and aorta
valve replacement in the near future. Her mitral valve is
already mechanical, she had that replaced when she was 33 years
old. Her damage to her heart was due to having rheumatic fever
six times between the ages of 13 - 28. Her heart is also enlarged.
Her surgeon is out of Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio. He
also wanted to test her carotid artery, is that usual? Also,
she of course will have a heart catheter test done, and she's
nervous because when she had one before her first surgery, it
was very painful, and she doesn't complain about anything. Has
procedures changed in the last 27 years to make it more comfortable?
She has bad veins. Also, she's been on coumadin for the past 27
years and she's in excellent health, except for her heart. I have
two other main questions though:
1 - Her heartbeat races sometimes, and it doesn't settle very easily,
2 years ago, she had to be hospitalized because of it and they
gave her a heart shock. Now, her doctors are trying to control
it by medication, but it still races sometimes. Why does this
happen and is there anything she can do, besides rest, to make
it slow down? It can happen anytime, even if she is only resting.
2 - Her surgeon made it sound like the double valve replacement
surgery is very risky because she has a lot of scar tissue. He
is not sure when he wants to operate and says that she should
try to enjoy life now and not operate until it's a life or
death situation. But she's in excellent health and we want her
around for a long time. Could you give me any percentages of
risk that would be a range for her situation and operation.
Any information would be very much appreciated. The more that I
know, the less I'm nervous about this. Thank you very much.
Hello,
My mom is 60 and is told that she will need a mitral and aorta
valve replacement in the near future. Her mitral valve is
already mechanical, she had that replaced when she was 33 years
old. Her damage to her heart was due to having rheumatic fever
six times between the ages of 13 - 28. Her heart is also enlarged.
Her surgeon is out of Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio. He
also wanted to test her carotid artery, is that usual? Also,
she of course will have a heart catheter test done, and she's
nervous because when she had one before her first surgery, it
was very painful, and she doesn't complain about anything. Has
procedures changed in the last 27 years to make it more comfortable?
She has bad veins. Also, she's been on coumadin for the past 27
years and she's in excellent health, except for her heart. I have
two other main questions though:
1 - Her heartbeat races sometimes, and it doesn't settle very easily,
2 years ago, she had to be hospitalized because of it and they
gave her a heart shock. Now, her doctors are trying to control
it by medication, but it still races sometimes. Why does this
happen and is there anything she can do, besides rest, to make
it slow down? It can happen anytime, even if she is only resting.
2 - Her surgeon made it sound like the double valve replacement
surgery is very risky because she has a lot of scar tissue. He
is not sure when he wants to operate and says that she should
try to enjoy life now and not operate until it's a life or
death situation. But she's in excellent health and we want her
around for a long time. Could you give me any percentages of
risk that would be a range for her situation and operation.
Any information would be very much appreciated. The more that I
know, the less I'm nervous about this. Thank you very much.
