Re: Homograft - Protocol

Posted By Eric on May 11, 1999 at 09:04:02
Could you please tell me the process for obtaining a suitable homograft for aortic valve replacement. ( I have progressive aortic stenosis)
What is the time frame to get a homograft?
I live in Colorado now but used to live in Los Angeles.  Can you tell me where the most experienced valve replacement surgeons would be in those two locations?

[CCF CARDIO MD DLB]

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on May 11, 1999 at 13:24:10
Dear Eric
The time to get aortic valve surgery of any sort is when the valve gets very tight and produces symptoms. Though you and the surgeon can plan for a homograft, the actual decision has to be made at surgery - it involves issues such as the size of you aorta. In Los Angeles, you could go to any of the large university-affiliated medical centers; I do not know about Colorado.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

[Ted-Cotrel]

Posted By Ted Cottrell on May 22, 1999 at 07:03:33
I am in need of aortic valve replacement also and fairly soon. I have been researching all the information I could find for the past 6 months and also think I want a homograft and want to have it done at the cleveland clinic. This much I have determined so far.
I am having trouble finding some information that I think is necessary for me to continue to make informed decisions relative to my care.
The information I am looking for and possibly in this order is.
1. a list of doctors at your clinic who specialize in aortic valve replacement.
2. from this list..data on how many valves they have replaced or replace yearly
and the infection rates from these surgerys.
3. from this list .. the doctors that cooperate with my insurance which is a PPO with united health care..
I have been told that I have to just call every doctor with these questions. if that is true then at least I would like to know who these doctors are since I live 1500 miles away from cleveland and do not even know anyone in that area.
I would appreciate any help I could get to make this process  easier..
A doctor from your clinc in this forum told me in reply to a question with some of this content at an earlier date  that I was wise to look into this in this manner so I hope that these questions will not be too bold in anyones estimation..

Thank You in advance for your help..
Ted

[CCF CARDIO MD DLB]

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on May 23, 1999 at 12:11:37
Dear Ted
All you need to do is call the number below and ask for an appointment first with one of our cardiologists at Desk F15 who specializes in valve disorders - they are all excellent and all accept the same insurance plans. He will then evaluate you for surgery and pick an appropriate surgeon for you. When you call to make the appointment, the insurance issue can be dealt with. The idea of having one central number here is to make the process easier for you.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

[Ted-Cotrel]

Posted By Ted Cottrell on May 23, 1999 at 18:00:05
Thank you .... that helps but I still wonder about picking the surgeon..when they assign you one .. can you or should you get the information on things like the infection rate by comparison to others ?? or number of valve replacements..?
Or is every single one of the surgeons in your clinic a perfect choice..?
Is this something I should not even be concerned with?










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