Valve replacement?

[Beth Pritts]

I am a 29 yr old with both a bicuspid aortic stenosis w/3+ regurgitation and a mild mitral valve insufficiency w/ a trace to 1+ regurgitation, I have become slightly symptomatic over the past few months with light headedness and dizziness, I have been to see my doctor this past week and will be having a treadmill test next week to determine if my symptoms are deriving from my valve disease.  My last echo was in Oct. and all of my valve deminsions still remain in normal range with my LVIDd being 5.5cm with a systolic deminsion of 3.1cm.  If it is determined next week that I have a replacement would I be a candidate for "Port access" surgery? I am kind of confused weather or not this procedure is performed for Aortic valve replacement.  Also could you explain to me the types of meds I would be required to take after the replacement.

Thank you,

Beth

[CCF CARDIO MD JMF]

It is often best to dicuss your options with the surgeon performing the procedure.  
However, you would likely be a candidate for valve via a minimally invasive approach.  I would direct you to the surgeons at cleveland clinic.

As far as medications involved, again, that should be discussed with your cardiologist.  It may be possible to be on no medications after surgery with a repair rather than replacement of the valve.

[Gary]

We have similar AI and Stenosis, w/minor mitral deficiency (which a Ceveland Clinic Cardiologist said may dissipate once the AV is replaced). You could very well be a candidate for MI
surgery and CCF does it.  Also Steven Colvin in New York has done the most of these with accolades for his skills and team.

Dr. Doty in Salt Lake City also does this.  Look for a surgical team that has done many of them, (hundreds?)and these, including Dr. Cosgrove and his team at CCF, have all nailed the technique.

Good luck in your stress test. Perhaps without doing any further damage they may find that you can hold off for several more years. "The best surgery is no surgery".....even if only for a limited time.  

Seek second and third opinions if you can handle the complexity of the information you will be about receive.  It is more intense of 'journey' than you have probably experienced, ever, at your age. But worth it.

[Hank Eyring]

Hello There Beth,

I am writing you to let you know about a list that myself and several other Heart Valve Replacement patients have created.

I am a 33 year old male who had aortic valve replacement surgery in April of 1999.  I often had questions about stuff like what do other people’s spouses think about their valves clicking, to how do the kids deal with Dad having major surgery.  Also issues about what is involved in approaching surgery, going through surgery and recovering from surgery. We also discuss the use of coumadin since most of us have to take it for the rest of our lives.

If you would like to join a mailing list along with folks who have been through this kind of stuff before and are facing it in the future, just go to the following URL and sign up.

http://frontpage.inficad.com/~hanky/heart.htm

You will find much help with this list and we all learn from each other.

Hope you can join us,

Hank Eyring

[CCF CARDIO MD JMF]

Dear Hank,

thanks for the information.