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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
aortic valve repair
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.
aortic valve repair
by mario__0, Mar 15, 1999 12:00AM
i have been following your website for months and have gathered very useful info. i will soon be going for aortic replacement for a leaky aortic valve because of childhood rhuematic fever. i have chosen a homograft. however thru the months i have heard alot of cases of mitral valve repair and in most cases it has prooven sucsessful. my question is why don't we hear the same about aoric valve repair. in most cases repairing your own valve would be alot better than replacing with mechanical or tissue. my doctor has laughed at the prospect of repairing an aortic valve even before the surgeon has seen any test results from echo or cath.. any turn arround for aortic valve repairs in the near future? If anyone could shed some light on this i would love to hear from all.....mario
Doctor's Answer
by CCF CARDIO MD DLB, Mar 15, 1999 12:00AM
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Dear Mario
That is a sensible question. Aortic valve repairs can be done, but it is much more technically challenging to do than a mitral valve repair. Also, most of the diseases that lead to the need for aortic valve replacement deform the valve so that it cannot be repaired. It is extremely unlikely that an aortic valve damaged by rheumatic fever (or a mitral valve damaged by rheumatic fever) could be repaired. Mitral valve prolapse is well-suited for repair.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
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.
