Arrhythmia and 80% MV Regurgitation

My wife has a complex cardiac history, she was born with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery, complicated by myocardial infarct.

She had two surgeries in her early teens to correct this following a series of VF/heart attacks.  During the 2nd op, a bypass was grafted.

She was asymptomatic for 13 years following that, but awoke one morning with arrhythmia which has persisted since - a further 13 years.  For this she takes beta blockers.

She recently had an echo and we had a letter this morning with the following report:

Aortic arch appears normal, not very clearly imaged though.  The aortic root has lost some of its natural contour.  Tricuspid AV opens well, no AR.
PV normal, normal main PA and branches, trivial PR.
TV normal, mild TR.
MV leaflets appear mildly thickened and have restricted opening, the anterior leaflet mildly prolapses with servere posteriorly directed MR, regurgitant fraction = 80%.
LV EF visually estimated at 50-55% which is reduced in view of the severity of the MR.  LV function appears similar to echo in 2008 though.
LA and RA appear normal size, raised LA pressure.
Good RV function.
IVC normal with satisfactory respitory reactivity.


We don't like the sound of that 80% MV regurgitation.  The consultant hasn't made any suggestion of valve repair, is it something we should be asking about ourselves?  In the past it's been really hard to get a straight answer from him about her general outlook, he just says she's complex and nobody knows.  Are all cardiologists like this?

For me, this isn't good enough - I'm posted some info up here in the hope that somebody might say "that looks ok" or "damn - you'd better see somebody quick!".

Thanks

[Jerry_NJ]

I have had my mitral valve repaired due to severe leakage.  Not sure what the 80% RF means, but surely you deserve an answer.  I'd seek a second opinion...hopefully someone on this forum has some personal experience.

[beachball32]

I took it to mean that 80% of the blood which was pumped into the left ventricle was gushing back through the valve in the wrong direction (I.e. Towards the lungs)?

Can I ask how old you were when you had your repair?  My wife is 38.