Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Heart Disease Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to angina, angioplasty, arrhythmia, bypass surgery, cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease, defibrillator, heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, mitral valve, pacemaker, PAD, stenosis, and stress tests.
Mitral Valve Stenosis
by rrlbees, Feb 01, 2008 07:56PM
My Dad has severe mitral valve stenosis. I have a lot of the measurements and facts and we are being asked, along with my Dad, to decide on an option. First, here are some basics.
79 y.o.
Rheumatic fever as a child (likely)
Has had HBP for 40 years (controlled with meds)
Been on coumadin for about 5-6 years
Been having yearly echos
Also diagnosed with early stages of dementia/alzheimers
My Dad had pnuemonia a couple months ago. Antibiotic seemed to clear it up. But 2 weeks ago he was feeling just as tired and was coughing a lot including spitting up some small blood clots. Docs decided to do a chest CT to rule out tumors etc. CT showed no pneumonia but there was some fluid in the lungs and an echo was ordered (which he was due anyways since it had been a year). Here is the pertinet info from the echo I think.
CHF present
mitral leaflets are calcified
mitral valve area = .86cm2
mean gradient = 11.5mmHg
aortic valve moderately sclerotic and calcified
aortic valve area = 1.3cm2
tricuspid valve insufficiency is moderate with right systolic pressure elevated at 75mmHg
He has been put on a diuretic for now. Feels a little better but not much. Here are the options with some notes on each option.
1. Do nothing - will probably survive 6-12 months due to the CHF and fluid buildup (drown)
2. Open heart surgery to replave valves - 20% chance he doesn't survive surgery or has a significant event. Also, due to being on a heart/lung machine, the dementia/alzheimers will probably be greatly exasperated due to loss of blood to the brain for 20-30 minutes. May come out with significant impairment.
3. Valvotomy - Cardio says because of the calcification we probably won't find a local Doctor (central NY) to do this procedure. So far he is correct.
4. Closed mitral commissurotomy - some of the same risks as #2.
5. Open mitral commissurotomy - sounds like the best option from a lower risk and less invasive standpoint. But while many people get 4-5 years before additional intervention has to be done, they feel my father would get to that point in 1 1/2 to 2 years (but they are just estimating).
That's as much as I have. I have more notes and echo results but the above is probably more than you want to know. I guess my question is, given the above, is the OMC the best option right now?
Thanks for any suggestions or help.
Rick
79 y.o.
Rheumatic fever as a child (likely)
Has had HBP for 40 years (controlled with meds)
Been on coumadin for about 5-6 years
Been having yearly echos
Also diagnosed with early stages of dementia/alzheimers
My Dad had pnuemonia a couple months ago. Antibiotic seemed to clear it up. But 2 weeks ago he was feeling just as tired and was coughing a lot including spitting up some small blood clots. Docs decided to do a chest CT to rule out tumors etc. CT showed no pneumonia but there was some fluid in the lungs and an echo was ordered (which he was due anyways since it had been a year). Here is the pertinet info from the echo I think.
CHF present
mitral leaflets are calcified
mitral valve area = .86cm2
mean gradient = 11.5mmHg
aortic valve moderately sclerotic and calcified
aortic valve area = 1.3cm2
tricuspid valve insufficiency is moderate with right systolic pressure elevated at 75mmHg
He has been put on a diuretic for now. Feels a little better but not much. Here are the options with some notes on each option.
1. Do nothing - will probably survive 6-12 months due to the CHF and fluid buildup (drown)
2. Open heart surgery to replave valves - 20% chance he doesn't survive surgery or has a significant event. Also, due to being on a heart/lung machine, the dementia/alzheimers will probably be greatly exasperated due to loss of blood to the brain for 20-30 minutes. May come out with significant impairment.
3. Valvotomy - Cardio says because of the calcification we probably won't find a local Doctor (central NY) to do this procedure. So far he is correct.
4. Closed mitral commissurotomy - some of the same risks as #2.
5. Open mitral commissurotomy - sounds like the best option from a lower risk and less invasive standpoint. But while many people get 4-5 years before additional intervention has to be done, they feel my father would get to that point in 1 1/2 to 2 years (but they are just estimating).
That's as much as I have. I have more notes and echo results but the above is probably more than you want to know. I guess my question is, given the above, is the OMC the best option right now?
Thanks for any suggestions or help.
Rick
Post Comment
