bi leaflet congential valve reconstructive surgery

[mar148]

My daughter, who is 19, was complaining of some chest discomfort and occasional rapid heart beats.  This started and stopped about a month ago, after going on for month.  She was given an office EKG, wore a 24 heart monitor.  These came out healthy.  She has healthy blood pressure and heart rate, but her echo came out indicating a bi leaflet aortic heart valve.  She is seeing a cardiologist for a couple of weeks when she comes home at the end of the summer, then is abroad for semester.  I want to ask the right questions.  I am hoping they do not think surgery is right yet, but after reading articles and due to her young age, I wonder if/when surgery is needed if reconstructive valve surgery might be most appropriate for someone her age.  I am preparing questions for the appointment and want to understand options.

[Douglas Bogart, MD]

The need for surgery depends on the echo findings--is the valve leaking ?? or is it narrowed??  Many people (1 in 500) have a bicuspid aortic valve.  An excellent source is cardiosmart.org  which is a web site for patients from the American College of Cardiology.
You can also get information on the Mayo Clinic's web site.

[Archibald S Miller III, MD,FACS]

Your best source for advice in this area is a combination of the cardiologist and the cardiothoracic surgeon. You need to talk to both. A second opinion is also a good idea, not because they might differ, but because the more input you get, the more comfortable you will be making decisions. Your comfort level and trust in both doctors is key. I hope this helps you, respectfully,
                                 arch s miller md facs