Is Bicuspid Aortic Valve Repair Possible?
I just received a question from Emily which reads, “Can a bicuspid aortic valve be repaired instead of replaced? I have severe stenosis in my aortic valve and I’ve heard repairs are better than replacements. Thanks!”
The answer to Emily’s question is yes… Bicuspid aortic valves can be repaired. In fact, I just located a great, educational video about bicuspid aortic valve repair. In this video, Dr. Lars Svensson, one of the leading aortic valve surgeons from The Cleveland Clinic, describes more about the surgical process for bicuspid aortic valve repair.
If you are interested, here is additional information about topics raised by Dr. Svensson during this video:
- More about bicuspid aortic valves - anatomy, symptoms, etc.
- Mini-sternotomy for aortic valve surgery
- Stopping the patient’s heart during heart surgery
- Calcified heart valves
- What are heart valve leaflets?
I hope that helps Emily (and perhaps you) better understand bicuspid aortic valve repair.
Keep on tickin!
P.S. To leave a comment, please click here.
About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 78 former valve surgery patients to help patients and caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.
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June 19th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Dr. Svensson mentions young patients. How young is young?
June 19th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Hi, I want to say as well that aortic valves can be repaired as well as replaced. One of the surgeons in my area is Dr. Jamie M. Brown, he is at University of Maryland Heart Center. He has so really great video’s on his Aortic valve repairs and replacements.
June 19th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Lislepammysue, How young is young, the youngest I have heard of for their bicuspid valve repair or replacement was in a 20 year old. Now that is not to say they don’t do them on younger kids. Very good question.
June 20th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I was told the repair option depends on the severity of the stenosis. In my case the stenosis of the bicuspid aortic valve was too sever to repair with any degree of success. After the surgery the surgeon told my wife it was “ugly.”
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I had my bicuspid aortic valve repaired 14 yrs ago at age 14. I am now having it replaced.