Comments on: Edwards Lifesciences Bullish On SAPIEN Valve Replacement (Video)

By: Meredith Salas

Meredith Salas — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:47:35 +0000

Has anyone heard of a company called “Heartbridge” that coordinates travel to Europe for Americans in search of non-surgical aortic valve replacement? I am considering this for my 75 yr. old high risk dad.

Thanks in advance.

meredith

By: Trung

Trung — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:51:01 +0000

Adam,

I see and applaud your effort toward developing a database of heart valve surgeons, traditional practitioners involved in the traditional approach, OHS. As you know, the new transcatheter approach, particularly the transfemoral one, will be done by the interventional cardiologists. While there are many of these specialists out there doing coronary and peripheral vascular interventions, a small percentage of them have or will be trained to include transcatheter AVR (aortic valve replacement) or TAVI (I for implantation) in Europe in their practice. It may be of benefit, similar rationale to that of the heart valve surgeon database, to have one for the transcatheter approach.

By: Mary Anne

Mary Anne — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:14:34 +0000

I find this technology very exciting. I had my aortic vavle replaced on June 8, 2009 with a bovine valve that, hopefully, will last 20 years. The reason I did not go with a mechanical valve was because I knew this procedure was being done in Europe now and in clinical trials in the US. I am banking on all the long term data to be in by the time I need a new vavle. The question I have is that in the video the doctor kept saying “native” aortic valve; I would assume that my new valve is not “native”. I am hoping that this new technology also includes valves that have already been replaced? Time will tell. Thank you Adam and fellow bloggers for all the information, encouragement, and strength I have received from this website.

By: Rita

Rita — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:46:50 +0000

Having a mitral valve replaced 10 months ago I am looking forward to vast improvements on procedures vs OHS ever again.

I have a question. Has anyone had ventricular tachycardia after mitral valve replacement. 10 months I’ve been telling Dr the episodes I’m having and finally an episode was caught on EKG while I was on treadmill. They are now going to do EP study and possible ablation since cardia MRI could not gate up with my heartbeat that test was useless. They are looking for scarring etc plus also to see if anything genetic. The VTAC episodes are really scary to say the least. Anyone who has had this I would love to hear the outcome. I had afib after surgery now I am wondering if it was VTAC the whole time.

By: Vincent Romano

Vincent Romano — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:59:33 +0000

My Surgeon told me the same thing about when my tissue valve needs to be replaced and that a cardiolgist would probably do the the procedure.
I surely hope so i do not want OHS again

By: Adam Pick

Adam Pick — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:51:58 +0000

I agree with you Laurie.

There is a lot of interest in the SAPIEN valve which might trigger incremental utilization of the tissue valve for some patients.

Keep on tickin!

Adam

By: LAurie Collins

LAurie Collins — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:46:02 +0000

This is the very procedure that led my surgeon and cardiologist to tell me to choose a tissue valve for my redo surgery. If this procedure works it should lead one to choosing a tissue valve the first time around. I wonder what would happen to the measurement of the annulus if this were used in successive redo surgeries.