Top 5 Facts About Aortic Valve Replacement

July 27th, 2009

I was just reading The Washington Post when I came across an interesting story about aortic valve replacement. In addition to discussing the recent heart valve replacements of Barbara Bush and Robin Williams, the article posted its “Top 5 Facts About Aortic Valve Replacement”.

Tissue Valve Replacement Sewn In Aortic Position

I thought you might like to see some of the highlights from this article. So, here they are:

1. There is not much you can do to prevent or protect against aortic valve failure, which occurs when either the valve hardens or simply wears out, often as a function of age. (Bush was 83 and Williams was 57 at the time of their aortic valve surgeries.)

2. Aortic valves can either be leaky, allowing blood to regurgitate (flow backwards) into the heart, or become narrowed (also known as aortic valve stenosis) so not enough blood gets past the valve.

3. About 75,000 to 99,000 aortic valve replacement surgeries are performed annually in the United States. This includes mechanical valve replacements, tissue valve replacements and Ross Procedures. Not all damaged aortic valves require surgery — but they all need to be evaluated and monitored by a cardiologist. Left untreated, hardened aortic valves eventually lead to heart failure and death. (FYI, I think this number is high given my own research which estimates the number of procedures to be between 20,000 and 40,000.)

4. Common symptoms of aortic valve damage include shortness of breath, chest pain and passing out. A leaky heart valve may cause no symptoms at all and may continue leaking for years without incident. (FYI, I experienced this asymptomatic condition prior to my aortic valve replacement.)

5. Being fit does not reduce your risk of aortic valve failure, but, as with all major surgeries, it increases your chances of a successful procedure and speedy recovery.

I hope that helps you learn more about aortic valve replacement surgery.

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 clinical research with the personal experiences of 135 former patients to help future patients and their 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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4 Comments... Click here to add one.

Sean R. says on July 27th, 2009 at 3:37 pm

One additional causes of a leaky aortic valve: having a bicuspid aortic valve, which is congenital (i.e., born with it). Over time a bicuspid aortic valve may present problems. My valve was diagnosed as leaky at age 28. Nothing had to be done until the leak got worse, which was 32 years later at age 60. And btw, none of my doctors realized it was bicuspid until I had the surgery to replace it (with a friendly, trouble-free bovine tissue valve.)
Save the cows! Eat mor chikin. Oh wait, a cow was sacrificed for his or her pericardium to make my valve (and others, probably.) Poor cow; lucky me.

Kebede says on July 27th, 2009 at 5:50 pm

I read your articles, at this page and some time in the past. I gives me a good knowledge of the procedure. I am a candidate for an aortic valve replacement. I am planning it sometime in september. I am fit at the moment but I lose energy without any tangible reason. I didnot make up my mind which type of vale to focus on. I am 55 years of adge. How releable is the On-x valve with reduced walfarin? how about the one from the cow?
Please extend to me any valuable ideas.

Thank you,

Scott says on July 29th, 2009 at 12:21 pm

Kebede,

I had aortic valve replacement surgery done at UCLA Medical Center 8 years ago (this October) at age 44 [I'm 51 now]. I chose the bovine valve, mainly because I wanted to avoid having to take coumadin (warfarin) for the rest of my life, and didn’t want to hear ticking in my chest or be limited in some way to resume my normal exercise program.
In addition, the coumadin would require regular lab tests and doctor visits–another drawback I wanted to avoid.

I have had no complications and was able to return to normal routines. Simple annual checkups and an aspirin each day–that’ it. My doctor says my valve may last 15-18 years…Will have to wait and see. I’m not looking forward to a second surgery, but at least these years have been free from any side effects due to warfarin. By the time I need another surgery, I’m hoping for a new technology to have been developed.

Hope that helps.

Joel says on September 24th, 2009 at 11:53 am

Scott,

I will be having aortic valve replacement in October. I am leaning toward the tissue valve for the same reasons you mention.

I was wondering… Have you had any problems with your valve? My surgeon said the tissue valve could fail over time with the same symptoms as my own leaky valve. He projects a lifespan (for the valve – not me) of 12 to 15 years. That would put me at 68 years old having a second surgery.

Like you, I’m hoping for rapid progress in the technology!

Joel

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