Dennis's Guestbook

Yumiko Ishida  Hi, Dennis. I had mitral valve stenosis. Apparently, I had rheumatic fever as a child, too, but I don’t remember. I was given the impression that minimally invasive replacement is possible, but robotic never came up during my research. For a multitude of reasons, I chose to have a sternotomy, one of the major factors being afib, which I also had. I wanted to make sure I got the maze procedure and have my left atrial appendage clamped shut. I believe transcatheter replacement is not possible with mitral stenosis. Repair is typically not feasible either, but Dr. David Adams in New York does it. Just because it’s possible, though, it doesn’t mean it’s the best option for your specific situation, so, as Ana suggests, look for second or more opinions. My mother had her aortic valve replaced at age 79 via sternotomy and it really changed her life for the better. When she passed away at age 90, her new valve was still prestine! I don’t know enough about your situation, so I am not necessarily recommending one thing over another for you, but sternotomy is one of the safest procedures, so much better than some of the other offerings out there, like valvuloplasy, and I speak from experience. Hope you find the right surgeon for you. Keep us posted!