Laura's Guestbook

Hello Laura. I'm a Ross recipient, five months into recovery. My operation was performed by Dr. Chu in London, Canada. My recovery is going well, but it's still too soon for me to draw any conclusions about the best valve choices. As others have said, each patient is different, and it's a personal decision. I wish you all the best in your journey and look forward to learning that your outcomes are excellent.

Hello Laura - I can’t speak for anybody except for myself and certainly can’t recommend a valve. I have trusted my surgeon to make that call. I am 52 years old and have been living with aorta issues all my life. Because of my age, my surgeon recommended I have a prosthetic mechanical aorta valve. I have been told this valve is good for 30-40 years. It’s an ON-X valve. This lessons my chances of being opened up again if I went with a pig/cow valve which I was told last 10~20 years. Yes it is slightly on the noisy side but only at rest when quiet. It’s been two weeks and I am used to it now. Music and other surrounding noise tends to drown the noise out. I have been on Eliquis (sp.) for ten years and had to switch to Coumadin. I go to the clinic 15 min from my house and it literally takes 10 minutes to check my INR number. Diet is extremely important with Coumadin. I hope this helps. Many blessings to you and your surgical team! David

Hi Laura. I’ve been following my calve since I was diagnosed at 15. I live a very active life and have a successful career as a firefighter/paramedic, which les me to learn and follow the science pretty closely. I am now 47 and my valve is severely insufficient with some stenosis but my heart is still compensating well. I know others have mentioned the Ross procedure to you, and the Ross is highest on my list if a repair is not an option. After that, my choice is the tissue Edwards Inspiris Resilia. I really don’t want to deal with the coumadin, plus it is an issue for my job. Also, the Resilia is a pretty positive option for a future valve in valve replacement by TAVR. I read quite a few of the responses to your question and didn't see the Resilia mentioned. Take a look at it. The way it is stored helps alleviate some of the calcification issues with other tissue valves. Good luck and whatever choice you make I bet you’ll feel so much better afterward!

I have a tissue valve and chose it because I have A splenic artery aneurysm and didn’t want to be on Coumadin. My aortic valve was replaced 3/12/2020 and I was 67 then

I was 50 when I was diagnosed. I thought I could go till 65 or so..... Not. ... 2014 the valve closed off more(stenosis). I got the onyx valve and have done well now 6 years. I don't mind the Coumadin and monthly checks. I love my live techs at baptist health. NEA. MY DAD IS 94 AND HAS HAD A TISSUE VALVE 15 YEARS. BLESSED.

Hi Laura, I just turned 49, I had an aortic valve replacement, tissue. I'd imagine there are many factors can come into play upon choosing which. I'm sure your choice will be best and we both shall live a full life. The one down side with tissue, maybe mechanical but idk, is that due to our age we have at least one maybe even two more replacements to have done later in life. You'll be fine either way. I'll Ask God, Mary, and a few Saints to look out for you........ Chris

Hi Laura. I was asking the same questions just over two years ago, when I had my Aortic and Mitral valves replaced at age 58. Watching my dad have his aortic valve replaced three times, was a huge factor in my decision to go with On-X valves. For whatever reason, his bovine valves calcified after after only six years, requiring replacement. Figuring my blood chemistry is similar to his, I thought it best (for me) to try the mechanical option. I rarely hear them, but my wife hears them more often. It seems odd, but I generally hear them when there is other noise in the room, and not when it’s quiet. That could just be a quirk in my system. The blood thinner regimen hasn’t been difficult, once they got me zeroed in. I’ve set a target a bit above the RDA value for vitamin K, and try to stay relatively close to that number every day, as keeping your intake constituent, helps keep the warfarin dose and your INR consistent. I think you’re smart to pose this question to the group, so you can take what’s likely to be a wide range of responses to help you narrow your choices. Anything you choose will be in improvement over a malfunctioning valve. All the best to you. Kevin

at your age, if you decide to still have children, a tissue or the Ross procedure is the way to go because you will not need anticoagulants with these valves (I would prefer a Ross, if your surgeon is very skilled in this procedure) . Tissue valves (pig tissue) will typically last about 15 years ; can be more but can also be less ... If you can discipline yourself with anticoagulants, then a mechanical valve is the choice. All mechanical valves are excellent and should last a lifetime , however the ON-X valve is the latest technology of mechanical valves (1996) , the valve is a bit more quiet, it offers less resitance to blood flow, and it is FDA approved for a lower level of anticoagulants ......please check thorougly with all the websites of the companies making heart valves and then bring all your questions to your cardiologist and your surgeon . Here is the list of companies whose websites you would want to visit : Cryolife (for Ross and ON-X ) .....Medtronic (for tissue and mechanical valves) ....Abbott (for st Jude valves ) .......LivaNova (mechanical and tissue ) ..........Edwards (for tissue valves only ) Laura, I wish you the best

I would consider having the Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). I've had one, I was was back to work, at my physical job in one week. The only blood thinner I need , is a baby aspirin. Please considerate it. I believe it can be done 3 times.

Laura, I had a tissue valve at age 42 (Freestyle, porcine, stentless). Thought to be the best idea on it's introduction with better flow characteristics, etc. Didn't pan out. Lasted 11 years like most of the tissue valves (unless you're really unlucky). I chose a mechanical valve (St Jude) for my revision with the hope of not needing to go back in (the next operation is very risky). In my 40s, I couldn't imagine a life on coumadin. That has turned out not to be such an issue as I don't really change much just am more careful (ski on good weather days trying to avoid anything crazy), eat and drink what I want but monitor my INR. The noise bothered me immensely at the beginning and it took a few years, but not such an issue now. However, I think some of the cacophony from my mechanical valve comes from the revision with scar tissue and Dacron grafts for the ascending aorta. It's a complex issue. Definitely don't do the scentless valve that I had originally, (they're still doing it in some places, it's a bear to revise). But a redo of a stented Bovine valve (which will be necessary at some point), isn't as complex. The Ross procedure has been around for a while. When it works, and lasts, seems like the right choice but I wouldn't consider it without going to a center that's doing it all the time. Whatever choice you make, you will feel better afterwards. Wishing you well.

Laura, I was 67 when I had my aortic valve replaced. 6 years prior I had emergency open heart to repair a aortic dissection and was told att that time I would eventually need the valve replaced. Mayo Clinic wanted me to have a mechanical valve, I decided ti get a 2nd opinion. I really had my heart set on a cow valve. Lucky fir me my second opinion was in favor of the cow valve even before I said that was m choice too. That was 9/2015. So far so good. They do a CT scan every two years and a yearly echo. I have never regretted my decision and my surgeon was great. I pray my valve will last until I die, but if it doesn’t there are some good options available today. Trust your gut and your surgeon. Good luck . Prayers.

Hi Laura, I have a St. Judes Mechanical Aortic Valve. It has served me well. I was 30 when I got it and now I am 63. I still have it. I think it was a good decision. Good Luck!!! Evan in Florida

Laura I had a bovine tissue valve implant in 2008 mainly because I wanted to continue playing "contact' sport and blood thinners are not really compatible with that. It developed a tear after 11 years or so and I had it replaced with another tissue implant almost 1 year ago, this I am told has been designed to take a TAVI when the time comes, my idea is that this will give another 10 years or so for TAVI design to advance. It was not a difficult decision 12 years ago and if I was making it now I would still go biological but it is more than likely that you will have to face up to replacement in 10-15years. By then TAVI may well be the go to option so another OHS is not inevitable. I send all my best wishes to you, whatever decision you make it will be the right one.

LAURA - I have a 3 year old Bovine Aortic Valve. Performed by Dr. Doulabh at UTSW in Dallas. I have had absolutely no adverse reaction or undesireable reactions to the surgery. 83 yrs.. I was walking 18 holes of golf within 3 weeks. I am sure you will be a happy person afterward.

Hi Laura. My son had a second surgery a few years ago at 31. His first, he was 6. The most recent surgery required replacement of his aortic valve due to stenosis and bi cuspid. He chose a mechanical valve. He has been very happy with his choice. He is on warfarin and tests his INR at home every Monday. He makes adjustments to stay in his range. He is very active and loves to cook. I always cringe when he is chopping away in the kitchen but it’s been over 8 years with no complications. He did have his gall bladder removed but the blood thinners were stopped and restarted with out incident. My wishes of healthy recovery, healthy life, to you.