Wayne's Guestbook

Wayne, welcome.  I had similar surgery at age 59 and went with a tissue valve. He put in a large enough one to have TAVR if need be.  I was told that the tissue valve may last up to 20 years so we will see. It will be 9 years at the end of May. The valve seems to be doing great. I don't know how old you are but the Ross procedure is something to discuss with your cardiologist and/or surgeon. And I always recommend getting at least a second opinion.  Please keep us posted. Godspeed.

Wayne, I had the same choice and went with a bovine, but it was not easy.  I am 60, and certainly not an expert, my surgeon recommended bio, but left it up to me.  Not convinced, I went back to my friend, a doc who works with older veterans, doing post op inhouse rehabs up to 30 days.  This requires a lot of med management for older vets.  She told me one of the things you avoid by going bio, is any procedure in the future with warfarin requires reducing the med for any procedures.  I accepted that as the tie breaker.  With the bio valve, I still have to take Metropolol, and a low dose aspirin for life.  I don't know much about Warfarin, but it has to be trickier to manage.  Hoping to be a good candidate for a TAVR 10-15 (or never) years from now, which would make surgery easier.  

Hi Wayne:  Had diagnosis of mild aortic bicuspid stenosis 20 years ago.  Just had AVR surgery couple of months ago.  Took 20 years to get from mild to severe (1 cm diameter).  I went into surgery with zero symptoms.  The good news is: you have time to research, learn how to read echocardiogram, select the right surgeon and to seek more than one opinion.  As far as anxiety - oh yeah!  Couple of months out when we knew it was inevitable, prayed a lot!   We're on the other side of it now, and on the mend.  I say "we" because it affected my wife a lot.  Feel free to write anytime.