William's Guestbook

I hope you’re doing well. I met Dr Svensson today and his surgery plans are going very similar to the same experience you described. I appreciate you reaching out to me before and letting me know how things went for you 

William,

I am so glad that you shared your experience out here and very happy for your successful outcome! I am hoping that I can get your thoughts on my current dilemma:

I am a 68 year old very fit guy who loves exercising and eating right, I was also born with a bicuspid aortic valve. I had a SAVR (full sternotomy with Maze Procedure and Atrial Appendage Clip) done last January and LIKE YOU, got a metal ON-X aortic valve. A few months later I was diagnosed with a moderate paravalvular leakage around the sewing ring which really limits my lifestyle. That said, I went to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and the surgeon there (Dr Kaprinavac) is recommending a re-operation this coming January (best to wait at least one year) and feels that I since he will already be in open heart mode, I should consider a swap out to a bovine valve. He says they will last 10 to 15 years and then I can have another.., so all that shared:

How was your second surgery compared to the first ?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   How tough was the recovery for the second surgery as compared to the first?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Was Dr Svensson the first surgeon you met with ? I did not have a name when I first called in and was "assigned" Dr Kaprinavac. From what I have heard about "Re-Operations" the fact that it is the second time in makes it a much trickier surgery and one of the most important success factors is the surgeons re-operative experience. That has me wondering if I would be better off with Dr Svensson who is obviously more experienced.., what are you thoughts there?                                                                       

After all you have been through I am also curious if you have any ideas regarding data accumulation on re-operation, how to figure out if one surgeon has more experience than another when it comes to re-operation.., and anything else you may have for thoughts? 

Hi William, That's great news on your successful surgery at the Cleveland Clinic and how fast you bounced back to walking 3 miles at a clip. I having my insufficient aortic valve replaced at the C.C. next month. It will probably be a mini thoracotomy and I'll have a bio-prosthetic valve . They still have to do all the pre-op testing before the plan of attack is finalized. Continued health to you ! Bob

Hi William! My situation is kind of the opposite of yours - my ascending aorta was 4.9cm (and I'm short at 5'2") but my valve is ok currently without stenosis or regurgitation. Dr Svensson "placed a few stitches" in the valve so hopefully it will last a bit longer down the road but my bigger issue was the ascending aorta graft that was required. I'm not sure in what situations those valve repairs are considered. Dr Svensson himself is great - I saw him for 25 min or so 3 weeks before my procedure and then he rounded every weekday morning in the hospital. I would suggest being prepared with all of your questions when you meet as it goes by fast - happy to send you my list, thought they'll be different for you. Overall, I would say you chose very well with Dr Svensson and the Clinic. I could not have had a better experience. You'll be on the road to recovery very soon. Please let me know if you have any other questions!