About Me (In My Own Words)
I was made aware of a heart murmur in 1990, after my youngest child was born. I then began to see a cardiologist yearly and they would listen only and life moved on.
About 2010, after a move and signing on with a new cardiologist, a yearly echo was added to my regime to follow the aortic leakage that seemed to be more pronounced. Over the last 10 years, that leakage has moved to “severe” , it was determined that my aortic valve is bicuspid, stenosis has set in and I needed to start thinking about surgery to repair or reconstruct.
So I proceeded with all the prerequisite tests and procedures....TEE, carotid Doppler, heart cath, pulmonary function tests, CT scan with/without contrast.
All of this information went with me to Harrisburg, PA to Dr. Mumtaz at UPMC PinnacleHealth for a consult. He believes that I am a candidate for an aortic reconstruction using the Ozaki method. He has been to Japan to study with the founding Doctor of this procedure which involves taking tissue from the pericardium cusps and using templates and measurements of my aorta to reconstruct the valve and then reattach it.
My other option is a bovine replacement valve. A big decision for me......
I do not think that I am having many symptoms other that a little fatigue and shortness of breath but they are not impacting my lifestyle at this point in time.
I have been told by the cardiologist that did my TEE (trans esophageal echo), that I needed surgery within 6 months. Having surgery in May will accomplish that timeline!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
-
I am from:
Huntingdon, PA, PA
-
My surgery date is:
May 20, 2019
-
I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Regurgitation
Aortic Stenosis
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
-
My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
Aortic Valve Repair
-
-
My hospital is:
UPMC PinnacleHealth, Harrisburg, PA
