Artie's Journal

Rose Madura  This is very interesting.  Thank you for sharing.  I may ask my cardiologist about it at my annual checkup next month  

Enrique K  Hello Artie, Whitney is right they are from the chest tubes I have them on the right side below my chest. I had minimal invasive surgery.

Sharmin Atker  Whitney & Enrique are correct about the chest tube scars, though they could also be from a temporary pacemaker. I have scars from the chest tubes being sewn in and wires holding the temporary pacemaker.

Emily Rowley  Previous Op I only had one, but after this Op I now have many. I have where my drainage tubes came out (had to hold my breathe) of, where my pacing wires from my heart came out-all of these were covered with stitches which had to be pulled out. I also have shoulder/neck ones from the 'central lines'.

Christine Oliva  Yea, those are my super tough scars as my husband calls them. I was told to look up when they pulled them out, but l looked down it was weird seeing them come out. I would say look up because it is probably easier holding your breath that way. Like your scare keep them dry and clean.

Peter Bergan  I was surprised today to hear my surgeon say that in thirty years you will probably only see mechanical valves in a museum. He made it sound like the transcatheter "revalvings" are becoming more of a possibilty.

I will say, however, that I think I will be very lucky to get 20 years out of a bovine valve, let alone thirty.

I will say that it was the blood thinners that made me choose a tissue valve.

W. Carter  Surgeon's make less money on mechanical valves. There are very few mechanical valve failures. More deaths come from hemorrhages due to Warfarin. And that re-surgery and medical care is out of their hands. Thats a neurology specialty. Cardiac Thoracic Surgeons are pushing the tissue valves because re-operation is almost assured whether it is full sternum or tavi or whatever the future brings, they get to bill the insurance company again, and again, maybe 3 or 4 times. Always follow the money trail. I have met people in person, people on here, and other web sites that are going on 40-55 years on the same mechanical valve and taking Warfarin every day. :-)

Meredith Bray  Each person needs to make a choice for themselves, based on recommendations from their health care team, and their own research. It's not our place to suggest that someone made the wrong choice by choosing mechanical or tissue. I don't hear my ticking, and am not suffering any ill effects from "blood thinners" which are just anti-coagulants. I visited a friend today who chose a tissue valve, and he is also very happy with his. I've read about patients receiving tissue valves and having to go back in less than 5 years. I've read about mechanical patients getting infections and going back for a re-do in 5 years. It's a very personal decision.

  I believe valve choice is up to the individual. There are pros and cons to both. Both surgeons and my cardiologist first recommended mechanical valves. My dad died from a brain bleed from warfarin (after AVR replacement) and I refused mechanical and I just got a tissue valve. I was worried about pharmacogenetics and my vulnerability to a drug like warfarin due to family history. My surgeon gave me a slightly larger tissue valve so I could have a transcatheter valve next time and they could insert new valve inside current one. I'm 40 and pleased with this l, but I had to advocate for it.

Sandra Wummer  as part of the medical profession and have had AVR replacement twice, I have not had the experience that my physicians have ever favored a tissue valve over a mechanical, I was explained the benefits and drawbacks of both and I made the decision which I wanted. Deaths from blood thinners are very rare and mechanical valves seldom need replaced, Bovine on the other hand are less maintenance but may need replaced.. Many people that currently have a tissue valve may never need another OHS as the TAVR percutaneous replacement is the future of valve replacement. I would be very surprised if a physician recommended either type based on $$$$. No cardiothoracic surgeon I know is doing this to drum up repeat business. Unfortunately they seldom see their families and stand in ORs every day in their commitment to saving lives.

W. Carter  Sandra, so what you are saying is all surgeons work more hours than they should because of duty to man kind, and not because they are putting 3 kids through college, their house cost a million bucks, and their wives love the country club and shopping. Noble idea. :-)

Emily Rowley  I agree with Meredith, it's a personal decision for each individual. I'm making the decision that's right for me at this time of my life with knowledge from research & discussions with my specialist team who know my medical history well. I'm told a tissue (pig) valve won't last long in my young female body but it could provide me with opportunity to have+carry my own children. Who knows what they will make or discover & what I will choose in years to come 😊 For me I have found peace and contentment within myself & with what I choose, which makes me feel happy. I wish everyone the best of luck & send my prayers, no matter what they decide.

Emily.

W. Carter  Emily you are making the right decision to start a family and have kids. Best of luck to you. How many times do we have to start threads about mechanical vs. tissue valves on here... I'M PULLING WHAT HAIR I HAVE LEFT OUT!

Jean Raber  Here, lemme help you put your hair back in, W. :-)

These choices are very individual and are not always driven by personal preference: I have a rare blood cancer, which increases my clot risks because I produce too many platelets. I'm on aspirin therapy. Warfarin was used at one time for people with my disease, but studies showed more of them died of warfarin bleeds than clots because our platelets don't function like normal ones. Or that's the theory.

Add MVR to that mix, and the hematologist and cardiologist both recommended bovine because of the warfarin risk for people like me. This assumes the risk of surgery at all is acceptable. OHS outcomes for those of us with this family of cancers are very poor. I'm 61, so not sure that, given the cancer, the OHS would lengthen my life that much. So doctors continue to hem and haw.

Life-long warfarin, of course, does work fine for some folks, as Mr. W. Carter will attest to, and he's written some really helpful things about living on warfarin and staying healthy.

Artie Rubin  Well, as I ended my posting with, make the decision that's right for you, just arrive at it consciously rather than thinking "I don't want to be cut open again in 35 years."

Enrique K  The type of valve depends on your lifestyle. Since I have a very active lifestyle and an expert skier I made up my mind which valve to choose 3 years ago. My surgeon and cardiologist recommended a Pig Valve with a minimal invasive surgery. He said some patients have one going on 22 years. I pray each day that I'm alive and made the right decision.

Lynne Jeffreys  I agree that we all have to make our own minds up but I also went with the bovine aorta valve replacement done as a mini thoracotomy, which I would gladly do again. The surgery was a breeze. I'm an active person and often out hiking in our parks, biking, woodworking so I didn't want to be worried about cuts and bruising from blood thinners. I already hear my heart beating and I didn't want to hear a ticking clock too!

Jeff Oswald  My surgeon never even asked me about a mechanical valve he is putting in a bovine valve he says he has tremendous outcomes with them plus if and when it fails he dose the TAVR procedure also

Cathy Slipski  Can someone please explain to me what tavr is? I am 37 and my surgeon wants to put a mechanical valve in because he says with the mitral valve the tissue vakve doesn't last long. I am concerned with being on blood thinners. I just want my life back after surgery and I don't know if that would happen woth being on blood thinners. I am a very active person ride dirt bikes snowmobile exc. Any thoughts?

Artie Rubin  Hi Cathy, This is a perfect opportunity for you to do your own research. Read up on the pros and cons of bovine vs. mechanical. Don't let your surgeon make that decision for you. He should give you all the facts and then let YOU decide. (The internet is a fantastic place for doing this research.)

Here's what I've heard about blood thinners: there are certain activities that you might not be able to do any more because they make you too susceptible to bruising and bleeding. Research how true (or false) this might be. And always remember: you're in charge, everyone else is just there to help you. Thank them profusely, as I still do with my own caregivers, but never ever bow down to them. (If they're really good, they'd hate for you to do that anyway.)

Cathy Slipski  Thank you. I am researching the pro and cons I just can't seem to make a decision. I am so frustrated with this all. I want to live my life like I always have. I don't want to be tied to coumadin but I also don't want to have surgery again.