Donald's Posts

Don, Great question. Re-operations, as you allude to above, conjure many questions for patients needing a second, third or even fourth operation. For that reason, I would strongly encourage you to connect with your medical team to lay out a strategy for the next steps in managing your leaking valve. Today, there are many options for patients needing heart valve surgery including Valve-in-Valve approaches that do not require an incision to your chest or ribs. I'll post a video about that. Specific to your situation, with aortic regurgitation, I do not believe that a Valve-in-Valve approach is available to you as TAVR typically requires a stenotic valve for device placement. That said, there may be a clinical trial out there which might be evaluating this. I don't know. So, my gut is telling me that you might be looking at a removal of your valve and an implant of a new valve. You want to make sure you find an absolute specialist for your specific situation, anatomy, and lifestyle. I will post another video that discusses how surgical re-operations are a bit more complex. That said, you are doing a GREAT job starting the diligence now well in advance of your next procedure (if needed). Way to go! I hope this helps! If you need anything else, please let me know! Adam

Hi Marie, I have had numerous brain scans and after the latest one done at the VA, the VA Neurologist was almost positive that I had had a stroke during the heart valve operation. He also said while looking at the latest scan that I had a stroke sometime between the January 2021 scan and the current one, but I never felt anything. All my tests are normal. I have learned how to live my life using my iPhone as my memory, and its calendar/Alarm features to remind me of EVERYTHING. If I lose that phone things will get real interesting, until it is replaced. I also went to the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute for 3 years. I was lucky enough to get a scan on the only machine (probably at the time of the scan) that could determine if the spots in the brain were from Alzheimers or not. In my case they were not Alzheimers related, but appeared to be from the operation. Lately, as I am on my 13th year of the bovine valve, I need to really start researching my options for another valve replacement. I want to review the other options that do not require splitting my chest open again and being on that heart bypass blood machine. I have to keep as much of my memory as possible. Being without short term memory and the process of moving it to long term memory is enough of a challenge for me. At least my cognitive skills are still intact, not as good as in the past, but still working. Have a GREAT day! Don