Jailyn's Posts

Jailyn, There is no short answer. I am not a doctor so these are just thoughts. He will not be eligible (nor should be) for a TVAR. SAVR/MIVAR are a function of what needs to be done when they get in there. I had a MIVAR but it worked for me. It may not work for your father. These procedures are used when an artificial valve is inserted. The question you need to ask is what type of valve. Tissue or Mechanical. Given your father age I would say they would recommend mechanical. The last I am not as familiar with but the ROSS procuede is quote interesting in terms of being used on young patients. your father is young.

I second Dan, in that generally speaking a TAVR would not be performed with this diagnosis. At least that is what I was told 2 1/2 years ago. Approaches may vary. You can ask if he would be a candidate for a Ross procedure and if yes, get a full explanation of it and pros and cons. Not too familiar with MIVAR, was not an option. I had SAVR at 71 and am doing fine. Ask pros and cons of tissue vs mechanical.

At 51, he's in the gray area for a Ross and his overall general health and lifestyle will be a factor. They tend not to like to do it over 50 unless the patient is otherwise healthy because it's a 2 valve operation, takes longer, and is therefore riskier. Hospital stays are a bit longer. That said, the longevity statistics are much better. I had a Ross at 53. I was in the hospital for 9 days, 5 in ICU. Also for a Ross, you want to talk to a surgeon who specializes in it, which means going to a bigger hospital. there are a ton of videos on here about Ross surgeries.

Thank you everyone! Your guys replies have helped so much and I'm so happy I chose to post something because I truly did not expect to receive such great responses. I think after conversing with the surgeon from USC we are deciding on a SAVR with a tissue valve keeping in mind he will have another open-heart surgery (10-15) years from now replacing the tissue valve—or getting a mechanical valve if he changes his mind. This is also because we want to wait for future medical advancements in blood thinners or alternatives. After that he could just rely on TAVRs and get at least two. Do you guys have any advice on how to help him after surgery, or things you wish you'd known at the time.

Jailyn, First help him before surgery. When is his surgery? I had three months to get ready. He should start exercising today. The better shape you are in before surgery the easier recovery will be. Walk/run as much as you can. I met with a Nutritionist and she said I should up my protein to 1.5 grams per kilo immediately and keep it up after surgery for several months. I prep food for after surgery that met those goals. Buy hospital cloths. After surgery I did not want the gowns. I purchased a pair of sweet pants, several front button shirts and a slip in pair of comfortable walking shoes. As soon as I was released from ICU I dressed in this. It made it easier to walk around the hospital floor. It was also much more comfortable then the robes ans slippers. Read about recliners for post OHS and make your decision. Good luck on your journey, Dan