Brand new here. I am 54, and I have a bi-cuspid aortic valve. The valve is being replaced using the TAVR technique on October 28th. Dr Doolabh at UT Southwestern ...Read more
Brand new here. I am 54, and I have a bi-cuspid aortic valve. The valve is being replaced using the TAVR technique on October 28th. Dr Doolabh at UT Southwestern in Dallas is doing the procedure.
I am having trouble deciding between a bovine or a mechanical valve. Since I am young, I know I should go with Mechanical, but I am also worried about taking blood thinners for the rest of my life. I am pretty active and tend to nick, bump, and cut myself regularly while working around the house or playing sports.
If I go with a bovine valve, I know it will need to be replaced in 10+ years, and he said it would then require my chest to be cracked open, which honestly scares me to death. I have also seen where they can insert a mechanical valve when a replacement is needed. How common is that?
Any advice is greatly appreciated? Thanks!
Valerie Allen You might consider doing the OHS now and the TAVR as a follow up when you are older, if you do not w ... Read more
Valerie Allen You might consider doing the OHS now and the TAVR as a follow up when you are older, if you do not want a mechanical valve. I know, it took me a long time to come around to that but that is the only way my surgeon would do it. Good luck
Rose Madura Hi Jeff, welcome! I have two thoughts for you to think about. One, are you a candidate for a Ross P ... Read more
Rose Madura Hi Jeff, welcome! I have two thoughts for you to think about. One, are you a candidate for a Ross Procedure? Read up on that. The founder of this great website had that as have several others on this site. If that's not an option, my second thought is having SAVR this time around with a bovine valve and then, in 15-20 years, have a TAVR. I would definitely get a second or even third opinion. Definitely do your diligence in research. Please keep us posted. đź‘Ť
Rose Madura Valerie and I think alike! We must have been typing at the same time!
my surgeon has been amazing and let me decide for myself
however
once and done âś… for a mechanical valve hopefully will mean I never have to go into surgery again
my surgery is next week , and completely understand how you feel
i didn’t want to tic but i have been told the on x valve I am getting will not be too loud ….
Finally look up the definition of Hyperbolic decision-making
Pamela Gregory Hi Jeff. I had a bovine AVR at 55. I was told I needed open heart surgery at that time and had to dec ... Read more
Pamela Gregory Hi Jeff. I had a bovine AVR at 55. I was told I needed open heart surgery at that time and had to decide which kind of valve which was really hard. A lot of people on this site have had the Ross Procedure at your age, so you should look into that (lasts longer, Adam Pick had that too). Depending how long my current valve lasts will determine weather I get TAVR or another Open Operation for round 2. My understanding is that TAVR doesn't last as long and no one would consider that for me at my age?
Marie Myers When you have a TAVR, there is no valve choice. It is a tissue valve done through a vessel access. If ... Read more
Marie Myers When you have a TAVR, there is no valve choice. It is a tissue valve done through a vessel access. If you have an open procedure, the choice is for either a mechanical valve or a tissue valve. And yes, it is a difficult decision to make. I am now 8 years into my tissue valve. I was 63 at the time of my surgery.
Sue Maize Welcome to this community Jeff—I had my AVR with a bovine tissue valve 14 months ago and am doing v ... Read more
Sue Maize Welcome to this community Jeff—I had my AVR with a bovine tissue valve 14 months ago and am doing very well. I had hoped to have the Ross procedure (which I found out about on this site, not from my cardiologist)….it is a very good option if you are a good candidate for it (in the end I wasn’t)…definitely worth looking into.
Jeff Dean Thanks for the warm welcome and advice. I have decided not to do the TAVR right now, and instead do ... Read more
Jeff Dean Thanks for the warm welcome and advice. I have decided not to do the TAVR right now, and instead do an MIAVR, where they go between the ribs, but still remove my bi-cuspid valve. Dr Doolabh has done over 3000 of these procedures, and I feel really comfortable with that decision.
I can have TAVR or OHS down the road, and fingers crossed for more technology advancements.
I still have not decided on tissue vs mechanical, but I have about a month to decide. I appreciate everyone giving me something to think about.
I am from: Bullard
I am having trouble deciding between a bovine or a mechanical valve. Since I am young, I know I should go with Mechanical, but I am also worried about taking blood thinners for the rest of my life. I am pretty active and tend to nick, bump, and cut myself regularly while working around the house or playing sports.
If I go with a bovine valve, I know it will need to be replaced in 10+ years, and he said it would then require my chest to be cracked open, which honestly scares me to death. I have also seen where they can insert a mechanical valve when a replacement is needed. How common is that?
Any advice is greatly appreciated? Thanks!
I am about to have A mechanical valve at 55
Read more
I am about to have A mechanical valve at 55
I was also confused
my surgeon has been amazing and let me decide for myself
however
once and done âś… for a mechanical valve hopefully will mean I never have to go into surgery again
my surgery is next week , and completely understand how you feel
i didn’t want to tic but i have been told
the on x valve I am getting will not be too loud ….
Finally look up the definition of
Hyperbolic decision-making
I can have TAVR or OHS down the road, and fingers crossed for more technology advancements.
I still have not decided on tissue vs mechanical, but I have about a month to decide. I appreciate everyone giving me something to think about.