mariel's Journal

Catie B  Welcome! I understand TAVR usually is a less than optimal approach for bicuspid aortic valves. Outside of TAVR, either a mechanical or tissue valve would be implanted surgically, but there are some minimally invasive approaches, depending on the surgeon and your particular condition. You probably already realize that mechanical valves require anticoagulant therapy permanently, while bioprosthetic valves do not. It's a personal choice for each person. There are many great articles on the web discussing the pros and cons. Have you scheduled a consultation with a surgeon yet?

Debbie Kelly  HI Mariel? Are you considered low risK? Two and a half weeks ago, I had my aortic valve replaced by TAVR under a clinical reserarch study for the low risk for NON bicuspid aortic valves. Before we discovered that I only had the stenosis, I asked my surgeon if I did have a bicuspid if he could still perform the TAVR. He said, "yes", but not under the clinical program I was enrolled in. He said he would have to re-enroll me under the bicuspid study. So, in answer to your question, I think recently TAVR has been used for bicuspids.
I was also told that I can have another TAVR without replacing the original or my new one. One surgeon, actually, has advised I could have it several times. But, I don't know that for a fact.
If I did not work and it was uncertain as to if I could have multiple TAVR's, I would have seen a surgeon who does minimally invasive. But, as it is, I "lucked" out and had the least invasive, and I had very little pain and a very quick recovery.
I wish you the best, and keep us posted!

mariel bouscayrol  Thank you very much for your input!!! 🙏
Tomorrow is my appointment with the surgeon. After many years of having symptoms and being told by doctors it could not be from my valve... discovering I had a bicuspid
valve and that it is severe is a step forward. Following people with my same condition s advice.... "Knowledge is power" I am now starting the recovery road.

Catie B  I hope your appt goes super well.
I tried to stick with reputable, well-known medical websites. Both Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic, for example, provide info. CC tends to favor tissue and May leans toward mechanical. There are research studies comparing both and at the time I had my surgery, there was no difference in life expectancy for the two choices. I am not able to have a mechanical or TAVR, so it was tissue for me.

mariel bouscayrol  Thank you Catie.
I forgot what feeling normal means. I do admire friends for their stamina but I now realize that I have been feeling fatigued and tire easily...
Did you feel a noticeable difference in stamina after you had you surgery?

Catie B  Hi Mariel. I'm so sorry for all you are suffering. I was asymptomatic before my surgery, so in that sense I'm not the most helpful. You'll see many folks here have experienced a profound difference. My aortic stenosis had just moved into the severe category, so the aneurysm was the tipping point for timing. I've battled some hip/shoulder orthopedic issues since my surgery (broke my collarbone and have hip tendinopathy) that have held me back from some exercise goals--so again, I'm an exception. And everyone's recovery is different. Within a few days of my discharge from surgery while still in Cleveland I walked a couple of miles one day, no problem. I unfortunately had to face my surgery/recovery on my own. I live upstairs and had a small dog. Gratefully, I was able to shower and walk my dog and get up/down my steps, etc. on my own. I highly recommend cardiac rehab, where you exercise while having heart rated monitored and they individualize your return to exercise. It's a wonderful program and I found the staff extremely supportive and helpful. Started that around 4 weeks post-op. Cardiologist would decide the timing and provide a referral for it.

mariel bouscayrol  Just ordered Adams' book to learn a little more of what to do.. What to expect and choices I have.
I admire how people in this blog become so knowledble about their condition

mariel bouscayrol  I have a new bio prosthetic aorta valve!!!!!! Came back from the hospital yesterday.
It end up being a minimally invasive instead of the TAVR.