Tom Dunn - Heart Valve Journal

My Journal

Tom Dunnposted an update

293 days ago

In August of 2023 I underwent double bypass surgery. All went well but I learned that I had leaky valves (regurgitation). All but the aortic valve were mildly ...Read more

In August of 2023 I underwent double bypass surgery. All went well but I learned that I had leaky valves (regurgitation). All but the aortic valve were mildly regurgitant but the aortic valve was more in the moderate range. The surgeon told my wife that he would replace it with a tissue valve, but during the surgery he and other doctors were able to visualize it and decided I probably had "5 - 10 years" before intervention was necessary. I have a new cardiologist as a result of moving but I would like to really get a "full" work up and treatment plan. I see that Cleveland Clinic does that sort of evaluation. My question is: Has anyone done this and if so can you share your experience? Also, I feel uneasy telling my cardiologist that I want to go somewhere else for an evaluation. I don't distrust him or even really want to change doctors, but I feel I don't have a good understanding of my prognosis/treatment plan moving forward.
I'm 68 years old, bike ride 15 miles/day and walk 3-5 miles/day. I think I am asymptomatic although sometimes get briefly dizzy upon standing. My ejection fraction is in the normal range but I have some pulmonary hypertension RVSP = 40. My latest echocardiogram estimated my aortic valve regurgitation in the mild/moderate range.

Dan Fouratt I cannot answer the first question about the procedures but on the second about getting a second opin ... Read more

Dan Fouratt I cannot answer the first question about the procedures but on the second about getting a second opinion I can address based on my brain tumor. My ENT who was going to do the surgery is where I started. I received several opinions from others both for surgery and radiation. One doctor told me to tell Kevin (my ENT) hi from her at our next meeting. I did and he knew I was talking to others, including radiologist. When I told him I was going radiation, he became part of the review team. Kevin is doing my follow up knot the radiologist. A true profession probably appreciates it when we get second opinions, they should not get up set. Get the full work up, you have nothing to loose.

J Alexander Lassally Indeed, a good anything in medicine will not mind a second opinion. Fear not !

Tom Dunn Thanks I will.

Thomas Brusstar Pulmonary hypertension is never good. I had pretty severe pulmonary hypertension while my mitral val ... Read more

Thomas Brusstar Pulmonary hypertension is never good. I had pretty severe pulmonary hypertension while my mitral valve was failing, and who knows what damage it did to my lung before we fixed it. Nobody likes the prospect of another surgery, but if your heart is working overtime and stressing others systems (like your lungs), it is good to nip that problem in the bud. The satisfying thing about valve surgeries is that they work! They fix physical plumbing issues, so they are easy to confirm when they succeed (unlike other diseases which can be kind of mysterious). Good luck!