rcwelch

Need some advice on a heart valve replacement. The choices are tissue valves ( pig or cow) with a life expectancy of 10 years or mechanical valve with a forever life but you have to be on blood thinners the rest of your life. I am 60 years old and according to my doctor should have a life expectancy of at least 80's to 90's. Does anyone know about these things or had this done...I need some knowledge. I have probably forgotten to tell all but I am a little shell shocked right now about this development.
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csertich

I don't have an answer to your question but I wish you all the best. Keep a positive attitude and talk to several doctors. Perhaps research the rejection rate of the two choices and factor that in.
The very best to you. Keep us all informed.
chuck

rsa964

Sorry to hear about your health. I do not have your exact same situation but I have been on blood thinners for 10yrs now - if it helps any - the thinners are not a big deal but you have to get your blood checked regularly - its a finger *****. Once you get the level of meds stable then its pretty much the same all the time.

Regards,
Dan

bobesser

Hi,

I hope things work out well for you.

You may want to ping this thread - A lot of doctors have posted on it:

https://rennlist.com/forums/993-forum/325376-a-wealth-of-networking-and-contacts-at-our-finger-tips.html

Bob

black ice

Sorry to give you a post with no valuable info, but I wish you best of luck too.

Terry Adams

I am about your age, and you have my sympathy. I would take the mechanical -
heart surgery is invasive, so I would only want to do it once
more so because the next time will be at 70, then at 80, then at 90, ...
blood thinner seems fairly common now
No medical foundation to my concerned opinion.

DJF1

Hey Randy, I'm a bit shocked with that...May God bless you and I know you will make the right choice... Technology these days are on our side, Doctors do great things...

Edgy01

We have a resident doc on the Off Topic board who is always up for giving medical advice. Try there. I will post a note to a buddy of mine who is a cardiologist.

Will get back to you soon.

Chuck W.

It’s great that we have such modern medicine that can prolong your life. It’s a hard choice. But if I were in you shoes I would go for the mechanical one. Blood thinners are probably good for you too. I’ve been taking baby aspirin for several years along with Lipitor.

Good luck pal… go buy another mod for the 993. Always makes me feel better.

Robin 993DX

just make sure the mechanical heart is made in Germany. Good luck!!!!

gonz911

I'm sure you're going to get the best opinion before either procedure. I think viewing these things from not only what specialists have to say is critical, but also those who have had all of the same procedures. Best of luck to you.

icelatte

Mitral or aortic valve? Matters a bit with the blood thinner issue.
My cardiac surgeon colleagues tell me that the newest generation of tissue valves last longer than 10 years but it probably won't get you to 80 or 90. The latest and greatest is valve replacement through a catheter from your groin which obviates the need for open heart surgery. It may been routine by the time your tissue valve would wear out but I probably wouldn't bet on emerging technology for your decision today. This is your cardiologist you've been discussing this with? Have you met with the surgeon yet? He/she should be able to help you in this decision. Most patients in your age group would get a mechanical valve and anti-coagulation unless you have a great reason to not be on blood thinners (constant fall risk eg).

You can pm me with more details if you'd like and I can call my cardiology friends but I'm sure your doctor and surgeon will be able to recommend the most appropriate tx for you.

Good luck.

richardew

I am not a cardiothoracic surgeon. I can however help you look at the possibilities. From the information that you have provided, the choice is multiple operations vs. taking anticoagulants.
You can’t look at your heart like a p-car engine. With an engine, every time you crack open the engine to repair something, the level of difficulty doesn’t change. You pull the engine, open it up and do what you have to do. It’s the same every time. Your chest and your heart are quite different. Each time your chest is opened up and your heart operated on, the level of difficulty of the operation vastly increases. If a tissue valve lasts 10 years, you might need this done at 70, 80 and potentially again at age 90! Ask you surgeon how many times she or he has replaced a valve a second or third time, and how difficult an operation that is. In addition, as you get older, your ability to bounce back from such an operation decreases.
The downside of taking anticoagulants is that they have to be regulated, they interact with other medications, and they can potentially make you bleed. Contact sports are out, however, lots of people take them and lead normal lives.

The Brewmeister

I'm 46 and I took the mechanical. This past October I had my mitral valve
replaced with a titanium/carbon mechanical valve. I have been on blood
thinners since last February because of problems with chronic atrial
fibrilation. When the doctors told me that my a-fib could be permanent
it made the decision on the valve easier. If I was going to be on blood thinners
anyway why not go with the mechanical? The blood tests are a bit of a pain but not really that big a deal.

You may be a canidate for the minimally invasive or heart port surgical
technique. Be sure to discuss this option with your doctors (if you haven't
already). It depends on which valve is at issue.

Good luck with whatever you decide and hang in there. I know it's scary
because I've been there. These procedures are very common today.

Alan

Raptor

RC: Best wishes. Good vibes coming up north as I write this.