Mom needs a valve replacement. Any experience?

[gasman]

Originally Posted by slinkywizard

Yes, this is quite true. Minimally-invasive mitral surgery is not for everyone. This is why it is important to find someone who does many of them and who does it alomost exclusively. The surgeon I suggested talking to, performs 400+ mitral cases/year, most of which are done by a minimally-invasive approach




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Sounds like exactly the surgeon to use.

What a great place with a depth of knowledge in so many areas.

[fmradio516]

Originally Posted by gasman

Sounds like exactly the surgeon to use.

What a great place with a depth of knowledge in so many areas.

Agreed 100%. I feel so much better about this. Thank you wizard pal!

[slinkywizard]

Always happy to help...!




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[Plum Hill]

Any update?

[fmradio516]

Originally Posted by Plum Hill

Any update?

Yes after a suggestion from a fellow forum member, I forced my mom to change doctors. She is seeing someone at Mt Sinai hospital in NY and they are going to attempt to do the minimally invasive surgery of putting clips on her mitral valve to stop the leak as well as put in a pacemaker. While the clips aren't a permanent solution, it is being done to strengthen her heart as it is way too weak for an open heart surgery.

Yeah she'll need the valve replacement eventually but the clips should buy her a couple years to get stronger AND maybe by the time she needs it done, it won't be a huge open heart surgery but more minimally invasive like the aortic valve replacement surgeries currently available.

So glad I posted this thread otherwise my mom would probably still be going to the group of doctors that was about to just go ahead with the valve replacement right away even though the doctors at that hospital couldn't agree if her heart was strong enough for it.

I'll be making a donation to the forum to show my gratitude as this could have been really bad for my mom and I owe this all to a fellow member!

THIS PLACE RULES!!

[gasman]

Glad your Mom is getting better care. Our regional hospital just started placing clips for leaky mitral valves. I hadn’t heard of the prodedure so I read up a little on it. It isn’t a cure but more of a bridge and Dr Oz , yes that Dr Oz , has a patent on idea and was sort of the originator of it.
Best of luck to your Mom !!

[fmradio516]

Just an update:

Earlier this summer, my mom had the heart valve clips put in and she has been feeling really great and exercising as much as she could. Then the past few weeks, she has been really out of breath and not feeling well; similar to her condition BEFORE the surgery. Two days ago she was so dizzy that she almost fainted in the supermarket. We all thought that the clips must've come un-done(Surgeon said this was a risk given her situation).

Well she just left his office and the clips are still there working as expected. But her heart isnt pumping very well at all. Her "ejection fraction" before the surgery was 15 and he said its even lower now, which is extremely bad.

Her cardiologist is telling her now that her heart is in really bad shape and she needs a heart transplant; pending some test results to see if she qualifies(??).

She's turning 60 in a week, so im hopeful that she will have at least that on her side regarding recovery.

Anyone have any experiences with this? Super stressed out now.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by fmradio516

Just an update:

Earlier this summer, my mom had the heart valve clips put in and she has been feeling really great and exercising as much as she could. Then the past few weeks, she has been really out of breath and not feeling well; similar to her condition BEFORE the surgery. Two days ago she was so dizzy that she almost fainted in the supermarket. We all thought that the clips must've come un-done(Surgeon said this was a risk given her situation).

Well she just left his office and the clips are still there working as expected. But her heart isnt pumping very well at all. Her "ejection fraction" before the surgery was 15 and he said its even lower now, which is extremely bad.

Her cardiologist is telling her now that her heart is in really bad shape and she needs a heart transplant; pending some test results to see if she qualifies(??).

She's turning 60 in a week, so im hopeful that she will have at least that on her side regarding recovery.

Anyone have any experiences with this? Super stressed out now.

Wow - that is tough. Sorry, nothing to offer except my best wishes!

[Dekonick]

Originally Posted by fmradio516

Just an update:

Earlier this summer, my mom had the heart valve clips put in and she has been feeling really great and exercising as much as she could. Then the past few weeks, she has been really out of breath and not feeling well; similar to her condition BEFORE the surgery. Two days ago she was so dizzy that she almost fainted in the supermarket. We all thought that the clips must've come un-done(Surgeon said this was a risk given her situation).

Well she just left his office and the clips are still there working as expected. But her heart isnt pumping very well at all. Her "ejection fraction" before the surgery was 15 and he said its even lower now, which is extremely bad.

Her cardiologist is telling her now that her heart is in really bad shape and she needs a heart transplant; pending some test results to see if she qualifies(??).

She's turning 60 in a week, so im hopeful that she will have at least that on her side regarding recovery.

Anyone have any experiences with this? Super stressed out now.

I wish you and your family speedy answers and solutions in trying times. I wish I could help.

I do know that there are bridge devices that help. You can read about them here https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-pro...t/pac-20384529

The left ventricular assist devices I first worked with a decade ago have really improved and are amazing. If it brings you any comfort, where I work we have quite a few patients who live normal lives with these while waiting for transplants. They are out in the community, at home. Again, I don't know your mothers situation. I do know she is at an excellent institution. Hope this helps.

[Black Dog]

My fathers best friend had a heart transplant (from congestive heart failure) in his late 50’s and lived a normal life for over 20 years after the surgery. There are great outcomes that are possible in some cases. Don’t give up hope.

[onsight512]

I'm sorry to hear about that. Best of luck to you & your mom.

[gasman]

Oh man I’m sorry to hear the news. An ejection fraction of 15 % is very low (60% is normal) .
Medications can help but I assume she’s been on the road for a while. Getting her evaluated for a heart transplant will be very important because the wait can be long depending on organ availability. Qualifying just means they evaluate her medically to make sure she’s a good candidate , and I’ve got to assume she is.

She can bridge with an left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and these can be left in for quite a while as Dek linked to. So there are always options.

Best of luck, it sounds like she’s getting good care. She clearly has a son who cares.
Let us know what happens.

[oldpotatoe]

Two points..first, it sounds like she has 2 things going for her, 3 things actually..her age, great doctors and medical staff and a loving son. Good vibes DO travel, do make an impact.

PLUS...geee, seeing this post and others I have seen here speaks volumes about this forum. Life changing, scary, troubling to 'hey, I have a new red gadget and can't figure it out'...many of us come to this 'bike' forum for help, assistance, advice or just some kind words and encouragement...

I'm impressed everyday. The first place I come each morning..

[fmradio516]

Thank you all! I let my mom know about the bridge devices and at the same time she forwarded me a message from one of her doctors nurses who mentioned an "artificial heart" that you need to carry around a case for. I wonder if its the same as a VAD.

The whole open heart surgery thing(even to implant a VAD) may be kinda risky because after she had breast cancer, she had a Mastectomy, so she had some kind of re-construction done after where the muscles from her back were grafted onto her chest. Before she had the clips, the doc told her he didnt want to do open heart because of these grafts. I forget the exact reason but i remember it being something like there was going to need to be two surgerons(one heart and one plastic) at the surgery in order to do it right... Didnt get the full story on that, but regardless..

Thanks everyone for all your good vides!

[clyde the point]

Good luck there buddy and prayers sent. Fortunately we live in a time period where there is a lot of experience with this kind of stuff on the medical end. That doesn't make it easier for the patient's family, but remember one thing: you and your family know the patient better than anyone else so if you see something say something!