Hi Everyone,
Just over 5 months ago I had a valve sparring aortic root replacement as my aortic root was found to be dilated by over 5.6cm.
Just wondered if anyone on here has had the same heart surgery as me so we can share our experiences, or am I the only one 😉
Liam.
Hi Liam,
you are not alone, couple of threads, healthunlocked.com/bhf/post....
healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...
Hopefully one of our members will be along shortly
Mark
Hi Liam I had surgery in August 2016, prior to the surgery which I knew would involve aortic valve replacement I was told that I might need aortic root replacement which would have meant having a mechanical valve and being on warfarin. I told the surgeon that if he finds he could do it without root replacement to do so (I wouldn't know the outcome until I woke up). It turned out that he was able to do a valve replacement. Hope all is well with you now, I am now back to running 3 times a week and strangely I am faster than I was 5 years ago John
Hi John,
It’s good to see you’ve made excellent progress!
I knew I had to have the aortic root replaced with synthetic graft tubing, but didn’t know whether I’d get away with not having the aortic valve replaced. I had moderate aortic valve regurgitation because the valve had been stretched open by my largely dilated aortic root. My surgeon said he couldn’t tell whether I needed the valve replaced until he had removed my aortic root and could see inside the heart. He did say that if he couldn’t repair the valve, he would replace it with a metal mechanical valve and I’d be on warfarin for the rest of my life, which wasn’t a problem for me.
Apparently, once he had removed my dilated aortic root and could see inside my heart and he had stitched in the new synthetic aortic root, the aortic valve went back into place and closed up like it should do. The tissues of the valve didn’t look damaged or stretched, so he didn’t need to repair or replace the valve. I am on 75mg of aspirin a day as a precautionary measure.
I’m not going running anytime soon or at all due to other health problems. It’s great to hear you are back to running. My fitness levels are still low. I’m finding I’m getting out of breath just walking up one flight of stairs still. I get a discomfort in my chest and throat too.
I’m concerned at times now because I’m getting some of the symptoms I had before the surgery. The symptoms have only started a few weeks ago, I have let the doctors that referred me to my cardiologist know, just waiting for hopefully an appointment to see the cardiologist to make sure all is ok. I’m hoping they are just phantom symptoms! All the research that I did before the surgery about the type of heart surgery I was going to have, I don’t think I’ve read anywhere that the aortic valve needed replacing a while after the aortic root was replaced. Come to think of it, any of the valves in the heart needed replacing a while after. But you know what they say, “there’s always a first for everything”!
Liam.
Hi Liam, I had the same op a few years ago but with the valve replacement too.
How are you doing?
Hi Mew,
I didn’t have to have the aortic valve replaced, Just the aortic root. My surgeon said he didn’t know whether the valve needed replacing until he could see inside my heart.
I had my surgery just over 5 months ago, and I was doing well. Getting as much moving around as I possibly could. Unfortunately these last few weeks I’ve not been doing well, maybe it’s the drop in temperature? I’ve been getting out of puff up one flight of stairs, I’m having trouble with walking too, getting puffed out and chest tightness. I’m getting some of the symptoms at times, that I was getting before surgery. I’m waiting to see my Cardiologist who’s is also going to request a repeat echo to make sure everything is ok. I am a bit worried that the aortic valve isn’t working properly again. I’ve not read anywhere that this has happened to another patient after their root was replaced and didn’t have to have their valve replaced. I had moderate aortic regurgitation before surgery because of the valve not closing at all, because of the very wide dilatation of my aortic root that I had. When my surgeon replaced the aortic root, the valve closed right back up as it should do. The valve looked and worked normally as it should and he didn’t need to replace it.
How have you been doing Mew since you had yours done a few yeasts ago, how was you 5 months afterwards?
All the best,
Liam.
Hi Liam, when you think about the size and seriousness of the op you have had I think you're doing pretty well. I think that had there been any doubt about the viability of your valve it would have been dealt with at the time. It's good that you are having the scan which I'm sure will put your mind at rest.
Like you, I had doubts about what I was feeling being real or imagined.
To be honest the whole process of diagnosis and the op itself scared me a lot and it took a while for my mind to catch up with my body in the healing process. A few years on and it seems like it happened to somebody else. Its a gradual process so don't be in too much of a rush. Your doing great.
Martin
Hey Liam47, my name is George and I'm 48yrs old and live in Poughkeepsie, NY. On May 2, 2019 I underwent the Valve Sparring Aortic Root Replacement(The David Procedure) at Vassar Brothers Medical Center with Dr. Jason Sperling (Chief Cardio Thoracic Surgeon at VBMC), as I had a Bicuspid Aortic Valve and an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm that grew over the past 12 months to 5.034cm from 4.7cm in 2018.
It's been quite an experience so far. I remember being wheeled out of the O.R. of which I was in for over 6hrs, and my heart was chilled and clamped off for 3hrs and 15min, and when I could hear peoples voices and see the ceiling lights, I just remember saying, "Yes, I made it, Thank you!!"
Right now I'm dealing with a lot of nerve ending healing pain, and holy shit, sneezing hurts like a mother, huh?
You have or does anyone have any useful tips for a newly cut guy?
George
Aortic root replacement
Understanding Aortic Root Dilatation 
Aortic Root Anuyrism 
Aortic Valve Replacement
Aortic valve replacement. 
