Aortic Valve Regurgitation, & Aortic Root Dilation. New. Waiting lists. Private Cardiologist suggestions.

[Louilu]

Hi, new to this community and first post. I’m in my early 50s and recently diagnosed with Aortic Valve Regurgitation, severely dilated LV, Aortic root dilation and LBBB. This has been a shock. Ive been doing a lot of my own reading, as still waiting on a face to face with cardiologist. I would be interested in hearing of any positive experiences of private cardiology consults within Scotland, particularly with a cardiologist specialising in valve disease and aneurysms.

[Hanibil]

Hi I had the same problem back in 2004 at age 48 with an operation in 2005 mechanical valve and root repair, and have been fine ever since.

[Cliff_G]

Best places are the main hospitals with proper cardiothoracic units and high-volume experience with aortic medicine. I'm being followed up at RIE for post-aortic dissection monitoring, and am very pleased. Major surgery like this is not in my view a candidate for private surgery, the breadth of expertise, experience, machinery, ability to deal with thr unexpected, the ability to provide proper ICU facilities (which most of these ops need even for a day or two), is not compatible with private hospitals, in my view. Also, if you start down the private route, they don't have access to your NHS notes, and vice versa, so for surgery on the NHS it's just delaying things overall.

In England you can "choose and book" where and who you want to go to. In Scotland I had to request via my GP that I wanted my follow-up in Edinburgh. The local hospital had to agree to this, and it took a while to get the cross-area funding sorted, but in the end it has worked out well. I get regular post-surgery CTs in my local hospital, results reviewed by and discussed with a cardiothoracic surgeon at RIE.

[Louilu in reply to Cliff_G]

Thank you for your reply Cliff. I agree regarding private for actual surgery. Best to stay within NHS, particularly for post op and follow up. Can I ask who you saw in Edinburgh? Which cardiothoracic surgeon did your surgery? Many thanks.

[Cliff_G in reply to Louilu]

I'll send you a private message.

[Cliff_G in reply to Cliff_G]

Now sent.