Aortic replacement

[jean944]

I had a two part aortic replacement in '05' and 2nd part in '06'.  This was a surg. that very few people have heard of.  Mine was done in Winston Salem with two surgery teams.  Twelve & one half hrs.  Dr. said he held my heart in his hands.  I would love to hear from someone who has had this surg. done.

Thanks, Jean

[Gene918]

Very interesting. I've never heard of this. I had my ascending aorta replaced with a dacron graft tube (in Raleigh) '08. How are you doing now? Did you have any aortic valve work done?

[Smiley2000]

Hi there,

I suspect that you had "Bicuspid aortic valve disease" and another type of aortic defect.  Normally the Surgeons would replace the Aortic valve during the 1st Surgery, but I am sure they had good reason to do the Surgery/replacement in two parts.

The normal Valve-replacement surgery (open heart - full sternotomy and on cardio-pulmonary bypass) would leave the Surgeon with a heart that is not pumping and should take from 3-6 hours to complete.  Your surgery was done over 12 hours!  thus it must have been a very complicated case and very rear.

I am very glad to hear that you have survived all of this and life after a new valve/repaired heart sure is much better!

I had my mitral valve surgery, 4 years ago and doing great :)