heart valve problem

[prashant_chauhan]

Sir, i am 35 year old, arround 12 years back i was treated my mitral stenisis by balloon valvotomy, after that I was taking lanoxin and diuretic tablet and pencilline enj. Last year my echo show that now mitral valve is thick and fibrosed valve leaflet and I have moderate mitral stensis 1.58 cm2 with calcified tip. Along with this Aortic calve is also trileaflet, thickend and fbrosed with (moderate leakage) having Lt, Atrium dimension 35 mm and LA-Aorta (1.6).Left atrium dilated and left artrial overloaded. wall motion is normal and ejection fraction is 60 percent,.Sir here one doctor say that i have moderate heart failure and i need both valve replacement in near future, another says I can wait for few years.Now a days I am feeling palpitaion daily.I am taking 25 mg metopropal, dytor plus 10. how much time I can wait for valve replacement? both valve can be replaced at once?wtah would be the cost?and wahts is the expexted life expectancy after valve replacement? thanks

[kenkeith]

There is a mixed view on when to do a valve operation.  The Mayo Clinic's renown heart surgery states publically that the biggest problem he see is that the patient waited too long.  Waiting too long can require an operation when the left ventricle is enlarged and that condition would reduce the EF, and an operation subsequently the EF may never return to normal function.

An EF of 60% is within the normal range (50-80%) and heart failure is usually the condition when the EF is below 29% (the amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat).  I'm not sure where the heart failure diagnosis stems, but the information you have provided does not indicate such with an EF of 60%?

Valve replacement is considered to extend one's longivity, and two valves can be done at the same time. You should contact the Cleveland Clinic or the Mayo Clinic, Rochester for costs and more information regarding prognosis.  Mitral valve stenosis will cause an enlarged left atrium.

Thanks for your questions.  I wish you well going forward, take care.

Ken

Ken