I'm told my 4yr old aortic valve is deterioting

Just had open heart surgery, my valve was replaced with a mechanical valve because I was told a bovine valve would last from 5 to 15 years and then 2 things might work 1st is maybe a TAVR valve could be used or open chest back up and put in new valve good luck with your decision.

My medical team didn't recommend a mechanical valve for me and didn't foresee early failure. I have no symptoms, so I'll continue to have an annual echo until the numbers indicate action. I'm very disappointed!

I wish you well. God bless and have a great weekend. Dave

I’m wondering why your doctor preferred a pig valve ( that’s what it was called in 2015) when I had my open heart surgery to remove my leaking valve and the surgeon recommended the mechanical valve.

He said that a tissue valve has around a 10 year lifespan and a mechanical aortic valve has a 40 year lifespan so I opted for a mechanical valve and have had nothing but a good ticker at every exam. That’s 8 years so far.

I think it had to do with the blood thinner for life aspect of the mechanical valve vs bovine. We did expect the valve to last 15+ years, and for some reason the surgeon hardly considered the alternative. Perhaps it's my advanced age! It'll be a crap shoot to see how fast the numbers dip compared to any other health circumstances! I'm also a cancer survivor, GERD sufferer, the list is long! One day at a time....

Well, I’m 70 and in fairly decent shape but I’m beholden to blood draws once a week for life. Are you saying that a bovine valve doesn’t need INR and PT tests every week? I think I heard that somewhere as well.
I didn’t want surgery on my heart every 10-15 years. It was only done through open heart surgery in those days. Now it’s not necessary to open you up except for a few people and that TAVR or whatever it’s called is better. I didn’t know that in 2012 and neither did the number one heart valve surgeon that did my surgery.

So I opted for the mechanical one with a 40 year lifespan. If I need it replaced I would probably not be a good candidate for TAVR as that type surgery places a new valve over the old one by going through your groin.

My valve leaked and I don’t think placing a new valve over the old one would work. Anyway, it’s ticking away just fine.

Yes, after the initial recovery period , I am only on 81mg aspirin daily, due to the bovine valve. Mechanical valves require blood thinner for life.

Yeah, I’m on 81 mg of aspirin a day plus Coumadin draws once a week and am on Coumadin for the rest of my life on a daily basis. Mechanical valves can cause blood clots so my Coumadin levels vary according to my INR levels.

I am 92 and had a TOVA two years ago. I do not know about as a replacement for a previous valve, but it is certainly worth asking about. Operation was very quick, quite painless, and recovery time very quick.
Gina5009

the valve you have is probably great for younger candidates, but I was 90 and surgery was not a viable option. I had the TOVR. Very quick, quite painless, and a much better option than ""just wait and see". Recovery is very quick. I take a child's aspirin every day. No Coumadin. I do need some B.P. Medication. Hopefully, if I later need to replace this valve, there will be even greater progress in the replacement process, or at my age, I may just outlive the need.
Gina5009