Aortic valve replacement

[NotAMouse]

Anyone have any experience with this?

My mother was told at the beginning of the year that her heart was working at 40% only and therefore her aortic valve would need replacing via open heart surgery.

She’s still waiting for a surgery date (NHS delays and some other treatment she needed before she got the green-light for the op) but has also now been told she has liver and kidney failure and that it’s all connected with the heart issue.

We don’t have a great relationship so I don’t have much information. I live abroad, and as we only communicate by text, it’s difficult to know how’s she’s really doing.

She’s early 70s and I hear that the aortic valve replacement can do wonders, even if it’s obviously huge surgery and tricky recovery.

Not really sure what I’m asking but maybe someone has (sadly) other experience of this? I guess I’m concerned about the implications of the delay plus now the additional liver and kidney issues.Will the heart surgery help all round? Is there a point of no return for liver and kidney failure?

Hopeful bump

Hi.
My mother had this done three years ago. Don't think she would have survived long without it. She had it replaced through the groin she was in hospital for about five days after. She needed to take it easy for several weeks after though. It is still major heart surgery even though it wasn't open heart.

Thank you for replying @JellyNo15 I hope it’s had a positive impact for your DM. I’ve read that the recovery can be up to 12 weeks but that it can make a real difference afterwards.

My DM will have to have her chest opened up it seems. As I say, she was first told she needed the op at the start of this year. And she has struggled with what seemed like autoimmune issues for several years until they diagnosed COPD last year. She sees a consultant soon so maybe things will move after that.

She’s prone to a being dramatic so it’s really hard to gage how severe/urgent it is. Eg the doc saying “the fact that your heart is not working at an optimal capacity could lead to kidney and liver issues” could very well turn into her telling us “I’ve also got liver and kidney failure”. I’m sure I’ll go to hell for writing that out….

My mother had this at 80. She took a long, long time to recover ( months) and it would be fair to say she was never the same. The effects of anaesthesia on elderly people are quite severe, and can result in major personality change.

Having seen this, I would never go to these extreme lengths for myself.

@Allthegoodnamesarechosen Sorry to hear it was tough for your DM. I didn’t know that about anesthesia and older people, will go do some googling now….

My mother had aortic valve replacement in 2008 at the age of 72 she took longer to recover, bad chest infection, because she had only been diagnosed with RA a few weeks before and was on steroids.
Six months later she was on on her shed replacing the roof felt. She had OHS and they used a bovine valve replacement and it is still working very well.

My mother had aortic valve replacement at the age of 85. She had TAVI procedure - this is where it is done through the groin not open heart. I'm not sure what the criteria are or if it is available around the country. The improvement was significant and recovery fairly quick as I recall (weeks rather than months)

Just seen this I had my Aortic valve replaced via Open Heart Surgery on 30th September so am 10 weeks post operative. I had a severe leaky valve, but luckily no other issues. It’s took me 8 weeks to feel anything like ‘normal’ & I’m still unable to lift, garden, & I also get extremely exhausted if I’m out & about for more than a clog hours.
The waiting for surgery once I was told I needed it was worse than the actual procedure, well apart from having chest drains removed!
All the best for your Mum.