Heart valve replacement - TAVI - what to expect

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My lovely FIL is finally going in for this op this week after a long wait. Now it’s close we are all feeling a bit nervous - he has been told it can take up to 6 hours and he will be ICU afterwards . He is 82. Has anyone got any experiences they can share to help us prepare ? Thanks

What specifically are you worried about? Seeing him on ITU? Mobility? Independence? Pain?

Thanks for the reply - I just want to be well informed as to what’s normal I think
DH is taking him into the hospital and we just want to be able to reassure him what’s normal really .
I think MIL will be quite anxious about ICU.

Hi, I had a mitral valve replacement in 2015, I was 37 at the time. Most of the other patients were elderly. It's very routine and if it helps, whilst I was in terrible pain post op, the older lot weren't which is due to the lessening of nerve ending as we grow older.

If I may, I'd suggest you fuss as little as possible. My op was only months after the death of my son as I was diagnosed with a serious illness (which essentially caused his stillbirth) which was why I needed the heart surgery if you see what I mean, so we were pretty stunned about the whole thing but I do believe the less worrying and fretting about these things the better. He'll be in safe hands xx

Thanks Supergrassy - appreciate the reply and am sorry to hear of your experience.
We won’t fuss - I just thought if DH and I know a bit more we can inform / reassure as needed.
We looked online and it clearly isn’t a 6
Hour procedure so don’t know where he got that from and we have let him know.
I won’t see him until afterwards now - but he and MIL are stoic types on the surface they will be ok with DH organising them !
FIL is excited as well as he has Been waiting since February.
Thanks