Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Has anyone had a TAVR, total aortic valve replacement

It looks like this is where I’m headed and things are happening fast, had heart catheter Monday, no blockage but valve is hard. Already scheduled to see surgeon, just curious?

I was in the procedure room doing meds/shocking/temp pacer stuff for a few hundred of them. Make sure the person doing it has done "a few" and hopefully you don't need a pacemaker after.

Dad had one. Kept him ticking for many years.

You do have to watch for septicemia. The valve is not living tissue and can be colonized by bacteria.

Generally, life just goes on after the surgery. Enjoy that.

My mom did. She had damage from rheumatic fever as a kid. Had her mitral valve replaced in the seventies (she was about 31) with an experimental Starr valve. In her sixties the aortic valve failed. They replaced it and the Starr valve with a St. Jude valve.

Worked very well and she no longer had the constant ticking from the Starr valve.


About 2 years ago the rheumatic fever finally caught up with her. Arrhythmia caused about a 30-40% efficiency and had a hard time getting her cumadin (protine) levels under control (for the first time since the 70's). She fainted and hit her head. She died a few days later.

But it wasn't the valves fault. It worked fine. Kept her alive for another 20 years.

The VAST majority of the time they go smooth and give a new lease on life to varying degrees. If it goes south you'll probably never know about it!

My Dad lived about 15 more years after he got it.
When anyone asked how long are they good for,
he would say "they have a lifetime guarantee!"

Have an aortic leak but the cardiologist says it isn't bad enough. Just watching it.

Thanks men, I have always led a very aggressive lifestyle, I have to work hard and play fairly hard for my age, have responsibilities here on range with two parents in 90’s , wife , kids and a lot of grandkids to see grow up, I guess what I’m most afraid of is being half the man I have been because of backing off because of heart. I’m 68-1/2 and never thought this would happen to me 🤠

My mom was a candidate for the TAVR procedure. They did all the tests and found no blockages. In the end they decided it would not relieve her symptoms due to advanced pulmonary sclerosis. She is 95.

TAVR = Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. In on several hundred of them before I retired. Research the team doing the procedure. It may be the most important hour you spend in your entire life. Experience is essential to success.

Just had an Aortic ultrasound done and they nothing unusual. Had Ruematic fever twice as a child.

Had one three years ago and it is Trans Aortic Valve Replacement. Only problem was that next day my heart stopped. Wound up with a pacemaker, then AFIB, an ablation and no more problems since.

I had Aortic stenosis and had a tissue valve put in. I feel great and within 4-5 months was back to normal activity. I have continued with cardiac rehab to maintain activity, I would highly recommend doing that. I was going backward fast before the surgery because the valve and aorta were hardening quickly. In June of '21 my score on cardiac ultrasound was 39 by December it was 69, surgery is done with a score of 50. My cardiologist, who is now retired, had never seen a jump like that before. Surgery was in March of '22 so approaching 2 years , it has given me a new lease on life.

Angus55 My youngest daughter is a Program Development Consultant Structural Heart at Medtronic ---- TAVR is at the top of her list---- none better ---according to her. I'm sure you will make out OK. Web

Thanks Web, been on phone most of day with sons , they are planning on coming to ranch and helping wife , they say they can work on line a week at a time . While up here feeding cows, the hardest thing is letting my wife down in the winter if it’s bad snow, they can figure it out I hope, 😂 Hopefully I will heel fast and be able to work a little.

My mom had one last year. She will 92 at the end of this month. In one day and out the next. Doc was extremely happy with function tests a year later.

Dale

https://www.medtronic.com/content/d...en-my-as-journey-interactive-toolkit.pdf
Copy and paste------- Educational that my daughter sent me. Can answer some of your questions --- Web

Born with a bicuspid aortic valve... Heart murmur, was diagnosis through school, Army draft, college foitball, company physicals..... In my late 60's quickly developed severe aortic stenosis.
Given 3- 5 years. Open heart, cow valve made in Singapore, no other issues... 4 weeks after surgery, backpacked a nice 9 point out.... Cardiologist said: why didn't you wait to next year?
Aortic valve replacement is a common, highly successful surgery, for those who have taken care of themselves...

TAVR in 2015. Annual assessments.

Step Dad had it done a few months ago. Procedure went well and he is doing good. I hope your results are good as well!