Posted on 02/23/2022 4:54:34 PM PST by ConservativeMind
The "Ross procedure" may be a more favorable option for aortic valve replacement among patients under 50 years old than more standard mechanical or biological replacements.
The research is the first to compare the Ross procedure to the other options, and shows that it leads to improved survival and better outcomes in younger adults.
"Not only was survival better than after biological or mechanical aortic valve replacement, it was also identical to the matched U.S. general population. To this day, this is the only operation that has ever been shown to restore survival after aortic valve replacement in young adults," says author Ismail El-Hamamsy, MD.
"This is a huge deal because it demonstrates the impact of valve choice in the long term."
The Ross procedure is a more complex operation where a surgeon replaces the diseased aortic valve with the patient's own living pulmonary valve, which is a mirror image of a normal aortic valve. This is the fundamental difference between the Ross procedure and a biological or mechanical valve replacement, which is a critical factor for successful long-term outcomes in patients.
Survival after the Ross procedure (93% survival at 15 years) was identical when compared to people of the same age and sex in the U.S. general population who did not have aortic valve replacement surgery. In terms of valve-related complications, the Ross procedure was associated with a significantly lower risk of stroke or major bleeding than a mechanical valve (3.8% after a Ross procedure versus 13% after a mechanical valve at 15 years). Similarly, the Ross procedure was associated with significantly fewer reoperations (17% versus 30% at 15 years) and endocarditis—an infection of the heart tissue—than a biological valve (2.3% versus 8.5% at 15 years).
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Good news, everyone!
Moves the pulmonary valve to the aortic’s location?!
Avoid heart/valve problems by exercising daily!
It does not have to be intensive workout.
Just 20-25 minutes of walking at rapid pace, preferably carrying 1 lb wrist weights. OK I have no stats to prove it, but I had heart issues in mid 50’s (chest pains after a good meal, rapid heart beats, missing heart beats). Began walking without getting bored by playing golf 3-4-5 times every week.
In just 2 years my heart was working like a 25 year old. I quit golf atage 75, now it is just rapid walks on a treadmill set 2 deg up, and carrying light wrist weights. Still no heart issues at age 82. This video is from my 81st birthday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I55ZxIwbuOU
I had a mitral valve replaced in 1990 with a mechanical valve.. Billions of heart beats later I am still going strong at 75!
I am also on high doses of warfarin.
Glad to see how they have improved the operations in the last 30 years.
“...replaces the diseased aortic valve with the patient’s own living pulmonary valve...”
What replaces the pulmonary valve?
***Avoid heart/valve problems by exercising daily!***
I did till I blew out my mitral valve. Now I take it easy.
Key words....MILD exercise is all you need as one gets over age 50. Watch my video in post above. I am not preparing for Olympics.
“ I did till I blew out my mitral valve. Now I take it easy”
Blew mine out in June ‘17. Surgeon was able to repair the existing valve with a few (non tissue) parts, and told me I aughtta be good to go for a “normal” life span.
Glad to hear your bionic implant has served you so well for so long!
My kid brother was one of the first infants to get a mechanical mitral valve, he died at 16 due to complications of the mitral valve causing an enlargement of a lower chamber of his heart causing a tear and bleed out.
He was due to go in for a replacement but passed 2 months before the surgery date.
This would have been a game changer for him. I’m glad they continue to develope better methods to save lives.
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