OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Yes, due to my age, I had what was called the "Ross Procedure" where they move your pulmonary valve into the aortic position, grafting it in, and then you get a cadaver valve in your pulmonary position. This is a "permanent" fix, but obviously significantly more involved (double valve replacement) than the typical cow/pig valve done on more elderly patients. This isn't done by a lot of hospitals, it is only done at dedicated cardiac centres.
If you are young, they don't recommend the pig/cow valve because it lacks the durability to be a long-term solution. While if you are 60+ it might last 15 years, if you are 40, you could get as short as 4 years out of it! So, the alternative is either the mechanical valve, meaning you are on blood thinners for the rest of your life, or the procedure I got. I opted for the Ross due to its permanency and fact that, once healed, there is nothing special I need to do for it.
Because my pulmonary valve is native tissue, once that valve is in the aortic position and healed, the body will look after it like it was always there, which is why it is such a durable repair. The only caveat is the cadaver valve in the pulmonary position, which may wear out, but it can be replaced with a tabby using a catheter if needed. However, there's a less than 10% chance of needing any subsequent intervention after 20 years.
The reason for the surgery is that I was born with the most common heart defect: a bicuspid aortic valve. These are inherently leaky, but most people that have them never know they do. Mine was discovered 5-7 years ago and was moderately leaky at that time. It stepped up to "severe" leakage back in the spring, which meant that it was time for intervention.
The plan of attack was:
1. Repair, if possible (this was deemed non-viable due to calcification, and valve stretch, putting the cusps out of alignment)
2. Ross Procedure (performed)
3. Mechanical valve if the above two were both non-viable
I was lucky that the Ross was able to be successfully done.
So, while the valve adapts to its new position, and the graft heals, blood pressure is kept low to keep the load low. So that's what I'm dealing with at present.
