“Is Mitral Valve Re-Repair Possible?” asks Jeanie
By Adam Pick on January 18, 2018
The possibility of heart valve “re-operations” is known within our community. As patients, we hope that only one valve procedure is needed during our lifetime. However, the reality is that patients may need one or more re-operations.
Specific to this topic… Jeanie recently asked me, “Hi, Adam. I’m 63 years old. I just had mitral valve repair surgery performed in April of 2017. Now, a few months later, I have moderate to severe leakage again. Can this be re-repaired or do I need to have it replaced?”
To answer Jeanie’s question, I was very lucky to interview Dr. David Adams who is the Cardiac Surgeon-in-Chief of the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. If you didn’t know, Dr. Adams is a mitral valve guru who started the Mitral Conclave Conference and co-wrote the book, Carpentier’s Reconstructive Valve Surgery. In addition, Dr. Adams has successfully treated over 100 patients in our community including Sophie Marsh, Brian Walsh and so many others.
Keep on tickin!
Adam
P.S. For the hearing impaired members of our community, I have provided a written transcript of this video below.
Adam Pick: Hi, everybody. It’s Adam. We are at the Heart Valve Summit in Chicago, Illinois. I am thrilled to be here with Dr. David Adams, who’s the co-director of the Heart Valve Summit. He’s also the cardiac surgeon and chief of the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Dr. Adams, it’s a pleasure to see you again. Thanks for being here.
Dr. David Adams: Great seeing you, Adam.
Adam Pick: As you know, we’re answering questions that came in from the patient community at HeartValveSurgery.com and on our Facebook page. Got a question from Jeanie Frump and she asks, “Hi, Adam. I’m 63 years old. I just had mitral valve repair surgery performed in April of 2017. Now, a few months later, I have moderate to severe leakage again. Can this be re-repaired or do I need to have it replaced?”
David Adams: Adam, we’ve been very interested in following mitral valve repair patients, and have actually published different papers and opinions about failure of mitral valve repair. What Jeanie’s facing is an early failure. It’s important, first, to know what the original operation was before, because there are lots of different diseases that can cause mitral valve regurgitation. Let’s presume it was prolapse, the most common disease in early failure; almost always is re-repairable.
The first thing I would tell a patient is to relax and take a deep breath because it’s possible that you will be able to be followed with that. It’s not the result you want, but we see lots of patients from around the country that have had failed valve repairs. First thing we do is do a workup to make sure that it’s time to re-intervene. Oftentimes, we will get to know patients and follow them, see them early before we make a decision about re-operation. At the time of re-operation, what we’re looking for is a mobile anterior leaflet. As long as the anterior leaflet is mobile – in our center, we almost always do valve re-repair, but we have a very specific interest in valve re-repair and published and presented large series about re-repair. I think that – you know, your mitral valves are living piece of tissue. Whenever it’s possible to preserve it, including in a failed repair setting, it’s a good idea to go find someone that can do that.
Adam Pick: Finding someone, Dr. Adams – I’m sure Jeanie and other patients who have this issue. I understand that re-operations – heart surgery’s tricky to begin with, but when you’re doing a re-op for a valve is it more difficult and more challenging? If so, what should patients do about that?
Dr. David Adams: Re-operations present some new technical challenges. Fortunately, cardiac surgery is a field that the re-operative part of that has gotten much safer in the last decade. In terms of valve re-repair, this requires a lot of experience. I would tell patients that may require a re-operation to make sure that you’re with a surgeon in a center that has done mitral valve re-repair because this is a super specialty. All valve repair is a specialty, but mitral valve re-repair is honestly a super specialty. I think, depending on your pathology and anatomy, if you are a re-repair candidate, that’s what you should have.
Adam Pick: Dr. Adams, thank you for everything that you’re doing to advance valvular therapy, specifically mitral valve, all the great work that you’re doing here with these clinicians. Getting them together to learn from each other and just get our patients doing well again. Thank you for everything you’ve done over the years. It’s an honor to have you here.
Dr. David Adams: Thanks, Adam.
Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder
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Scott Barton says on January 18th, 2018 at 6:17 pm |
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In January of 2007 Marc Gillinov of the Cleveland Clinic performed a repair of my severely prolapsed mitral valve. Either due to clotting, infective endocarditis or other undetermined issue, the valve repair was compromised due to a mass on the valve. It was determined that another surgery would be required. Dr. Gillinov performed the re-repair in July of 2009. Two days post surgery, another mass was noted in the echo and it was determined that the best course of action was to treat with medications. After three years, the mass remained and the valve function again failed. So, in December of 2012, I underwent another surgery. This time the valve would be replaced with a bio prosthetic bovine valve. Dr. Kenneth McCurry of the Cleveland Clinic was the surgeon for this third open heart surgery as he is better experienced with complicated procedures. The valve failed in 2017 due to what was believed to be a massive clot. So this past July, I was required to endure my 4th surgery. This time I received a mechanical valve. Dr. McCurry was again the surgeon. Dr. Kenneth McCurry is not only an incredibly skilled surgeon, he is a courageous and patient centered physician. |
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Adam says on January 18th, 2018 at 7:08 pm |
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Scott, You are a warrior. Your pursuit of a healthy functional valve is downright inspirational to me (and I bet many people reading this post). Many thanks for sharing your courageous story with us all. Keep on tickin! Adam |
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Larry Chavez says on January 18th, 2018 at 10:43 pm |
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I had mitral valve prolapse repair about 12 yrs ago at St. Lukes in Houston TX., Dr. Ross Reul, and I am still doing great. I scoped him out as a surgeon before I had my procedure, ( Done with robotic surgery, no open chest) And for the most part I am still doing great! He is now with Methodist Hospital. |
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Larry Chavez says on January 18th, 2018 at 10:44 pm |
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Sorry to hear Scott, one time was almost more than I could handle! Best of luck to you. |
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Lisa Ferguson says on January 21st, 2018 at 8:56 pm |
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Your story is incredible. I agree with Adam, you are a warrior! Thank you for sharing your story. I can’t imagine the emotional trip you’ve been on, but I hope your recovery this time goes textbook perfect! |
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Lisa Ferguson says on January 21st, 2018 at 9:05 pm |
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I am really grateful for this post. Dr. Adams is so matter-of-fact and calm about this topic! I appreciate learning that he sees many patients with this situation. I am lucky to live in a city with many super surgeons, and mine (Dr. Sam Baradarian) is one of them so when it comes time for another operation, I will be in capable hands. It’s just frustrating to be one of the few patients where the surgery failed. I wish it could be fixed to make it right now, but I am being monitored for now and holding steady and really no reason for a re-do. I wonder how often patients like me never have another operation? I suppose it’s not a re-do if surgery is years later? Is the surgery considered a fail in the first month, 6 months, a year? |
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